GURPS with Fate Aspects

[mook]

Late night musing, but - I've played in a number of games run under the Fate system, and I really enjoy the mechanic of Aspects.

It's a big change, but it seems to me I might enjoy keeping the GURPS skills and combat system, but replace advantages/perks and disadvantages/quirks with Aspects.

Curious if anyone else has already tried something like this, or has thoughts on how it would go.

[Refplace]

Dont really like it. Certainly a minimalist approach to things and for certain storyteller type games I can see an appeal.
On the other hand it did give me an idea about having another way to do Divine Purpose, Luck or perhaps a Fate Advantage.
Buy one of those and tie it to Fate points like the article.
I also think this is something that would work better in smaller groups.

[mook]

I agree there might be a certain amount of "you got your freeform in my crunch", but I'm still intrigued by the idea. Spending a Fate Point to get a +1 to a roll should be fine, but a +2 from invoking an Aspect would be huge.

Certainly some kinks to work out, but I'm interested to try this out.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by mook

I agree there might be a certain amount of "you got your freeform in my crunch", but I'm still intrigued by the idea. Spending a Fate Point to get a +1 to a roll should be fine, but a +2 from invoking an Aspect would be huge.

Certainly some kinks to work out, but I'm interested to try this out.

How often do Fate Points regenerate?

After all GURPS has both Luck, and Buy Success for Unspent CP to chose from

[Agemegos]

I'm looking into it, or perhaps at coming back the other way. I've been experimenting with Spirit of the Century and Diaspora for a couple of months, and I'm coming to the conclusion that I don't care for the treatment of tactics and combat circumstances by means of Maneuvers, Aspects, Tags, and Compels, and that I am particularly unhappy with FATE's treatment of combat outcomes as Stress and Consequences. I'm considering the prospects for grafting a tactical combat system with circumstance modifiers and explicit relevant hit and wound mechanics on to FATE.

It might be better to graft Aspects and Fate Points onto a more mechanically robust game such as GURPS, ForeSight, or (my current prospect) James Bond 007.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

How often do Fate Points regenerate?

Every time an Aspect acts like a Disadvantage you get one. Also, they "Refresh" to a base level at the start of a new adventure.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Brett

Every time an Aspect acts like a Disadvantage you get one. Also, they "Refresh" to a base level at the start of a new adventure.

So in other words after you get good RP bonus an after you every plot based rewards, so the Match buy Success for CP in how often it occurs. Except that Fate point only improves your odd at success where as buy Success guarantees it.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

So in other words after you get good RP bonus an after you every plot based rewards, so the Match buy Success for CP in how often it occurs. Except that Fate point only improves your odd at success where as buy Success guarantees it.

Not exactly. The Fate Point you get when Compelled by one of your Aspects replaces the character point bonus for taking a Disadvantage, so it's not a close parallel to a "good RP" reward. But essentially, yes. The Fate Point economy is the primary balancing tool for disads. An Aspect serving as a serious disad gets you a lot of Fate Points rather than a lot of Character Points.

Furthermore, Fate Points are not an especially close parallel to buying successes. Sure, you can use them for a +1 or +2 to an important roll or a +1, +2, or re-roll on an inadequate (bad) one. But you can also use them for Aspected serendipity, and for compelling other character's Aspects. And for refusing Compels.


For reference, see the Spirit of the Century SRD on-line.

[aesir23]

I would keep Advantages, I think they're crunch is important, especially in its interactions with the parts of GURPS you like (Skills and Combat.)

Replacing Disadvantage points with Compells does appeal to me however.

Simply give a character Fate Points (CPs that can only be spent for buying successes, flesh wounds, etc....) whenever their Disadvantage disadvantages them.

A list of positive aspects might be useful as a limiting factor for the expenditure of Fate Points (e.g. must be spent on heroic action appropropriate to your Aspect.)

Anyway, that's how I'd do it.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by aesir23

A list of positive aspects might be useful as a limiting factor for the expenditure of Fate Points (e.g. must be spent on heroic action appropropriate to your Aspect.)

That would mean restricting Fate Point expenditures to Invokes and powering Stunts. I'd suggest keeping Minor Declarations as well. But the generic +1 bonus is deprecated even in Spirit of the Century, and I see your objectionss to Tags and player-initiated Compels.