Very strange thing to do– signing up for a the beta of a PnP RPG– but here we are. D&D 5 is doing it, and it probably would have helped a lot to have Exalted open tested a bit more than it was back in the day to avoid the 2/7 filter (ideally including John Chung). This is really a test of Fate Core 3 and how well it does the overpowered, and here’s what I’m hoping it does:
- Coalescing of the good stuff from the various Fate builds around – this is almost a given to happen
- The Marvel Superheroes pass-the-hat iniative system – this is just too brilliant NOT to include in FATE core.
- Lots of stuff from ‘Strange’ FATE– Power Tiers, the replacing of a FUDGE die with a D6 based on Tier difference, and building special skills and super powers out of skill Trappings– but of course, less complicated than Kerberos club SEEMS to be. It’s tough to get your head around some of the ways you use your powers– but the interaction potential is amazing (Take the concept of a conflict between NPC’s Stony Joe vs the One Man Army for example).
- Streamlined rule presentation – like the excellent Bulldogs rulebook– this really boils FATE down in an easy to understand and execute way. It just would not do supers very well (but wasn’t meant to)
- Better stuff with Mooks/Extras/Minions.
- Fewer Aspects per character/NPC. Aspects are a core piece of FATE, but most of the versions have 10 aspects per character–that’s a LOT of aspects for the GM to remember and invoke and compel. I think 5-7 is a fine number. Tying them to skills is a little boring but works for a few here and there. With environmental aspects on top of the character ones, it gets a bit crazy.
Anyway, if they have another round of beta action, it should be in the next month or so.