Converting Midnight to Fate Core

[Tibermoon]

Hey folks! First time poster here.

I'm in the process of converting one of my favorite d20 settings--Midnight--to Fate Core in order to hopefully start a campaign with some friends, and I'd love to get some feedback on my approach.

I'm not done figuring out all the details yet, but I do have a rough skill list, and a plan for how to handle race selection. I'm still tinkering with how to handle classes, prestige classes, and heroic paths, but will post that later.

Any and all feedback you may have would be appreciated, especially if you're familiar with both Midnight and Fate Core!

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Starting Power Level

• 3 Refresh (1 minimum)
• 3 Free Stunts (taking more costs Refresh, and Refresh can't go below 1)
• Skill Cap at Great (1 skill at +4, 2 skills at +3, 3 skills at +2, 4 skills at +1)

Skill List

• Athletics - Anything involving moving yourself around. Running, jumping, climbing, swimming, dodging attacks.
• Contacts - Social connections and the ability to get the info you need from people.
• Craftsmanship (Crafts in FC) - Build, break, or fix stuff, and understand how architecture and machines work.
• Deceive - Lie, bluff, trick, or otherwise deceive. Includes using disguises and sleight of hand. Opposed by Insight.
• Fight - Melee combat, both armed and unarmed, used for both attack and defense, as well as general martial knowledge. Opposed by Fight.
• Insight (Empathy in FC) - Passive “insight.” Used for reading people, detecting lies, understanding a social or political situation. Opposed by Deceive.
• Investigate - Active perception, plus putting clues together.
• Lore - General knowledge about the world. History, religions, arcana, monsters, whatever. You know stuff.
• Notice - Passive perception, noticing things. Opposed by Stealth. Also used for initiative in most cases.
• Physique - Raw physical strength, grappling, and “constitution/fortitude” (resisting poison, disease, or physical movement through pure grit). Opposed by Physique.
• Provoke - Intimidate and/or provoke others to rash action. Opposed by Will.
• Rapport - Honest persuasion, charm, inspiration, salesmanship, generally trying to get what you want from others using only honest words. Opposed by Will.
• Resources - Represents generally having wealth
• Ride (Drive in FC) - Riding creatures effectively, especially racing, doing cool tricks, or fighting while mounted. Horses are easier, monsters are harder.
• Shoot - Covers ranged and thrown weapons, using them for attack and general knowledge about them. Unlike Fight, Shoot can’t be used for defense. Opposed by Athletics.
• Spellcraft - Like Discipline in DFRPG. Without it you can’t cast spells. Needed to control and structure your spells, countering other’s spells, and active magical challenges like trying to disable a magical trap. Opposed by Spellcraft. Requires the Spellcraft stunt.
• Stealth - Sneaking around quietly, losing pursuers, obscuring your trail, generally being undetected. Opposed by Notice.
• Survival - General skills for surviving in the wild: Hunting, foraging, building shelters, knowledge of plants, herbs, and poisons, as well as basic medical care.
• Thievery (Burglary in FC) - Lockpicking, pickpocketing, disarming traps/alarms, having underworld connections. Generally opposed by Notice.
• Will - Like Conviction in DFRPG, used to summon up magical energy for spellcasting. Also used for mental defense in general, including defense against Provoke and Rapport.

​
Races
Basic Rules

• When choosing a race, the player must take the appropriate Mandatory Aspect (or propose a suitable alternative to the GM). They may take more Aspects from that race if desired.
• There's a potential Trouble for each race, which the player may take as their Trouble aspect if desired.
  • All racial aspects count toward the player's total of 5 aspects.
• There's a list of potential Stunts for each race, which the player can take as desired, following the usual rules for acquiring Stunts (up to 3 for free, each additional stunt costs 1 Refresh)
• Each races lists one or two suggested types of weapon which are commonly used by that race. This is listed purely to help players craft a lore-appropriate character, but has no built-in mechanical effect and they don’t have to use it.

