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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SteveC" data-source="post: 6370602" data-attributes="member: 9053">Let's see if I can answer your questions:Fast paced vs. character drama. Most importantly, I talk a lot about when to roll the dice, and when not to. My attitude here is actually pretty controversial, but you could really apply it to any game system.You roll dice for the things where the outcome is in doubt (meaning you could possibly succeed or fail), there are consequences for failing and the action is something we care about.I make a special call-out to actions you think can fail but really can't: if there aren't any consequences for failing and the action is possible, you can just assume the group will keep trying until they succeed, so there really isn't a chance to ultimately fail. All you're doing is rolling some dice until you get a success. Better to just talk about what happens.When you are making a check, you describe two things: your goal and your method. This cuts down on multiple rolls that basically amount to the same thing: if you're crossing a pit of lava on a narrow ledge, if you make the check, you get to your goal (presumably moving to the other side). You don't move X feet and have to roll again.So we roll as few dice as possible, and when those dice are resolved, the situation generally is done, and we're ready to move on.That means we can have a lot of options with our die roll, and give the players a lot of chance to affect how things play out with it, but we roll, we determine what happened, and we go on to what's next. What this does in practice is put a lot more thought and effort into each situation where you need to roll the dice. You know it's going to result in something important.Different power levels: this is something that really works out quite well. First, you can create characters at four power levels: novice, heroic, legendary and epic. The GM designs the campaign with some restrictions in mind (typically, no epic characters to start with, because they're very good, but also very static) and then here's what happens in play:Better characters are generally better at their chosen skill set. A heroic warrior will outperform a novice over the long haul. At the same time, the novice has a much higher chance to have an exceptionally good or bad result (meaning open-end their die roll) and also has many more hero points, which are the sort of fate currency the game uses.Because each die roll is so important, sometimes all the novice has to do is be better once.For an example (that's a bit dated, but hopefully you'll still remember it). In the Phantom Menace, and the Duel of Fates scene, Darth Maul is much more experienced than Obi Wan. He manages to kill Qui Gon, who's actually a Jedi Master. In order to win the fight, Obi Wan has to essentially tap into fate once. He does so and the fight is over. The idea is that as you become more powerful you rely more on your own talents and less on what fate has in store for you.As a campaign goes on, the differences really start to show up: if you're playing a less experienced character you grow and develop much faster than those who are more experienced that you. Normally as you play you slowly improve your skills and abilities over time based on what you do in the game. Novice characters have a special power called "potential" that lets them spend as many points as they want, all at once, in a special once-in-a-lifetime moment, so as they develop they can have this massive "aha" moment where they shine.Hopefully that gives you a little better idea of where I'm coming from.</blockquote>

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