The System - FATE

Character Creation

The process required to create a Project Eden initial character dossier.

Note!

Some powers listed in this document are specific to the Dresden Files RPG, and as such will not be re-printed here.

Template

Select an appropriate sectional Template from the list below. Templates beyond a predetermined "power level" may be rendered ineligible for view or selection.

Power Level

Depending on the style and scope of the desired story, a particular power level will be set, determining a maximum refresh rate. Some supernatural templates reduce that refresh rate, but no PC may have a final refresh rate of less than 1.

Primary Impression

Establish a basic summarized impression of subject, for ease of reference.

Select an Aspect that summarizes the character's core concept, including themes from her template (Reluctant Potential, Bloodthirsty Atma User, LAW Demiform)

Risk Factor

Make clear note of primary risk and control factor, for situation and personnel managenent,

Select an Aspect that summarizes the primary conflict of the character, or the point of story or person most likely to complicate their life. (Passing for Human, I Just Want To Go Home, Dealing With the Devil, etc.)

Profile Flags

Bulletpoint any key personality aspects, experiences, or training that would be immediately relevant to mission planning.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCES OR BEHAVIOR-MODIFYING TRAUMAS ARE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST.

Select Aspects, both positive and negative, that would stand as key points of your character, including those developed in later phases.'' ''Maximum Aspects determined by the GM.

Name

After establishing profile heading and categorization, please clearly notate the relevant name and known aliases of subject.

Select an appropriate name to both the established impressions and the history of your character.

Phases

I: Historical File

Delineate key known factors or gaps in subject's early years up to Event Convergence.

Include a paragraph or more about the character's childhood and upbringing, up to her first major contact with the supernatural, adding Aspects as appropriate.

II: Psychological Profile

Note significant developmental opportunities and challenges, and resultant personality factors.

Go into detail about key traumatic events or positive influences upon your character, adding Aspects again as appropriate.

III: First Contact

Track primary encounter with post-Event circumstances, noting resulting developments and side-effects.

Introduce your character in-depth to the supernatural world through their first adventure, adding Aspects relating to that contact.

IV-V: Significant Encounters

Notate other encounters and mission files for subject, with an eye to potential cross-reference.

Determine ties with other PCs and shared adventures. Rivalries, ships crossing the dark, shared tragedies - all are valid connections or sources of Aspects.

Skills

Rate subject's relative capabilities in key areas of interest according to Functional Utility Baseline Assessment Rank.

Skill points will be determined by the Power Level, following the "Pyramid" limitations - a character may not have more skills in a higher FUBAR category than skills possessed in the lower.

Stunts and Powers

Denote particular areas of specialization, as well as ANY AND ALL significant modification or capability related to Event Convergence.

NEGLIGENT INCOMPLETE FILING -WILL- BE MET WITH REPRIMAND. TEST ALL PARAMATERS. -ALL-PARAMETERS.

Select appropriate Stunts and supernatural powers with an eye to any Musts established by your template.

Finishing Touches

Verify and finalize abstract tolerances for positive and negative field conditions.

Note your character's Refresh Level after any modifiers for powers or traits, including starting fate points. Then, noting bonuses from Skills, Powers, or other sources, track Stress and Consequences for the character.

  • Final Refresh Level
  • Fate Points
  • Stress
  • Consequences

Types and Templates

All Templates unless noted otherwise require a Primary Impression that reflects that Template.

Pure Human

Musts Must not take any supernatural power. No requirements on Primary Impressions.
Options Stunts
Important Skills Any
Minimum Refresh Cost Gains a +2 bonus to starting Refresh, which is lost immediately if any supernatural power is taken.
Example Characters Humanity, frail and strong, and everything between.

Atma Corrupted

Marked directly by a malevolent force with some manner of geas and a terrible hunger, those cursed with Atma must fight and eat flesh to survive - that of humans or demons. Horrid and inhuman in their demonic form, even their mortal flesh is marked with a symbol, a hint of their true nature.

Musts (Cost) Description
Human Form (+1)
The Hunger (+1) Human or demon flesh, affecting the following powers
Demon Form (-1) Those who bear the mark of Atma may (and often must) take on a demonic form to fight, altering the character's Skill Configuration in that form.
Demonic Arts (-4) See below
Resistance (-2) Applying to a specific type of attack
Weakness (+2) For a specific type of attack
Claws (-1) to represent a method of devouring meat.
Extras At least 2 points in Speed, Strength, or Resistance powers or other Creature Features.
Options Additional powers to represent demonic form's traits, such as wings, aquatic abilities, additional Speed, Strength, or Resistance, Refinement
Important Skills Fists, Discipline. Endurance and Might for Physical Arts, Discipline and Conviction for Magical Arts
Minimum Refresh Cost -6
Example Characters The cast of Digital Devil Saga

Demifiend

"Gifted" by a parasitic Magatama, Demifiends are among the rarest of the new developments of the fall. Few are even aware of their existence, much less how their strange powers function. Rumors among demons speak of them as harbingers of the next world - what that entails has yet to be determined.

