Fate Core
Core SystemBest For
Groups who want to build their own setting and follow capable heroes through personal complications and dramatic conflicts.
Core Mechanic
Roll four Fate dice and add a skill rating to compare with the opposition. Spend Fate points to invoke a relevant aspect for +2 or a reroll. Accept an aspect-based complication to gain a Fate point.
Four dice plus a skill resolve uncertain actions. Depth comes from managing aspect invocations and conflict consequences. Those procedures reuse the same four actions across different genres.
- Free to tryFull core rulesLegally free as an SRD, PDF, or official web rules
- Get it nowAvailable nowFree to download or read online
- ✓IndexFind any rule by page number
- ✓GM guidanceA chapter on how to run the game
- ✓Examples of playRules shown in action at the table
- ✓Quick referenceCheat sheet or summary tables
- ✓Cross-referencesRules point to each other by page
5 of 5 book tools found in the core book
Highlights
Compels turn character weaknesses into story complications that earn Fate points. Creating advantages gives allies free aspect invocations to combine for decisive actions. Conceding a conflict preserves some control over defeat and earns Fate points for later scenes.
Considerations
Aspect use depends on agreement about which fictional details apply. Full character and setting creation can take an entire session. Magic and other extras require group decisions about permissions and costs.
Third-Party Publishing
Rules license CC BY 3.0 (SRD)
Fate Core System Reference Document text; excludes rulebook artwork and unlicensed trademarks.
Use the official downloadable SRD and its required attribution; do not imply endorsement. The whole illustrated rulebook is not the licensed source.
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