Having enjoyed playing assorted Fate games I decided to check out Evil Hat Production’s Fate Accelerated (FAE) version since it was described as a simpler system and a fellow gamer was talking about possibly doing a game using it. It also happens to be a 2014 Ennie Gold Winner for Best Family Game and an Ennie is usually a pretty good recommendation. So I picked up the PDF (available alone at a suggested Pay-what-you-like price of $2.50 or bundled with the print book for $5.00). (Evil Hat recommends it for ages 8 and up, by the way.) One disclaimer – I have not actually played the game, but have read the PDF thoroughly and tried creating some starting PCs of various genres. After all, this was to see if it looked like a game system I might enjoy.
Many mechanics are identical to those in Fate. The biggest difference is that there is no skill list. No not at all, although the rating ladder (Terrible/-2 to Legendary/+8) for difficulty and results that is used in Fate is still there. But the whole skills mechanic is replaced by Approaches – ways you can carry out a task, any task. The 6 Approaches are Careful, Clever, Flashy, Forceful, Quick and Sneaky. At character creation, pick two each to be at Fair/+2 and Average/+1, the fifth at Good/+3 and the sixth at Mediocre/+0. Templates for several PC types, such as All-Star and Thief, are provided. When taking any action, including combat checks, choose which of your Approaches you will use with that check and add that value to the familiar 4 Fate/Fudge dice roll.
This does allow a lot of flexibility in actions. Many RPGers often reluctant to try a skill they aren’t trained in – I know I’ve been guilty of that a few times. In FAE, though, anything you want to do, you tell the GM and use whatever of your Approaches fits. Sneaky, Flashy or Forceful could all be used with many attacks, depending on how you describe them – “From my hiding place, I line up a bead on the monster,” “I dance around the villain, taunting him, darting my foil in and out, channeling Inigo Montoya,” “A good, solid high kick to the solar plexus.” However, only Sneaky, or maybe Careful, would make sense for slipping past a guard. It looks like it would work pretty well, but at least one of my usual group has expressed reservations, preferring the skills system in Fate. As for me, although it sounds easy and streamlined, I am reserving judgment until I have a chance to play a FAE game or two.
Even if I never do play any but standard Fate, I think I have found a very good use for FAE in that game. Since character creation, Aspects, and actions in encounters are the same (yes, I compared the Fate and FAE sections), and the FAE sections are very simple and clear, it is a great teaching tool for those parts of Fate. The two Quick References at the end, in particular could be printed and passed out to a new player – just make sure to cross out the Approaches section in the second and explain using Fate skills to them. In fact, I am going to do that for myself, for the next time I play either one.
Overall, I think Fate Accelerated is a good system that I would enjoy giving a try.
Linda Whitson
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