Race Options

• Human: Dorn
  • Mandatory Aspect: Rough-Edged Child of the Northlands (cold resistance, familiarity with northern lands and codes of honor, but not terribly book smart)
  • Aspect: Freedom Fighter (if formerly a slave of the orcs/legates: hatred of slavery, and skilled at helping slaves break free and escape)
  • Trouble: Rigid Traditionalist (struggles to accept new ideas and approaches, generally close-minded)
  • Stunt: Dornish Brawn (+2 to Physique rolls made to create advantages on an enemy by wrestling or grappling with them)
  • Stunt: Dornish Resilience (Once per session, at the cost of a fate point, you can reduce the severity of a moderate consequence that’s physical in nature to a mild consequence if your mild consequence slot is free, or erase a mild consequence altogether)
  • Stunt: Song of the Skalds (+2 to Rapport checks to Create an Advantage by inspiring your allies with songs of ancient heroism)
  • Suggested Weapon: Two-handed Sword
• Human: Sarcosan
  • Mandatory Aspect: Brilliant and Proud (generally well educated and well spoken, but prone to excessive pride and acts of foolish daring)
  • Aspect: Student of the Stars (with a starry sky above, you can always navigate in the wilderness)
  • Trouble: My Family is Vulnerable (you have family or close friends back in the city, which the Shadow may discover and leverage against you)
  • Stunt: Wary of the Shadow (if raised in the city: +2 Insight when evaluating motives for evil intent)
  • Stunt: Natural Equestrian (if raised on the plains: +1 to Ride horses, +2 to Shoot checks while on horseback)
  • Suggested Weapon: Scimitar and/or Lance
• Human: Erenlander
  • Mandatory Aspect: Erenlander Adaptability (mixed dornish and sarcosan blood; little cultural heritage to fall back on but very adaptable as a result)
  • Aspect: Erenlander Determination (you are seldom distracted once focused on a goal, which is usually a good thing...but not always)
  • Trouble: Hunted by the Shadow (The folk of central Eredane are most directly under the Shadow's gaze, and unfortunately you have caught his attention. Minions of the Shadow are actively looking for you)
  • Stunt: Just a Face in the Crowd (+2 to any Stealth roll to blend into a dense crowd)
  • Stunt: Child of Destiny (+1 Refresh, representing your adaptability as the scion of two strong bloodlines)
• Dwarf: ALL TYPES
  • Mandatory Aspect: A Dwarf Never Yields (Dwarves are tough and sturdy but isolated and reserved or stubborn in their dealings with others)
  • Aspect: Ancient Enemy of the Orcs (Dwarves usually HATE Orcs, and are particularly good at fighting them)
  • Trouble: Grim Dwarven Outlook (more than others, dwarves are prone to hopelessness in the Last Age, as they see their way of life slowly dying, and ever more ground being lost to Izrador's armies)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Darkvision (you can see in the dark)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Resilience (Once per session, at the cost of a fate point, you can reduce the severity of a moderate consequence that’s physical in nature to a mild consequence if your mild consequence slot is free, or erase a mild consequence altogether)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Poison Resistance (+2 on Physique rolls to resist poison)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Spell Resistance (+2 on defense rolls against magic)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Stonecraft (+2 to Craftsmanship checks involving anything made of stone)
  • Suggested Weapon: Ax or Hammer
• Dwarf, Clan
  • Stunt: Stonecunning (+2 to all Notice checks regarding stonework, for traps, secret doors, etc.)
  • Stunt: Dwarven Stability (+2 to Physique checks to avoid being knocked down, tripped, etc.)
• Dwarf, Kurgun
  • Stunt: Natural Mountaineer (+2 to Athletics checks to climb mountains or anything made of stone)
  • Suggested Weapon: Throwing Axes/Hatchets
• Elf: ALL TYPES
  • Mandatory Aspect: Lithe Elven Grace (naturally graceful and agile but somewhat slight of build)
  • Aspect: Long Lives and Long Memories (the elves live much longer than man, and may have interesting memories and experiences over that time)
  • Trouble: Elven Arrogance (the elves are the oldest of the races, and the ones which have formed the tip of the spear against the Shadow again and again. As a result, they are prone to arrogance and haughtyness in their dealings with other races)
