The Rules of FATE CORE

Dungeon Lords Runs On Fate Core

This game is built on the Fate Core system, streamlined for a more narrative-focused experience. A lot of these features are setup in your character sheets already to make it easier for you and your players. These are just the suggested setups, and you can take the game in any direction you want to. That’s the beauty of the Fate Core system.

You can read the full rules of Fate Core in the SRD, or on Quest Portal, where our VTTRPG is hosted.

This article is meant to be a brief guide to the core rules and how the game is played.

If you’re short on time, let’s start with a quick video summary by Banana Breakdown on how Fate Core is played:

Banana Breakdown is also working on further videos on Fate, so be sure to check out their full Fate playlist over on YouTube for more in-depth rules on this awesome, narrative-driven gameplaying system.

If you’d prefer a written breakdown, we’ve provided that here as well.

Aspects: What Makes Your Character Unique

In Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania, aspects define what makes your character special, both in strengths and weaknesses. They’re the traits, quirks, and defining moments that set your character apart, influencing how they navigate the world.

Example: Think of Harry Potter’s scar. It’s a unique aspect that sometimes hinders him, like causing pain that disrupts his focus, but it can also help him by warning of danger or guiding him. It’s a core part of who he is, shaping his story.

Using Aspects:

• Invoke for Advantage: When an aspect helps you, like using your “Eagle Eye” to spot a hidden clue, you can gain a bonus of +2 on your roll, or reroll your dice on a particularly bad roll. You have to spend 1 Fate Token to invoke for a bonus, so use it wisely.

• Compel for Complication: Aspects can also create challenges. If your “Hot Temper” gets you into trouble, the DL can compel it to complicate your situation. That means a bad thing happens to you in the story, and you now have to deal with it. This sounds like a bummer, but it helps drive the story forward, makes the player think on their feet for other solutions, and the player also gets paid a Fate Token for having to deal with the complication.

Aspects are what make your character who they are, influencing the game in ways that go beyond simple skills and stats. They’re your character’s story brought into play.

NPC and Environmental Aspects

In Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania, aspects are not just limited to your characters—they can apply to anything in the game world, including NPCs (Non-Player Characters), locations, items, and environmental conditions. These aspects are narrative elements that define key characteristics and can be used by players to their advantage.

What Are NPC and Environmental Aspects?

NPC Aspects: These are traits or notable features of characters you encounter in the game. For example, an NPC might have an aspect like “Gruff and Suspicious Guard” or “Eager to Please Merchant.” These aspects can influence interactions and can be used by players to gain advantages or overcome obstacles.

Environmental Aspects: These aspects describe the setting or conditions of the environment, such as “Dark and Foggy Alley” or “Slippery Ice Floor.” They reflect the state of the game world and can be leveraged in creative ways to assist or challenge players during gameplay.

Using NPC and Environmental Aspects

Players can use these aspects in several ways:

• Invoking Aspects: Spend a Fate Point to invoke an NPC or environmental aspect to gain a bonus on a roll. For instance, invoking “Slippery Ice Floor” could help you make an enemy slip during a chase.

• Creating Advantages: Use skills to create new aspects or reinforce existing ones. For example, if you’re in a “Crumbling Castle,” you might create an aspect like “Unstable Walls” to use against opponents.

• Compelling Aspects: Sometimes, the GM or players can compel NPC or environmental aspects to introduce complications. For example, “Eager to Please Merchant” might be compelled to become overly helpful, causing unintended consequences.

Practical Example

Imagine your party encounters an NPC guard with the aspect “Gruff and Suspicious.” You could:

• Invoke this aspect when trying to deceive him, acknowledging his suspicion and rolling with it by creating a convincing story that fits his wary nature.

• Use a skill like Empathy to create a new aspect, such as “Lowered Guard,” by catching him off balance with an unexpected friendly gesture.

• The GM might compel “Gruff and Suspicious” to make interactions more difficult, such as requiring extra effort to convince him of your intentions.

By understanding and utilizing NPC and environmental aspects, players can navigate challenges and create dynamic interactions within the world of Evania, making the story more engaging and strategically rich.

Skills and Stunts:

Skills

Skills are what your character is good at, covering abilities like fighting, sneaking, or persuading others. They define how your character interacts with the world and succeeds at various tasks. Think of skills as the broad talents that shape your character’s actions and decisions.

Available Skills:

• Athletics: Physical prowess, running, jumping, climbing.

• Fight: Combat skills, whether with weapons or fists.

• Shoot: Ranged attacks like archery or firearms.