Musts (Cost) Description
Magatama Demiforms possess at least one Magatama, with potential to possess more as the story develops. Additional Magatama may be purchased, to represent growing power and possessing different weaknesses. These "containers" of Resistance and potential Weaknesses should be set and marked on index cards or some other form. The Magatama may be changed between conflicts, or through the use of a Fate Point.
Demonic Parley (-1) You are considered a demon, albeit a weird one…by demonic standards.
Demonic Arts Learning new Arts is based on the theme and limitations of the current Magatama at the time of purchase, allowing for variety over time.
Options Marked By Power, further Resistance, Speed, or Strength powers, Contractor
Important Skills Rapport, Might, Endurance, Conviction, Discipline
Minimum Refresh Cost -7
Example Characters Naoki, the Demifiend of SMT: Nocturne. Arguably, others who must select a Reason.

Devil Summoner

You've earned, stolen, or have somehow gotten your hands on a COMP, allowing you to store and make use of demons via contracted partnerships. Alternately, for some reason or another, you are accorded with the demonic equivalent of respect.<br>

Musts (Cost) Description
Demonic Parley (-1) You are accorded respect by demons, at least by demonic standards. Also, either….
COMP (-3) A demon and general storage and management system…or…
Contractor (-2) You can forge pacts with demons. And…
Marked By Power (-1) You have powerful backing or reputation. I mean, a HUMAN?!
Important Skills Computer, Intimidation, Lore, Presence, Rapport
Minimum Refresh Cost -4
Example Characters Aleph, Raidou Kuzunoha, characters of SMT: Imagine

Manifest Potential

Infused with the Potential, some people have manifested the power to draw forth protectors from their unconscious, a power known as Persona. There are even rumors that Persona users predate the Fall. Manifest Potentials normally possess only one Persona form.

Musts (Cost) Description
Persona (-1) Which grants access to…
Demonic Arts (-4)
Resistance (-2) To a specific type of attack.
Weakness (+2) To a specific type of attack.
Options Demonic Parley, additional forms of Resistance, Refinement, Resilience, Weakness
Important Skills Conviction, Discipline, Might, Endurance
Minimum Refresh Cost -5
Example Characters The casts of Persona 3 and 4, excluding the main protagonists.

Occult Specialist

Trained in the use of mystical equipment or with the ability to craft or maintain the same, you often seem somewhat…odd to others. Psychological studies and hearsay agree that prolonged contact with demonic substances can lead to personality modification. Study alone doesn't bear consistent results.

Musts (Cost) Description
Integrated Worksmanship (-2) The gift to reconcile the mundane and the supernatural.
Options Refinement, Minor Talents, any number of odd little tricks that aren't quite demonic.
Important Skills Craftsmanship, Lore, Conviction, Discipline
Minimum Refresh Cost -2
Example Characters Many of the shopowners, assistants, and support staff of the Shin Megami Tensei universe…something is always a bit…off, isn't it?

Wild Card

Unlike a natural Manifest Potential, something has opened wider the door of the sea of unconscious within you. Something powerful. You gain access to a strange realm, whereupon your experiences and choices can coalesce into new Persona powers.

Musts (Cost) Description
Persona (-1) Which grants access to…
Greater Potential (Varies, at least -2) May take a number of forms with different Arts, Resistance, and Weakness. You gain an initial Persona with the powers below.
Demonic Arts (-4)
Resistance (-2) To a specific type of attack.
Weakness (+2) To a specific type of attack.
Options Demonic Parley, Refinement
Important Skills Conviction, Discipline, Might, Endurance
Minimum Refresh Cost -7
Example Characters The casts of Persona, Persona 2, and the protagonsts of 3 and 4.

Advancement

Optional Rules

Ego Armor

If you want to give characters an additional touch of resilience, you might consider giving them additional armor against the Demonic Arts based on their background and personal qualities. These Ego Armors can be determined by adding together the key Skill for an attack type (Physical = Endurance, Social = Presence, Mental = Conviction) with their best skill in that area, then dividing those relevant skills by 4, rounded down. On less than a truly spectacular being, this will only give an additional one or two points of armor - this is fully intentional.

Relationships

In a dark world, working together as a team can be the difference between doom and survival. As such, here is an optional system to record significant turns in relationships between characters, and the power or danger that might derive from them.

As part of a significant or major milestone, you may also gain a point to place in a Relationship, which functions like a Skill in many ways. You gain a Relationship Stress track shared between yourself and this character and rate the relationship along the same scale (Mediocre, Average, Good, Great, etc.). Attacks that are taken to break the relationship (usually) social) or a character's abilty to relate with others (usually mental) are defended against with appropriate skills by one or both parties. Only one party needs to fail for the relationship to be damaged, but only take the worse of the results if multiple parties are targeted. Either side may take social or mental consequences to prevent Relationship stress.

It's good to note that not all relationships are between just two people - teams or families may also create a Relationship, but larger relationships can also be more vulnerable to attacks on all parties.

Once a Relationship is Good (+3), a character may spend a Fate point to roll the Relationship instead of a relevant skill for a single relevant roll. With a Superb (+5) relationship, someone may Defend Love with a Fate Point, at which point the Relationship complements ALL skill rolls until such time as the goal is met, compels are taken that counter the goal, or compels are refused that are tied to the nature of that relationship.

