Fate Dice & The Ladder

Roll 4 Fate dice (4dF). Each die shows +, −, or blank. Sum them for −4 to +4, then add your skill or approach rating.

+

−

= +1 + skill

The Ladder

+8Legendary

+7Epic

+6Fantastic

+5Superb

+4Great

+3Good

+2Fair

+1Average

0Mediocre

−1Poor

−2Terrible

The Four Actions

Overcome

Clear an obstacle standing between you and a goal. Roll vs. passive difficulty or active opposition. Succeed to get past it; fail to be blocked or face consequences.

Create an Advantage

Create a new aspect or discover/invoke an existing one. Success gives a free invoke; Succeed with Style gives two. Used to set up your team or hamper an enemy.

Attack

Harm someone in a conflict. Roll vs. their defense roll. Difference (shifts) is dealt as stress. If they can't absorb all shifts, they take consequences or are taken out.

Defend

Protect yourself or someone else. Usually a reaction to an attack or someone creating an advantage against you. You can also defend on behalf of an ally in the same zone.

Outcomes

Roll	Outcome	What happens
Fail	Fail	You don't do it, or you do it at a serious cost (GM's choice). On defend, opponent succeeds.
Tie	Tie	You succeed at a minor cost, or get a reduced benefit. On Create Advantage: aspect placed but opponent gets free invoke.
Beat by 1–2	Succeed	You do what you set out to do with no complications. On Create Advantage: 1 free invoke on the aspect.
Beat by 3+	Succeed with Style	You do it with extra impact. On attack: deal shifts + boost. On Create Advantage: 2 free invokes. On overcome: gain a boost.

Boost: A temporary aspect with one free invoke that disappears after it is used. You gain a boost when you Succeed with Style on Overcome, or tie on Create Advantage.

Aspects

Aspects are true phrases about characters, scenes, or the world. They are always narratively true and can be invoked or compelled.

Ace Pilot with a Death Wish The City Never Sleeps On Fire!

Aspect Types

High Concept — your character's core identity in a phrase.
Trouble — what complicates your life or makes things interesting.
Other Aspects — relationships, backstory, defining traits (3 total on sheet).
Situation Aspects — temporary aspects on scenes, zones, or objects.
Boosts — very short-lived aspects with one free invoke.

Invoking

Spend 1 Fate Point to invoke one of your aspects (or a scene aspect).
Get +2 to your roll OR reroll all 4 dice (choose before seeing result).
You must explain how the aspect is relevant — even briefly.
Free invokes (from Create Advantage) cost no Fate Points.
You can invoke multiple aspects on the same roll — each costs 1 FP (or a free invoke).

Compelling

The GM offers you a Fate Point to have an aspect complicate your situation.
If you accept: take the FP, accept the complication.
If you refuse: spend 1 Fate Point to buy out of the compel.
You can suggest a compel on your own aspects — GM decides if it works.
Compels should create interesting drama, not just punishment.

Fate Points

FP

Default Refresh = 3

You Start Each Session With

Your Refresh rate in Fate Points (default 3).
If you ended last session with more than Refresh, you keep the higher amount.

Spend a Fate Point to

Invoke an aspect for +2 or a reroll.
Refuse a compel — pay 1 FP to avoid the complication.
Declare a story detail — with GM approval, spend a FP to add a true detail to the scene.
Use a special stunt that requires a FP.

Gain a Fate Point when

The GM compels one of your aspects and you accept.
You concede a conflict (1 FP + 1 per consequence taken).
Your aspect is invoked against you by an opponent (they pay you).
Certain stunts or story moments grant FP.

Refresh & Stunts

Your Refresh is the minimum FP you start each session with. Each stunt beyond 3 reduces Refresh by 1 (minimum Refresh of 1).

Tip: The economy of Fate Points flows from compels. If you never accept compels, you'll always be short on FP to invoke aspects.

Stress & Consequences

When you take hits in a conflict, you must absorb the shifts of damage using stress boxes, consequences, or by conceding.

Stress Boxes

Physical stress tracks bodily harm (governed by Physique skill).
Mental stress tracks emotional/psychological hits (governed by Will skill).
Default: 2 boxes each. Average/Fair Physique or Will → 3 boxes. Good+ → 4 boxes.
Check one box of equal or higher value to absorb that many shifts.
Stress clears at the end of a scene (after a short breather).

Physical

1

2

3

4

Mental

1

2

3

4

Consequences

2

Mild

Absorbs 2 shifts. Clears after the scene ends (with narrative justification).