• Stealth: Sneaking, hiding, and moving unseen.

• Lore: Knowledge about the world, magic, and history.

• Notice: Perception and awareness of your surroundings.

• Will: Mental fortitude, resisting fear, or mind control.

• Provoke: Intimidation or pushing someone’s buttons.

• Investigate: Searching for clues or solving mysteries.

• Empathy: Reading emotions, understanding motives.

• Deceive: Lying, tricking, or disguising yourself.

• Resources: Managing wealth or finding useful items.

• Contacts: Knowing people, gathering information from social networks.

• Rapport: Charm, diplomacy, making friends or allies.

• Drive: Piloting vehicles, from carts to ships.

Skill Pyramid: Skills are arranged in a pyramid structure, where your highest-ranked skill is at the top with fewer higher-level skills, and more at lower levels. For instance:

• One skill at +4 (your strongest skill)

• Two skills at +3

• Three skills at +2

• Four skills at +1

This structure ensures that characters have a balanced set of abilities, with strengths and areas for growth, reflecting their unique talents and experiences.

How Skills Work in Play:

• When performing an action related to a skill, roll four Fate dice (each die showing +, -, or blank).

• Add your skill rating to the result of the dice roll.

• Compare the total to a set difficulty or an opponent’s roll to determine success.

Again, the skill pyramid is already set up on each character sheet template. Suggestions are filled in based on how the character operates in the Fate of Evania story. These can always be rearranged or removed based on player preference, with your (the DLs) permission of course.

Stunts

Stunts are special tricks or unique maneuvers your character can perform that set them apart from others with the same skills. Stunts give your character an edge in specific situations or let them break the rules in cool ways.

Example:
Using the “Fight” skill, a Stunt might be “Pinpoint Shot,” allowing the archer to shoot through tiny gaps in armor or hit a precise weak spot on a target. This might let them ignore certain defenses or deal extra damage under specific conditions.

How Stunts Work:

• Stunts usually provide a specific bonus or allow a special action once per session or when certain conditions are met.

• They make your character feel unique by giving them abilities that go beyond the basics of their skills.

By combining skills and stunts, your character can tackle challenges in their own unique way, making every roll and decision feel like a reflection of who they are.

The Four Actions:

The game uses four primary actions that players can take:

• Attack: Directly harm an opponent, whether in combat or through social conflicts.

• Defend: Protect yourself or others from attacks or negative outcomes.

• Overcome: Solve problems, bypass obstacles, or resist challenges.

• Create an Advantage: Set up a future benefit, like creating a distraction or finding cover. These actions allow for a flexible approach to conflicts and challenges, emphasizing player creativity.

Fate Points:

Fate Points are a key resource in Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania, representing your character’s ability to influence the story, make critical decisions, or turn the tide in their favor. They are used to invoke aspects (use something unique and cool about your character), power stunts, and even resist compels, adding a dynamic layer to gameplay by giving players narrative control.

How Fate Points Work

Using Fate Points:

• Invoke an Aspect: Spend a Fate Point to gain a bonus (+2) on a roll or reroll dice when invoking an aspect that applies to the situation. For example, if your character has the aspect “Sharp-Eyed Tracker,” you might use a Fate Point to add a bonus to a roll and gain the advantage of being able to spot hidden tracks that others would miss.

• Activate a Stunt: Some stunts require Fate Points to use. This might include special abilities or maneuvers unique to your character. This is up to the DL to decide which stunts may be overpowered and require a Fate Point to use.

• Declare a Story Detail: Use a Fate Point to add a minor but beneficial narrative detail. For instance, you might declare that there’s an unlocked door nearby when escaping from enemies, using an aspect like “Resourceful Escapist.”

It may seem like cheating that anything can be added to a story in this way, but this is supposed to be a fun, narrative-driven game, and the allotment of these Fate Points keeps the embellishing in check.

Gaining Fate Points:

• Accepting a Compel: A compel is when an aspect works against your character, introducing a complication or obstacle. Accepting a compel gives you a Fate Point, but you’ll have to deal with the consequence. For example, if your character has the aspect “Haunted by a Dark Past,” the GM might compel this aspect to have an old enemy show up at the worst possible moment. The player gets a negative experience added to their story, but they get more currency to make it better later.

• Conceding in Conflicts: If you concede a conflict before being taken out, you receive Fate Points as compensation. This can help you recover and come back stronger later.

