Facets of Fate Roleplaying Game

Facets of Fate is an easy-to-learn, optional-to-master Tabletop Roleplaying Game that utilises a customisable deck of cards -- rather than dice -- to determine success or failure. Facets of Fate features a setting filled with dragons and an impending cataclysm, although it can be used to tell stories in any setting, from fantasy to superhero, from science fiction to horror.

The system is designed to offer ultimate flexibility in creating your Avatar -- the person you’ll be controlling throughout the story -- while still giving you clear guidance in the process. Where many Roleplaying Games tend to focus on either combat or intrigue, Facets of Fate distinguishes itself by balancing the rules between mental, physical, and social challenges.

The Facets of Fate Core Rulebook has a price of $20. The Avatar Sheet and Avatar Builder are free, and will always be free.

There are currently two published adventures for Facets of Fate:

• The Silva Maris
• The Butcher of Ben's Crossing

Setting

Six ancient dragons created the world aeons ago, and now lie dormant. Each dragon represents a different aspect of creation and will awaken when that aspect is in peril. When enough dragons are awake, they will raze the world so that it may begin again.

The fate of the world is set, except for those select few who have the power to shape their own. These Avatars -- controlled by the players -- have the power to not only tempt fate, but also change the fate of others.

Each time the dragons go back to sleep, the world has a new opportunity. Whether to war amongst itself, develop various new technologies, research forgotten magic, or create an empire dedicated to peace; the possibilities are endless. However, history is doomed to repeat eventually and cataclysm is inevitable, whether there are centuries or millennia in between.

Gameplay

Facets of Fate is a game for two or more players and a Gamemaster. Each player controls an Avatar - a person with a history, personality, and skill set. Avatars have five basic stats: Mental, Physical, Social, Magical, and Wealth. These ‘Aptitudes’ are the basis for everything they can do, say, and know, and are used constantly.

Whenever a player wishes to do something, they describe the action that they wish to perform, and the Gamemaster determines whether this is a Mental, Physical, or Social action and assigns a cost to it.

Rather than roll dice, the player then draws cards from a deck they constructed based on the relevant Aptitude and can play those cards to pay for the cost. These cards are custom to Facets of Fate and depict various Gems that the player can use to pay for their actions. Thanks to this card-system, Facets of Fate is able to leave issues of action economy behind and focus on letting players describe their actions more freely.

Want to run around the corner, jump from wall to wall, and then grab someone before they have a chance to get away? Your Avatar can, if you have the right Gems. This freedom comes with risks, however: trying to do too much at once tempts fate and increases the chance of failure.

Opposed to the Avatars are the Non-Player Actors, controlled by the Gamemaster. Non-Player Actors function as the obstacles that the Avatars need to overcome. They do not have the power to change their own fate; the Gamemaster determines what each Non-Player Actor says and does, but the outcome of those actions are predetermined. Only the Avatars can change that.

Facets of Fate tells stories in the form of Scenes. A meeting with the queen, an ambush from some highwaymen, and a forgotten treasure behind a complex locking mechanism of old are all examples of individual Scenes. Some scenes revolve around a conflict, however. Conflicts are situations in which two or more groups of actors have goals that are mutually exclusive. Such as persuading the queen to agree with a treaty, fighting the highwaymen off, or bypassing the locking mechanism.

Winning a conflict can be as straightforward as defeating all those who oppose you, or as inventive as adjusting your goals. Facets of Fate prizes creativity, however, and encourages players to come up with solutions that are unique to any given conflict. Fighting the highwaymen may be the straightforward solution, while convincing them to go for a bigger target further up the road or joining them may also resolve the conflict with a unique and story-driven outcome.

While Avatars all share some fundamental options, such as the ability to dash, speak, or anticipate, each Avatar has a selection of talents unique to them that allow them to do things that others cannot. These talents are found in the Talent Trees, which each Avatar can traverse using one of seven starting points. As Avatars grow more experienced, they can unlock new talents, developing their power and expanding their options during play.

What Makes Facets of Fate Unique?

Easy to Learn, Optional to Master. Newcomers can dip their toes into this system and learn it at their own pace. Those who have grasped it will have plenty to explore.

• Deck-based Gameplay. Rather than roll a die, each player constructs their own deck of cards which is used to determine the success and failure of their Avatar’s actions.
  • Since we are still looking for ways to make the Facets of Fate cards available worldwide, we have produced a free application that can be used to simulate the cards on most devices. You can download it here or from our website.
• Diverse Talent Tree. Plot out your avatar’s growth in their mental, physical, or social talents from several trees filled with options.
• Free Supporting App for your Device. Save space and keep track of all your Avatars and deck constructions on your phone, tablet, or computer.
• Fate Clock. This hands-on initiative system allows for structuring complex situations without becoming rigid.
• Approach Plan. A diagram that allows different actors to approach any situation in different ways.
• Setting Agnostic. Facets of Fate as a game system can be used to play any type of story, from fantasy to science fiction to horror.
• Focus on Cooperative Gameplay. Create a multi-disciplinary team of heroes that complement each other in a system that promotes teamwork.
• Unique Art Style. The rulebook and components feature a consistent art style that matches the multi-facetted style of the game and setting.
• More than Combat. Facets of Fate offers more depth when playing stories that involve more than ‘hitting the bad guy with an axe’.
• Quick and Easy Avatar creation. Simple and intuitive customization of your avatar, as well as pre-generated Play-Ready Avatars available for quickly starting the game.
  • You can use a piece of paper to write down your Avatar Sheet, or download it here or from our website.