Fate

Fate · Fate Core

Fate

Fate is a narrative roleplaying game designed for bold action and significant character moments. You determine what is most important about your heroes and the world, and then the story propels forward with rapid scenes and dramatic choices. A session feels like an exhilarating adventure film, featuring quick setups, collaborative twists, and space for quips and emotion. Our Game Masters highlight each player, maintain a brisk pace, and adjust the tone from light-hearted to gritty, ensuring the table remains engaged.

Fate is ideal for both newcomers and veterans, suitable for mixed groups, parties, and team events. It excels in thrilling capers, superhero escapades, urban fantasy, or mysteries with supernatural elements. A professional Game Master provides thorough preparation, adaptable improvisation, and clear guidance, allowing you to concentrate on ideas and roleplay. Ready to find the perfect match? Browse our Game Masters who run Fate across various styles and themes.

How to play Fate

At the table, you roll four Fate dice, each showing a plus, minus, or blank. Add them to a skill rating and try to meet or beat a target set by the Game Master or an opponent’s roll. On your turn, you state what you want, roll, and together describe the outcome, from a clean success to success at a cost. Your character’s aspects come into play when you spend fate points for a reroll or a bonus, and the Game Master can offer compels to grant you points when trouble strikes.

Players bring a character concept, a few defining aspects, and a goal for the session. Our Game Master teaches the rules as you go, helps shape aspects that matter, frames scenes, and keeps stakes clear. One-shots focus on quick character creation and a complete caper in 2 to 3 hours. Campaigns add collaborative setting creation, recurring foes, and milestones for growth. We can use Fate Core, the lighter Fate Accelerated, or Fate Condensed, depending on your group. Playing online? We use shared sheets and dice rollers on tools listed here: online play platforms.

Seven friends crowd together and pose during a StoryForgers D&D night
Seven friends crowd together and pose during a StoryForgers D&D night
A red, marble-textured ten-sided dice showing the numbers 5 and 9 in gold, used for tabletop RPG adventure games.
A red, marble-textured ten-sided dice showing the numbers 5 and 9 in gold, used for tabletop RPG adventure games.

Frequently Asked Questions

I've never played Fate. Will I be confused?

You will be fine. A professional Game Master teaches Fate as you play. You only need a character idea and a sense of what your hero is about. The GM facilitates quick character creation, explains the aspects, demonstrates how to roll the four Fate dice, and prompts you with choices. Expect to be making confident moves within the first scene. If you are looking for someone who specialises in onboarding new players, browse our Game Masters and look for Fate one-shots or teaching sessions.

How does Fate differ from D&D or Pathfinder?

Fate prioritises story choices. There are no classes, and fewer tactical rules to keep track of. You act using broad skills or approaches, rather than lists of powers. Scenes utilise abstract zones instead of a battle grid. Harm is measured through stress and consequences, so setbacks influence the narrative. Players frequently create advantages to set up significant moments, and compels introduce drama. If you enjoy quick, collaborative problem-solving and cinematic battles, Fate is an excellent choice. If you prefer detailed positioning, D&D provides more of that.

Which edition of Fate will we be using for our session?

Most tables use Fate Core or Fate Condensed. Fate Core provides a comprehensive skill list and traditional options. Fate Condensed offers a modern, streamlined version that many GMs prefer. Fate Accelerated employs six approaches such as Clever or Forceful, making it ideal for a lighter atmosphere or younger players. Your Game Master will recommend a version based on your group and theme. Please share any preferences when you book. To align the rules with table culture, explore GM playstyles and choose a GM whose approach resonates with you.

What do "aspects" and "fate points" actually do?

Aspects are brief truths about your character or the situation, such as Former Thief or Warehouse Ablaze. When an aspect would be beneficial, you can spend a fate point to reroll or gain +2, known as an invoke. The GM can also propose a compel, where an aspect causes trouble in exchange for a fate point. You can create advantages to introduce new aspects to scenes and receive free invokes. This keeps the dice light and the narrative at the forefront.

What group size and session length are best suited to Fate?

Fate runs smoothly with 2 to 6 players. One-shots typically last 2 to 3 hours, which is sufficient for character creation and a complete caper. With two players, you experience focused, character-driven play. With four or five, teamwork and banter come to the fore. At six, the GM ensures scenes are brisk so everyone gets to act frequently. Campaigns maintain the same session length, incorporating downtime and milestones between adventures.