Examples of Fate Points in Action

Example 1: Using an Aspect Imagine your character is in a tight spot, trying to convince a hostile NPC to let them pass. Your character has the aspect “Silver-Tongued Charmer.” By spending a Fate Point, you invoke this aspect, gaining a +2 bonus on your roll to sway the NPC’s opinion.

Example 2: Declaring a Story Detail You’re exploring an ancient ruin and suspect a trap is nearby, but your character’s investigation roll falls short. With a Fate Point, you can declare that your experience with traps gives you a sudden insight, revealing the trap’s mechanism even without a successful roll.

Example 3: Accepting a Compel Your character has the aspect “Reckless Daredevil.” During a chase, the GM compels this aspect, suggesting you take an unnecessarily dangerous shortcut to catch your target. Accepting the compel gives you a Fate Point but puts you at risk of serious harm if things go wrong.

Fate Points make gameplay dynamic by allowing players to shape their character’s journey actively. Whether turning a failure into success, adding a twist to the story, or embracing a character’s flaws, Fate Points empower you to drive the narrative forward in Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania.

*Note that some players may not want to participate much in the narrative if they don’t find it fun. As the DL you may need to help coax them along with the story until they get used to how it works, and how fun it is to help tell the story.

Stress and Consequences:

Instead of traditional hit points, this game uses Stress and Consequences to represent damage and setbacks. This helps with the narrative flow of the game. Instead of taking bland damage using hit points, your character will actually have narrative things happen to them, like getting a cut on their arm, taking a blow to the head, or becoming mentally fogged if a spell is successful against them. This makes telling the story much more fun, and more like you are all writing a book together.

Stress boxes handle minor issues, while Consequences cover more serious injuries or narrative complications that linger. This approach keeps combat dynamic and focused on storytelling rather than just numbers.

If a character has something major happen to them, like losing a hand in battle, this may become a permanent aspect of their character that they have to live with throughout the rest of the campaign.

Collaborative Storytelling:

Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania emphasizes collaborative storytelling, where the Dungeon Lord sets the framework of the narrative, but players are equally involved in shaping the story. This approach transforms the game into a dialogue rather than a rigid sequence of events dictated solely by the DL. Players can suggest aspects, compels, and narrative twists that align with their characters’ traits, helping to drive the story forward.

Encouraging Player Participation

Player Input on Aspects and Compels:
Players can propose aspects and compels that make sense for their characters or the situation. For example, if a character is “Driven by Vengeance,” a player might suggest a compel where their character takes unnecessary risks to pursue an enemy, adding tension and depth to the scenario. This collaborative effort enhances immersion and personal investment in the story. It’s always the final call of the DL to accept or reject input from the players.

Handling Reluctant Players

Some players may be more comfortable with a structured, rules-heavy style of gameplay and might initially hesitate to engage in narrative-driven mechanics. As a DL, you can ease this transition by:

• Providing Gentle Guidance: Offer clear examples of how to suggest aspects or compels, showing that it’s a low-pressure way to enrich the story.

• Use Questions to Prompt Input: Ask open-ended questions like, “How do you think your character would react in this situation?” or “What detail could make this scene more challenging for you?”

• Start Small: Begin by involving them in small decisions, like describing minor actions or suggesting narrative details about the environment. Gradually increase their involvement as they grow more comfortable.

Tips for the DL

• Be Receptive: Show appreciation for player contributions and incorporate their ideas into the game, making them feel valued and heard.

• Encourage Without Pressure: If a player seems reluctant, allow them to engage at their own pace.

• Celebrate Narrative Moments: Point out when a player’s narrative input enhances the game, reinforcing the value of collaborative storytelling.

By fostering a cooperative environment, Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania allows both the DL and players to share in the excitement of crafting an evolving, interactive story.

Running the Game:

Each session begins with the DL outlining the scene, explaining a bit about the map, setting goals, and establishing stakes. Players describe their actions in response, using skills, Aspects, and Fate Points to influence outcomes.

The DL determines success based on dice rolls, Aspects, and narrative context, ensuring the story remains dynamic and engaging. This structured yet flexible approach keeps the game flowing smoothly, catering to players who prefer a more guided experience while still allowing room for creativity.

This blend of structured rules and narrative freedom makes Dungeon Lords: Fate of Evania an ideal system for those seeking a character-driven, story-focused RPG experience, while addressing common concerns about Fate Core’s abstract nature.

Check out The Graeton Campaign on Quest Portal for details on your first two suggested campaigns.

We will also work on having phsyical campaign books available as soon as we are able. All available resources to play will be listed on our Campaign Resources page.