Dresden File RPG vs Dresden Files RPG Accelerated

[Razgrizi]

Good morning everyone! I hope everyone is having a great day! We're almost to the weekend!

I had a question that I would love people's input on.  Today, the PDF for Dresden Files Accelerated was released. I am as thrilled as everyone is about it! My players and I are almost done with tutorials for our universe (about 6 sessions now) and we having a blast with it.

With that said, I know FATE moved more towards Accelerated a while back. For people that know, would it be wise for me to move my players towards accelerated? Should we stick with what he have? What are the pros and cons to both? Is accelerated just for diving in without details first? Any type of explanation would help.

Thank you so much!

[jeditigger]

I am definitely biased, but I would say that DFRPG remains stellar for hard-core character- and world-building. For those of us who don't want so much crunch, FATE Accelerated is more approachable, especially for the newer RPer. Plus, and I have to admit here's my main bias, I love what Lenny, Clark, Richard and company did with the mantles. They're spiffy.

[Tedronai]

I have not yet had a great deal of experience with DFAE, but it did strike me that several problematic points from DFrpg seem to be handled in far less cumbersome a manner (think: Feeding Dependency, Demonic Co-pilot) to the point that they actually warrant being used without severe houseruling.

[Sanctaphrax]

DFRPG is one of the crunchiest and most mechanically detailed Fate games. Fate Accelerated is the least crunchy and most mechanically simple Fate game. (DFA is in the middle.) And the community as a whole seems to be moving towards simplicity.

Might be why I've grown apart from the Fate community, I guess.

What I'm getting at here is that you shouldn't take the community's movement towards Accelerated as proof that it's a better game. It's really a matter of taste. How "heavy", mechanically speaking, do you want your system?

I haven't finished reading DFA yet so I can't say much more than that.

[Taran]

Since it's Dresden RPG stuff, would Dresden Accelerated stuff not fall under this web site?  Do they have their own dedicated forum?

Personally, It'd be nice to see more people hanging around here posting questions and running their pbps.

[Razgrizi]

Here's a question that I have, for people with experience with it.
For Dresden Files, Accelerated, when looking at mantles and such, they have a list of stunts tat you can pick from each. However, in the old editions, a Changeling could literally become an animal which in this version its less about that and more about traits from them.
Are you allowed to mixup stunts for other mantles? I know originally they said Dresden can do it in his because hes still a sorcerer despite having a winter knight mantle and just focuses on that. In theory, could I adjust my players mantle to reflect her changeling status to where she can fully transform?

[jeditigger]

You are most definitely allowed to move stunts around from mantle to mantle. We have a few examples of that in there, in fact.

The point is that it's less intimidating where crunch goes and more flexible. As a RPer I found the game system more approachable (no pun intended) and carrying enough framework of rules to provide guidance to GMs and players.

I'm very proud of the work we did on DFA. I hope you guys like it too.

Pamela

[HumAnnoyd]

You are most definitely allowed to move stunts around from mantle to mantle. We have a few examples of that in there, in fact.

The point is that it's less intimidating where crunch goes and more flexible. As a RPed I found the game system more approachable (no pun intended) and carrying enough framework of rules to provide guidance to GMs and players.

I'm very proud of the work we did on DFA. I hope you guys like it too.

Pamela

As well you should be proud!  I have been running and playing in a DFRPG campaign for six years and I am super excited to translate it over to DFA. Don't get me wrong. I still love DFRPG. But DFA really does hit a sweet spot in my opinion and I cant wait to see more Mantles and Monsters and other inspirations from everyone in the community going forward now that it is released. 

[Razgrizi]

You are most definitely allowed to move stunts around from mantle to mantle. We have a few examples of that in there, in fact.

The point is that it's less intimidating where crunch goes and more flexible. As a RPer I found the game system more approachable (no pun intended) and carrying enough framework of rules to provide guidance to GMs and players.

I'm very proud of the work we did on DFA. I hope you guys like it too.

Pamela

I think it's wonderful! Its just adjusting to some of the stuff since there are some different translations.

I do have a couple questions, since you worked on it Pamela!

In our current game, I have a player who runs an Emissary of Nepythys. His inspiration behind it was Danny Phantom. With that said, one of his powers is a Breathe Weapon, or firing ectoblasts from his hands. In the original ruleset, it says that it is treated as a Weapon:2 due to it being considering a thrown weapon. Since some of the powers have been lowered, would you say that it's now Weapon:1? In addition, would you say that he can upgrade it up to Superb with one refresh?

Second, how would you treat spirit form?

Third, for character sheets, obviously combat has been changed. Is combat now just a normal HP bar? Essentially, where you get hit and you take 1 damage for each shift versus how the system was before?

[Tedronai]

Third, for character sheets, obviously combat has been changed. Is combat now just a normal HP bar? Essentially, where you get hit and you take 1 damage for each shift versus how the system was before?

There are sources of '+shifts on a successful hit', for which 'weapon rating' is just a specific case, if that's what you're referring to.

[Razgrizi]

There are sources of '+shifts on a successful hit', for which 'weapon rating' is just a specific case, if that's what you're referring to.

Could you elaborate? Im confused by what you mean.

[Tedronai]

'Weapon Rating' in DFrpg is just a special name for '+shifts on a success' in a particular circumstance (attacks).


In DFrpg, when you make an attack, you inflict stress equal to the number of shifts by which your attack surpassed the target's defense + your weapon rating.

In DFA, when you make an attack, you inflict stress equal to the number of shifts by which your attack surpassed the target's defense + a number of shifts you may be awarded on a successful attack from various sources - such as from one of the benefits of Scale (pg183), or from the Natural Weapon stunt available to Fae (pg158).

One is just a much more succinct way of saying largely the same thing as the other.

[Razgrizi]

'Weapon Rating' in DFrpg is just a special name for '+shifts on a success' in a particular circumstance (attacks).


In DFrpg, when you make an attack, you inflict stress equal to the number of shifts by which your attack surpassed the target's defense + your weapon rating.

In DFA, when you make an attack, you inflict stress equal to the number of shifts by which your attack surpassed the target's defense + a number of shifts you may be awarded on a successful attack from various sources - such as from one of the benefits of Scale (pg183), or from the Natural Weapon stunt available to Fae (pg158).

One is just a much more succinct way of saying largely the same thing as the other.

Oh, I meant more like how stress is handled in DFRPG vs DFA. In DFRPG, if I recall correctly, if you have 4 stress boxes and you take a five hit, you can take a minor consequence to knock it to 3 but you ONLY fill in the third dot, not 1 and 2. In DFA, you have 6 stress boxes and, like before, if you take a 4 stress hit, if you dont absorb it, you fill in the first four boxes leaving you two left. Is that correct?

[Tedronai]

Ah.  Yes, so far as I can tell, that is correct.
Perhaps small consolation, 'weapon ratings' tend to be much lower, and many characters might not have one at all (outside of the situational benefit of Scale).

[thorr-kan]

DFRPG had the conceit that Will was working on an RPG, with margin notes from Harry, Bob, Butters, and Karin.  The marginalia was extremely entertaining.

DFA has the conceit that Ivy is preparing this as a report for a client.  The marginalia is between Ivy and Kincaid.  It's even *funnier.*  See if you can guess who the report is for.

There don't seem to be as many jokes in the index, though.  I suppose that to be expected from the Archive.