Getting a Grip on Fate Points

[Supplement Four]

Question for you veteran Conan RPG players and GMs: How many Fate Points should characters have? I know it depends on how often they are spent and the "flavor" of the game, but, in general, what's a good, round, rule of thumb to eyeball a number of Fate Points? At what point should a GM say to himself, "Hey, they've got too many Fate Points! I better slow down on the awards."

I'm thinking a minimum of 3 points, but not more than 6 is a good, overall target. Your thoughts on that?





Slightly different question: I can't stand the 2E method of foreshadowing. I'm not going to use it. I'll stick with the optional 2E method (the same as that in AE), where Fate Points are awarded for story goals and heroics (and rarely for exceptional role playing or good ideas--that's what XP is for).

What about a mechanical method to add to this? Something strictly random....like every time a critical hit is thrown in combat, the character gets a Fate Point. Or, maybe even extend that to skill throws. If a natural 20 is thrown on a check, then the character gets a Fate Point.

Thoughts on that?

 

[VincentDarlage]

If they have "too many" fate points, then they aren't using them, so who cares how many they have. Most of my players vacillate between 0 and 3, although I have one who has never used them, and he has quite a few. Doesn't matter, 'cause he doesn't use them.

I give them fate points if they advance their own personal agenda. I give XP if they advance the story (my agenda as GM).

 

[Supplement Four]

If they have "too many" fate points, then they aren't using them...

I guarrantee you my players will use them. The game is too deadly for them not to.

I give them fate points if they advance their own personal agenda. I give XP if they advance the story (my agenda as GM).

That's quite an interesting way of looking at it. I like it.

 

[Cimmerian Bard]

Sup Four,

Personally, I would seldom, if ever, reward a player for simply landing a certain number. It's almost like rewarding the die instead of the ingenuity or creativity of the player.

Instead, I tend to reward PCs for things like heroism, grit, making a cool "Conan-esque" statement, exemplar roleplaying (I'm an actor, so sometimes it hard for them to impress me here though!), or almost anything that promotes the feel and atmosphere of a swords-and-sorcery adventure.

 

[VincentDarlage]

I guarrantee you my players will use them. The game is too deadly for them not to.

LOL. This player HATES the whole fate point system and everything it represents and refuses to use them. When his characters die, he just starts a new one. The only reason I know he has a pile of them is that the other players keep track for him to see how many he dies with.

He's usually creative, inventive and intelligent enough that his characters don't die often.

 

[strategos14]

lol that's awesome about the guy who refuses to use the fate points lol. can't wait to tell that one to the boys.
i start players out with one LESS fate point than the book says. and they only get more if a large story goal is met, they do something VERY incredible or heroic, or they get themselves into a situation that almost assuredly means death yet to everybody's astonishment they survive. generally they have between 0 and 3. they are hesitant to squander them when they only have a limited number. they know they may need one to be left for dead or to perhaps re-roll a hit die at level up time.
as far as xp goes, i have a detailed xp chart i devised and got approved by everyone. i like the idea of a chart from both the gm AND players perspective. so everyone has some idea of what certain things are generally worth. so xp doesn't seem random and at the whim of the gm from session to session, which i've found never makes anyone happy. but i digress.