Is Fate suitable for children or mixed-age groups?

Yes. Fate's rules are straightforward and the tone can be adjusted. For younger players, Fate Accelerated is effective as it employs simple methods. Teenagers and adults often prefer Fate Core or Condensed. A professional Game Master ensures boundaries are respected, maintains age-appropriate content, and simplifies complexity to suit attention spans. Reading requirements are minimal, the dice mechanics are straightforward, and turns progress swiftly, which helps mixed-age groups remain engaged.

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Genres you can play in Fate

  • Pulp

    Action-packed excitement, nail-biting chases, masked adversaries, and deadly traps. Imagine adventures in the style of Indiana Jones or…

    View genre: Pulp
  • Mystery

    Follow the clues, construct timelines, and apprehend the culprit. Think Knives Out, but you are the detective, assembling alibis and…

    View genre: Mystery
  • Space Opera

    Epic sci-fi melodrama set among the stars, featuring daring pilots, noble rebels, tyrants wielding planet-destroying weapons, and a crew…

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  • Heroic

    Stand tall, choose the right path, and triumph in the end. Heroic games evoke the spirit of The Lord of the Rings, featuring bold oaths…

    View genre: Heroic

What players think

  • First of all, I want to say that Sebastian was really great as a DM. For his first run as a booked DM, he did a really good job. The 3 stars refer to the following: 1. We were disappointed that the adventure was labelled a One Shot and yet wasn't a complete story. Discovering that there are two more parts wasn't very positive for us, as it meant there was no satisfying conclusion to the story. 2. As new players, it was difficult for us to understand the English character sheets in such a short time. In German, it would have been much easier. Even receiving the character sheets a few days in advance would have been helpful for preparation. 3. More guidance would be beneficial. Especially for beginners, a more linear one shot would have been preferable. We wasted a large portion of the adventure time doing unnecessary things because we didn't really know how the game worked. Overall, I think the StoryForgers concept is really good and I see a lot of potential in it, especially for introducing new players to D&D. I hope you don't take my feedback the wrong way but as honest criticism. Best regards, Mario

    Mario

  • Bryan was exceptional. We had a group with varying levels of experience, and he managed to keep everyone engaged and involved. His attitude was fantastic, and he made the game enjoyable for all. I particularly appreciated how he could clearly explain what was required from our less experienced players while keeping our more seasoned players on their toes with his extensive knowledge of the game. Everyone in our party had a wonderful time thanks to Bryan.

    Jeremy

  • Dayron was fantastic. Well-prepared, punctual, and had a brilliant sense of humour.

    Corey

  • Dayron was fantastic; he provided an excellent experience. Thank you!

    Casey

    The Merry Meeple

  • The game was incredibly engaging. I arranged a session as a gift for my boyfriend, who is very enthusiastic about it, and he was thoroughly pleased and appreciated Leonardo's professionalism. I don't have much experience with DnD, but I found the game to be quite straightforward and enjoyable.

    Marina

  • A very good GM, Baptiste adapted well to our group and helped us progress in this one-shot. One issue was with the character sheets provided, which were not complete or clear. Some of the French translations were rather approximate. For instance, our cleric was missing spells (no healing spell) even though they were meant to have some.

    Pierre

  • Rachel was fantastic; my daughter and her friends left their game saying it was the most fun they'd ever had, and my daughter wanted to sign up for another game with her straight away. She was friendly, and her approach enabled the players to fully immerse themselves in the game by allowing them to control how they wanted their actions to be carried out. I would certainly work with her again.

    John

  • A pleasant and straightforward introduction to D&D. Amber was adept at explaining and guiding the game, allowing us as players to quickly get into the rhythm and concentrate on the narrative. Collaborating with my colleagues to devise attack strategies was an enjoyable experience and provided valuable insights into each other's characters, thought processes, and differences. Overall, I found it to be a highly enjoyable session.

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

  • Pim is truly brilliant as a DM! Cheerful, adaptable, and exceptionally experienced. With a group of novice players, he managed to create an amazing experience in just a few hours. He maintained control in an enjoyable manner and engaged every player in the story, regardless of whether they were vocal or reserved. If you embark on an adventure with him, it will certainly be unforgettable!

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

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