  • Stunt: Natural Channeler (+1 to Will for the purposes of determining how much energy you can safely channel)
  • Stunt: Resistance to Charm (+2 to Will checks to resist charm or domination effects)
  • Stunt: Tree Climber (+2 to Athletics checks to climb trees)
  • Stunt: Elven Ears (+2 to Notice and Investigate checks that rely on sound)
  • Suggested Weapon: Shortbow or Longbow
• Elf: Caransil (Wood Elf)
  • Aspect: At Home in the Forest (generally comfortable in the forest...and less so elsewhere)
  • Stunt: Resistant to Backlash (reduces the mental stress taken for spellcasting by 1, but never below the minimum of 1)
  • Suggested Weapon: Longsword
• Elf: Danisil (Jungle Elf)
  • Aspect: At Home in the Jungle (generally comfortable in jungles and swamps...and less so elsewhere)
  • Aspect: Known to the Spirit World (more likely to be able to use Contacts to have connections with helpful spirits...but also more likely to have evil spirits who seek them out)
  • Stunt: Spirit's Bane (+2 to attack rolls against evil spirits)
  • Suggested Weapon: Blowgun (Darts) and Spear
• Elf: Erunsil (Snow Elf)
  • Aspect: At Home in the Ice (generally comfortable in colder climes...and less so elsewhere)
  • Stunt: Cold Resistance (+2 on defense rolls to resist cold/ice, magical included)
  • Stunt: Hardy as a Snow Elf (Once per session, at the cost of a fate point, you can erase a mild consequence)
  • Suggested Weapon: Dual Ice Knives (modified ice picks) and/or Icewood Longbow (powerful longbows that shatter when used by someone inexperienced)
• Elf: Miransil (Sea Elf)
  • Aspect: At Home on the Waves (generally comfortable near lakes and oceans...and less so as you get further from large bodies of water)
  • Stunt: Natural Swimmer (+2 to Athletics checks involving swimming or holding their breath)
  • Stunt: Skilled Sailor (+2 to any skill check involving ships, sailing, or the sea)
  • Suggested Weapon: Trident, Harpoons, and Nets
• Gnome
  • Mandatory Aspect: Tiny Charming Gnome (gnomes are often confident, cunning, and silver-tongued, but they're smaller and weaker than other races)
  • Trouble: Reputation as Collaborators (gnomes are known to be frequent collaborators with the Shadow, which may be helpful in dealing with legates but not so helpful in dealing with the Resistance)
  • Trouble: Silly Little Gnome (with their slight stature and history of martial failings, gnomes often struggle to be taken seriously on matters of import)
  • Stunt: Gnomish Spell Resistance (+1 on defense rolls against magic)
  • Stunt: Natural Riverfolk (+2 to Athletics checks involving swimming or holding their breath; +1 to any skill check involving ships, sailing, or rivers)
  • Stunt: Natural Traders (+2 to skill checks involving buying, selling, or making a deal)
  • Suggested Weapon: Crossbow
• Halfling (Dunni)
  • Mandatory Aspect: Quick Little Halfling (Halflings are notoriously quick and agile, but they are smaller and weaker than most other races)
  • Aspect: Living on the Fringe (if not from a city: Halflings are often very knowledgeable about life in the wilds, but less so the ins and outs of the "civilized" world)
  • Trouble: Halfling's Insatiable Curiosity (Halflings can seldom resist puzzles, riddles, sealed packages, and locked doors)
  • Stunt: Instinctive Magic (before rolling, a halfling can always choose to take a 0 on their Spellcraft roll to cast a spell)
  • Stunt: Natural Artisan (+2 to Craftsmanship checks involving building or improving something)
  • Stunt: Wogren Rider (+2 to any skill checks involving riding or taming a wogren)
  • Stunt: Easily Hidden (+2 to Stealth checks to hide in a dark or shadowed area)
  • Suggested Weapon: Daggers, Short Sword, or Sling
• Orc (Odrendor)
  • Mandatory Aspect: Monstrous Creature of Shadow (Orcs are large and powerful creatures, but they tend to be dull, crude, and brutish)
  • Aspect: Creature of Darkness (you can see in complete darkness and operate better there than most, but are sensitive to bright light and can sometimes be dazzled by it)
  • Aspect: Ancient Enemy of the Dwarves (Orcs usually HATE Dwarves, and are particularly good at fighting them)
  • Trouble: Unreasoning Rage (Orcs are creatures of Izrador, filled with utter hatred. When worked into a rage, they cannot think clearly and may make stupid mistakes)
