Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

[The Main Man]

I recently discovered FATE, the principle mechanics of which are "Aspects," which essentially are a character's defining traits, whether positive or negative. They are very much born of FATE's narrative style, which is otherwise rather alien to HERO's more mechanical approach. The closest analogies to Aspects within HERO are Complications, which closely resemble any negative invocation of an Aspect. Aspects can also act as a sort of anti-Complication thogh, providing a vague benefit to the character.

 

Could HERO ever have a mechanic to cover the less mechanical elements of a character? One that could act as the glue between their Characteristics, Skills, Perks, Talents, Powers, and Complications?

 

I don't have the answers, but I hope that this thread can discuss such an idea that I believe would be quite radical to the HERO system, though I imagine that it could piggyback off of the Heroic Action Points rules...

[RexMundi]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Sounds like Schticks (though it's a bit more then that, I'm familiar with FATE/Fudge). I'll have to dig out the book and take a long look though and see just where in the scale it could fit.

 

~Rex

[Christopher]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

When in doubt, use VPP's with limitations. Maybe even with Cosmics and Trigger (so things like a + X EGO vs. Mental powers works automatically).

[Steve Long]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Sure, that's incredibly easy. Building abilities that are triggered by various personality aspects of a character, or Complications, or what have you is child's play for Hero!

 

Also there's a section of the forthcoming Advanced Player's Guide II that discusses using Psychological Complications in positive/motivational ways, which would probably apply to what you're talking about.

[phoenix240]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Sure, that's incredibly easy. Building abilities that are triggered by various personality aspects of a character, or Complications, or what have you is child's play for Hero!

 

Also there's a section of the forthcoming Advanced Player's Guide II that discusses using Psychological Complications in positive/motivational ways, which would probably apply to what you're talking about.

 

Okay, I was sold on this book awhile ago. This is icing!

[phoenix240]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

In our games we have a House rule called "Quirks". A player can define 5 Quirks about their character. Minor things like a particular shtick, a personality trait, that sort of thing. During play if that Quirk become a notable liability (or just makes things more entertaining or interesting) they can a Hero Point (or an experience point for really extraordinary situations). Alternatively, if they player thinks a Quirk might provide a bonus they can expend a Hero point, describe what they think would apply and the GM works it out (or returns the Hero point if they don't think its appropriate). This can include some minor Dramatic Editing as the GM feels appropriate or even automatic success on an action or activity.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

I recently discovered FATE' date=' the principle mechanics of which are "Aspects," which essentially are a character's defining traits, whether positive or negative. They are very much born of FATE's narrative style, which is otherwise rather alien to HERO's more mechanical approach. The closest analogies to Aspects within HERO are Complications, which closely resemble any negative invocation of an Aspect. Aspects can also act as a sort of [i']anti[/i]-Complication thogh, providing a vague benefit to the character.

 

Could HERO ever have a mechanic to cover the less mechanical elements of a character? One that could act as the glue between their Characteristics, Skills, Perks, Talents, Powers, and Complications?

 

I don't have the answers, but I hope that this thread can discuss such an idea that I believe would be quite radical to the HERO system, though I imagine that it could piggyback off of the Heroic Action Points rules...

 

The negative aspects seem like Complications, wouldn't the positive Aspects just be ... buying stuff?

[The Main Man]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

The negative aspects seem like Complications' date=' wouldn't the positive Aspects just be ... buying stuff?[/quote']

Aspects can be positive, negative, or either depending upon the situation. The HERO System builds characters to concept with entirely concrete mechanics - players still exert no literal control of the game world in HERO, whereas Aspects, while still mechanics unto themselves, are more like a small outlet for players to take minor control of the game narrative. They're more akin to Heroic Action Points that have strings attached.

[The Main Man]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Sure, that's incredibly easy. Building abilities that are triggered by various personality aspects of a character, or Complications, or what have you is child's play for Hero!

 

Also there's a section of the forthcoming Advanced Player's Guide II that discusses using Psychological Complications in positive/motivational ways, which would probably apply to what you're talking about.

Interesting point, and the APG2 sounds even better now.

[Lucius]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

This sounds familiar....

 

 

Does the word "Gestalt" ring a bell?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Aspect: Palindromedary

[RexMundi]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

*Adds the APG2 to the list....oh wait it was already there.*

 

~Rex

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Aspects can be positive' date=' negative, or either depending upon the situation. The HERO System builds characters to concept with entirely concrete mechanics - players still exert no literal control of the game world in HERO, whereas Aspects, while still mechanics unto themselves, are more like a small outlet for players to take minor control of the game narrative. They're more akin to Heroic Action Points that have strings attached.[/quote']

 

I don't know what a Heroic Action Point is, so I'll have to take your word for that.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Trait Driven HERO is very much akin to FATE , or FUDGE.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

I think the biggest problem here is the ability of all and sundry to access aspects. There is also the setting of tags within environments and on people.

 

From my experience these aspects are mostly used to provide bonuses to skills or to get a re-roll. The whole game is based on the fate point economy. If the GM keeps feeding the players with fate points by tagging their aspects then the players use those points to do cool stuff.

 

I think that the aspects are simply ways to access overall skill levels based on character descriptions and environmental stuff. I don't think that I would do to much with individual with individual write-ups. This would be part of the game setting write-up. You introduce the same fate point economy along the lines of heroic action points. Essentially you then allow people to spend fate points to access one-use skill levels or to gain fate points by agreeing that they would play to one of their aspects despite that being against the best interest of the character.

 

Doc

[Christopher]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

I think this could be worth a try when you want to give the unmechanical aspect a mechanical appereance:

VPP with Cosmic, Uncontrolled Trigger and Always On. Accepting a negative effect (i.e. creating a Complication or penalty inside it and let it affect you) gives you a HAP. Using the VPP for beneficial effects costs a HAP.

[Ice9]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

Mechanically speaking, FATE aspects could be represented as a Multipower with two slots - Overall Skill Levels and Luck, as they can be used either to give a bonus on a roll, reroll, or make a plausible change to the world (such as declaring that there's a discarded pin you can use for a lockpick, or that you happen to have a friend in a given city). Personally, I would just put them in as a house-rule, ala HAP.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

I would like to think that ideally the players will take some hand in the design of the campaign. Much of what is described in Spirit of the Century and similar FATE games is that the construction of the party is part of the construction of the world. Which in my opinion is true in all RPGs to a certain extent.

 

Think about it. The GM doesn't simply design his adventure in such a way that it wouldn't matter what characters are going to be run in it. The PCs need a reason to be there or the GM will be unable to keep the players interested in the campaign. This process begins with character creation and continues for the life of the game.

 

That said, I find myself wondering (as I mentioned in another thread because I didn't know about this one) whether the PCs Complications coming into play can be rewarded in-game in addition to the obvious benefit of character points for the complication. Hunteds, for example, seem to me as something that should not be resolved randomly in the design of an adventure. The die roll may be a guideline to how often they appear -- any Hunted with a 14- is going to be a central focus of the campaign, while an 8- Hunted is going to show up about one adventure in four -- but actually rolling the dice seems unnecessary. IF the GM causes a Hunted to show up can the player gain an in-game benefit for it because the GM was using their complication against them?

[prestidigitator]

Re: Could FATE Aspects Work In HERO?

 

IF the GM causes a Hunted to show up can the player gain an in-game benefit for it because the GM was using their complication against them?

In my experience the momentary focus on that character and his/her storyline/background is often reward enough. YMMV though.