4

Moderate

Absorbs 4 shifts. Clears at the end of the scenario.

6

Severe

Absorbs 6 shifts. Takes several scenarios to clear.

8

Extreme

Absorbs 8 shifts. Permanently replaces one of your aspects — it changes your character forever.

Taken Out: If you can't absorb all shifts, you're taken out — the opponent decides what happens to you. To avoid this, concede before the dice are rolled: you control how you exit, and gain 1 FP + 1 per consequence taken in the conflict.

Conflicts

Set the scene: establish zones (abstract areas) and any relevant situation aspects.
Determine turn order: highest relevant skill (Notice, Empathy, or GM choice) goes first.
On your turn: take one action (attack, create advantage, overcome, or defend).
You may also move one zone as part of your turn; crossing obstacles requires an overcome roll.
You can defend on behalf of an ally in the same zone (use your roll in place of theirs).

Absorbing Hits

When hit, check how many shifts got through your defense roll.
Check a single stress box ≥ the shifts, OR take a consequence to reduce shifts (by its value), OR both.
You can split absorption between a consequence and remaining stress.
If you can't absorb all shifts → you are Taken Out.

Conceding

Declare a concession before your opponent rolls to attack.
You narrate how you exit — your character escapes, surrenders, or withdraws on your terms.
Gain 1 Fate Point, plus 1 FP per consequence you took during the conflict.
The opponent achieves their goal, but you don't get Taken Out.

Zones & the Scene

Zones are abstract areas — Behind the Bar, In the Street, On the Rooftop.
Attacks generally can't cross zones without the right skill or equipment.
Situation aspects (e.g. On Fire, Slippery Floor) can be invoked or compelled by anyone.

Stunts

Stunts are special rules exceptions tied to your character. Every character gets 3 stunts free. Each additional stunt costs 1 Refresh.

Stunt Patterns

+2 bonus: "When I [action] using [skill] in [specific circumstance], I get +2."
Substitution: "I may use [skill A] instead of [skill B] when [circumstance]."
Special rule: "Once per session I can [do something special]."

Examples

"Lie detector" — +2 to Empathy to detect lies in conversation.
"Quick draw" — once per conflict, act first in the first exchange using Shoot.
"Indomitable" — use Will instead of Physique to resist physical intimidation.
"Eye for detail" — use Investigate instead of Notice to spot scene details.

Extras: Special gear, powers, or abilities beyond standard stunts — unusual weapons, magic, cybernetics. Defined by your game's setting. May cost Refresh or have other requirements.

Fate Core — Skills

Default skill pyramid: 1 at +4, 2 at +3, 3 at +2, 4 at +1. Untrained skills default to +0 (Mediocre).

Athletics — Acrobatics, running, dodging.

Burglary — Breaking in, security, pickpocketing.

Contacts — Knowing people; social networks.

Crafts — Making, repairing, sabotaging things.

Deceive — Lying, bluffing, disguise.

Drive — Vehicles, chases, stunts.

Empathy — Reading emotions; sensing lies.

Fight — Close-quarters physical combat.

Investigate — Active searching; deduction.

Lore — Knowledge, history, the occult.

Notice — Passive awareness; initiative.

Physique — Strength, endurance, physical stress.

Provoke — Intimidation; goading enemies.

Rapport — Honest social connection; inspiring.

Resources — Wealth, material assets.

Shoot — Ranged combat.

Stealth — Hiding, sneaking, surveillance.

Will — Mental fortitude; mental stress.

Fate Accelerated — Approaches

FAE replaces skills with six approaches describing how you act, not what you do. Starting spread: one at +3, two at +2, two at +1, one at +0.

Careful

Slow and methodical. Paying close attention to avoid mistakes.

Clever

Thinking quickly, using wit, tricking or outwitting others.

Flashy

With style, flair, and panache — drawing attention.

Forceful

With raw power, directness, or brute strength.

Quick

With speed and agility, acting before others can react.

Sneaky

Deceptively, under cover, or by misdirection.

Using Approaches: Roll 4dF + your approach rating. The approach describes how you perform the action — the GM sets difficulty as usual. Any approach can attempt any action if you can justify it narratively.

Creating an Advantage — In Detail

Creating an Advantage is the most versatile action. It lets you set up your team, shape the battlefield, and fuel future rolls with free invokes.

What you can do

Create a new aspect on the scene, a zone, or an opponent (e.g. Blinded by the Sun).
Discover an existing hidden aspect — making it available to invoke.
Strengthen an aspect that already exists by adding another free invoke to it.