  • Trouble: The Shadow Within (as a being created by the Shadow in the North, resisting his will, and indeed the innate desire to do evil, is a challenge for you)
  • Trouble: Hated and Feared (Orcs are almost universally considered enemies by the other races of Aryth, except the human legates who see them as tools at best)
  • Stunt: Cold Resistance (+2 on defense rolls to resist cold/ice, magical included)
  • Stunt: Orcish Spell Resistance (if not a Kurasatch Udareen: +2 on defense rolls against magic)
  • Stunt: Natural Predator (+2 on Provoke rolls to Create an Advantage by intimidating a foe)
  • Stunt: Orcish Frenzy (+1 on Fight rolls when in a group of at least 4 other Orcs)
  • Suggested Weapon: Vardatch (heavy notched broadsword)
• Elfling (Jungle Elf/Halfling)
  • Mandatory Aspect: Most Graceful and Frail of the Fey (Elflings are the most agile and athletic of the younger fey, but they are smaller, weaker, and more delicate than most other races)
  • Aspect: Loved by Halfings and Elves Alike (Elflings are welcome in the lands of both the halflings and Danisil, where their uniqueness is celebrated rather than looked down upon. The down side is that enemies of the halflings OR the elves are likely to be enemies of yours as well)
  • Stunt: Natural Channeler (+1 to Will for the purposes of determining how much energy you can safely channel)
  • Stunt: Tree Climber (+2 to Athletics checks to climb trees)
  • Stunt: Elfling Ears (+2 to Notice and Investigate checks that rely on sound)
  • Stunt: Elfling Grace (+2 to any Athletics check for acrobatic movement--flips, tumbles, rolls, balancing, etc.)
  • Special: For the purposes of any items or magic that target elves or halflings, elflings are considered to be both.
  • Note: Most Elflings are raised among the elves OR the halflings, not both. Decide which group raised your character, and then you can take almost any trouble, aspect, or stunt from that group as desired--check with your DM for details.
• Dwarrow (Dwarf/Gnome)
  • Mandatory Aspect: Lovable But Diminuitive Dwarrow (Dwarrow are nearly as sociable as their gnome parents. They are stronger than gnomes but still quite small and lack the fortitude of their dwarven parentage)
  • Aspect: Troubled Child of Two Bloodlines (being born to two different heritages grants you some of the strengths and weaknesses of both, but you've always lacked a sense fo belonging and were often ostracized)
  • Stunt: Dwarrow Darkvision (like your dwarven parent, you can see in the dark)
  • Stunt: Dwarrow Spell Resistance (+2 on defense rolls against magic)
  • Stunt: The Hardiness of Dwarven Kin (Once per session, at the cost of a fate point, you can erase a mild consequence)
  • Stunt: Unusually Small Dwarf (+2 on defense rolls against orcs, as they aren't used to fighting "dwarves" this small)
  • Special: For the purposes of any items or magic that target gnomes or dwarves, dwarrow are considered to be both.
  • Note: Most Dwarrow are raised among the dwarves OR the gnomes, not both. Decide which group raised your character, and then you can take any trouble, aspect, or stunt from that group as desired--check with your DM for details.
• Dworg (Orc/Dwarf)
  • Mandatory Aspect: Tough as Nails and Just as Bright (Dworgs are strong and tough, but their orc heritage makes them dull and brutish)
  • Aspect: Bottomless Hatred of Orcs (Dworgs generally hate Orcs even more than Dwarves, and are very good at fighting them)
  • Trouble: Bitter Self-Loathing (Dworgs very often despise their orc parent for creating them, and themselves for their own orcish nature)
  • Trouble: The Ultimate Outcast (Dworgs are unwelcome in most polite society and are generally looked upon with disguest by the dwarves. Those few who survive often find their way to the Durgis clan of the Kurgun Dwarves, alongside other outcasts, for no one else will accept them)
  • Stunt: Ready for Anything (Dworgs are a rugged race and learn at an early age to be on the constant lookout for trouble. +2 to Notice checks to avoid surprise attacks before it's too late)
  • Stunt: Dworg Darkvision (You can see in the dark and operate more effectively in it. Like your orc parent you are sensitive to bright light, but less so)
  • Stunt: Dworg Spell Resistance (+2 on defense rolls against magic)
  • Suggested Weapon: Ax, Hammer, or Vardatch (heavy notched broadsword)
  • Special: For the purposes of any items or magic that target orcs or dwarves, dworgs are considered to be both.​

 

[Tibermoon]

Classes, Heroic Paths, Armor, and Weapons

Some additional thoughts on classes, heroic paths, armor, and weapons...

Classes & Heroic Paths

• One of the Classes or Heroic Paths MUST be used in your High Concept Aspect (unless you use a Prestige Class instead)
• Should inspire aspects, stunts, and/or skill choices
• Doesn’t grant any additional aspects, skills, or stunts: it just gives ideas for them.
• Player can choose a class, a heroic path, or both. As long as they meet the fictional requirements (can’t have an orc that’s an “Elven Archer” for instance) then they’re good to go.

Prestige Classes

• Entirely optional, but works the same as class and heroic path, providing inspiration for aspects, stunts, and/or skill choices.
• Can be combined with a Class and/or Heroic Path if desired.
• As with Class and Heroic Path, player must meet the narrative requirements to take a Prestige Class.
  • Some Prestige Classes may not be available during character creation due to their implied power level. Ask your GM.

Weapons & Armor
Armor

• Armor: 0 is default. Generally speaking, this is what players have, regardless of whatever armor they’re wearing.
• Armor: X means you absorb X stress from each hit (where applicable—might not apply to magic or whatever).
• These rules are genereally only used for magical armor.

• If a character wants to be heavily armored (sans magic), that’s fine. Give them an aspect like “Plate Mail.” They can invoke it on a defensive action, but it may be compelled against them when trying to be stealthy, or athletic, or swim or whatever.

Weapons

• Weapon: 0 is default. Does nothing. This is normally what players have, regardless of their weapon.
• Weapon: X means you deal X bonus stress on a hit.
• These rules are generally only used for magical weapons.

• If player gets disarmed and doesn’t have a stunt for that, they get a temporary “Disarmed” aspect which will get compelled against them.

• In addition to potentially having weapon:X or armor:X ratings, fancy/magical weapons and armor can have aspects, giving them special effects above and beyond the norm.

 

[Tibermoon]

Spellcasting

Last but not least, here are some thoughts on how spellcasting would work in Midnight by way of Fate Core. It’s fairly complicated (I’m mostly basing this on the DFRPG evocation rules), but the use of rote spells could greatly simplify it in practice.

I’m open to using some sort of more traditional-D&D-style discrete spell list if my players want that (it would certainly be simpler!) but I want to propose this to them first, as I think there’s something really cool about the flexibility of it.

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Magic

• Player must take the Spellcaster stunt to cast spells and use the Spellcraft skill.
• Upon taking the stunt, they must choose one of the schools of magic to specialize in.
• The Spellcaster stunt may be taken multiple times to master multiple forms of magic.
• Anyone can take a spellcaster stunt, as long as they have an aspect (ideally their high concept) narratively supports it.

Schools of Magic

• Evocation: Control over the elements, usually for combat purposes
• Force: Telekinesis, moving things with your mind and controlling pure invisible force
• Psychomancy: Mind magic, illusions, telepathy, charm, mental attacks, etc.
• Nature: Dealing with plant life, wild animals, and the weather
• Necromancy: Dealing with death, spirits, life draining, and undeath

To Cast a Spell:

1. Describe what you want to do
   • Determine what sort of action it is (overcome, attack, defend, create advantage)
2. Channel magic from Aryth
   • Decide how much power you want to channel
     • Any amount up to your Will can be channeled for the minimum cost: 1 Mental Stress
     • 1 extra point of stress for each additional point of channeled power
     • Consequences can be taken up front if desired to draw more power
   • For direct attack or defense, player chooses how much power they want to spend
   • For utility spells, GM sets a target number for the channeling based on what they want to do
     • Default cost is 3
3. Cast the spell (1 zone away + LoS is normally max range)
   • Roll Spellcraft. Target is the power you channeled. This roll ALSO serves as the attack roll that the target needs to defend against.
     • Miss: Spell fails.
       • FORCE it to succeed by taking backlash mental stress = how much you missed by.
       • Or let it fail, in which case bystanders, friends, or the environment may eat it. (Bad aspects)
     • Hit: Succeed but at minor cost (usually a negative boost)
     • Hit+: Succeed
     • Hit+++: Succeed and gain a boost
   • With any of the “Hits” above, the spell is successfully cast, but it may not necessary harm the target—if the target’s defensive roll (Athletics to dodge, Physique to tough it out, etc.) beats the spellcraft roll, then they avoid it.
4. Resolve the spell
   • Attack a target in your zone: If your spellcraft roll (above) beats the target’s defense, deal damage equal to the difference
   • Defend a target in your zone: Absorb damage = amount of power channeled
   • Create Advantage/Overcome: Spell does what you wanted
   • Metamagic: Modify any of the above like so...
     • Bonus Damage: Add damage to the attack, 1 point of damage per 1 shift of power
     • Multi-target: Divide up the shifts of power between multiple targets you can see
     • AoE: Spend 2 shifts of the power to make it affect EVERYONE in a zone, or 2 more for each additional zone in your line of sight
     • Range: Spend 1 shift per zone to extent range, but line of sight is still required
     • Persistence: Spend 1 shift of power per turn to extend the duration of a spell.
       • Generally only applies to defense and utility—attacks have to be renewed on each turn as if it was a new spell.

Rote Spells:

• In order to avoid doing all this math on the fly, players can write down a list of their “usual” spells in advance. Specific power level, range, AoE, damage, etc. Then all they have to do is pay the cost for however much power it is, and then roll Spellcraft to cast and target it. They don’t have to worry about backlash or anything, it’ll just hit or miss.
• You can know a number of Rote Spells equal to your Lore.

Spell Lists:

• Discuss with the players. They may want to have unique spells or elements available to some players but not others for differentiation. (Depends how many casters we have)

Cantrips:

• Just do it, no rolls required. GM just has to agree it’s kosher.

Counterspells:

• When someone else casts a spell in your line of sight, you can attempt to unravel it.
• To do so...
  1. Lore check (GM sets difficulty, defaults to the Spellcraft skill of the other caster and will always be harder if the player doesn’t know that schoool of magic) to recognize what the spell is and how much power is in it
     • Miss: Fail
     • Hit: Gain the option to counterspell it, and learn how powerful it is (number of shifts)
  2. Channel power equal to the spell you’re trying to unravel (works exactly the same as casting your own spell)
  3. Counter the spell (works exactly the same as casting your own spell)

Rituals:

• Player must take a Ritual Caster stunt to be able to do rituals
• Rituals generally require the caster to research what they want to do somewhere, perhaps undertaking a quest for the info they seek
• Getting the necessary materials may then also require some “questing”
• The limitations and mechanics of rituals are covered by the DFRPG rules on Thaumaturgy. Short version is that they can do damn near anything if you’re willing to put in sufficient time, energy, and risk.

Magic Items:

• Use DFRPG magic items as a guidepost

Astiraxes

• One of the common side effects that can happen as a result of miscasting a spell or otherwise failing (if magic has been cast recently) is getting detected by an astirax a few miles away. The bigger the spell, the wider the range on this risk.