Needless to say, not all relationships are positive or even HEALTHY, either…

Regarding the free Mild consequence for a Superb relationship - this consequence may be used by either party at any time, but BOTH parties suffer the consequence until it heals.

Optional Power: Commitment (-1)

Description You've invested more than time into a relationship - you've invested part of your soul.
Skills Affected Relationship(special)
Effects (Cost) Description
Depth of Feeling You gain an additional minor consequence that can be suffered in the name of the Relationship. If you already possess one more of these, using more than one at once upgrades the level of consequence suffered. (Two minor consequences used on the same attack are treated as a single Moderate consequence as far as healing times.)
Take Me Instead! If someone who you share a Relationship with is about to be taken out and you're in the same zone or able to move to within the same zone with a single action, you may spend a Fate point to suffer the result of stress of the attack instead - the full remaining stress. No additional defense is made, but armor and other active effects still apply.
Deeper Feeling (-1, requires Good Relationship) You gain another minor consequence for the Relationship.
Get up! (-1,requires Great Relationship) You may remove a single temporary aspect affecting the other party of your Relationship for a Fate Point. Aspects affecting the environment cannot be changed, but with GM permission, your ally might be exempted from the effect temporarily.
Living For Tomorrow (-1, requires Superb Relationship) When you would normally be taken out, you may spend a Fate Point to opt instead to take a special Extreme Consequence - one of your Aspects is permanently changed to reflect that relationship. This has the same limitations as a normal Extreme Consequence and the same healing time.

Optional Effect: Relationship Refinement

Creatures with access to the Demonic Arts may find those Arts to be enhanced or modified by the relationships they take part in. This is most likely to be evident in Manifest Potentials or Wild Cards, but the bonds of a Devil Summoner, the Reason of a Demifiend, or even the idea of self of one of the Corrupted might find itself adjusted.

In short, a relationship might grant a limited form of Refinement to certain abilities. Details as the idea is developed.

Overcoming Weakness

As part of a major milestone at a key point in the story, a character with the Weakness power may be given the opportunity by the GM to buy it off with refresh points. This may only be done as part of a sheet rewrite when a character's primary Aspect may have changed enough to resonate with the nature that caused such a Weakness in the first place. This chance to remove these Powers may be done even if the character's template requires such a flaw at character creation.

Skills

Alertness, Athletics, Burglary, Contacts, Conviction, Craftsmanship, Deceit, Discipline, Driving, Empathy, Endurance, Fists, Guns, Intimidation, Investigation, Lore, Might, Performance, Presence, Rapport, Resources, Scholarship, Stealth, Survival, Weapons

Powers and Arts

Powers

COMP (-3)

Description You have a COMP device, which translates matter into digital information and back. More importantly, however, this device can be used as a medium to form contracts with demons, allowing you to bind, summon, and dismiss (arguably) loyal allied demons at will. This device can be as portable as a gauntlet or wristband, but is usually difficult to conceal.
Options Expanded Capacity
Skills Affected Resources, Lore
Effects (Cost) Description
Demon Contractor You may form pacts with demons, storing and summoning them forth as a full action. Any contracted demon's refresh cost may not exceed your own total refresh value, minus 1. You may only summon one demon at a time, and may store no more than 5 at any time. These demons act independently of you and gain Relationship advances just like another PC. Mistreatment or diverging goals can and will lead to arguments and eventual violence.
Demonic Compendium You gain +1 Lore when recalling information on demons you've encountered in the past. Increase that bonus to +3 for monsters you've formed contracts with.
Digital Storage You may store a truckload's worth of material within your COMP, allowing you to "tag" your COMP once per scene to gain equipment worth no more than your Resources skill as a declaration, subject to GM discretion. Additional uses of the storage requires a Fate point.
Expanded Capacity (-1) Add +2 to Resources while taking advantage of Digital Storage, and gain an additional tag per scene.

Contractor (-2)

Description You have the power to form binding agreements with demons, which for whatever reason, they rarely break without reason.
Skills Affected Rapport, Lore
Effects (Cost) Description
Demon Contractor You may form pacts with demons, gaining them as temporary allies. Any contracted demon's refresh cost may not exceed your own total refresh value, minus 1. You may only contract with one demon at a time. These demons act independently of you and gain Relationship advances just like another PC. Mistreatment or diverging goals can and will lead to arguments and eventual violence.
Demonic Compendium You gain +1 Lore when recalling information on demons you've encountered in the past. Increase that bonus to +3 for monsters you've formed contracts with.
Additional Contract (-1) You may add another demon to your entourage. This may be taken multiple times, subject to GM approval.

Demon Form(-1)

Description You become a demon, twisting into a manifestion of your Hunger.
Options Hybrid Form
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Demonic Change You take on the guise of your demon, gaining the benefits of powers purchased for this form. Additionally, you gain +2 to Intimidate when dealing with demons and humans who know of your dietary requirements.
Skill Shuffle You may re-allocate your Skill purchases for this form, so long as knowledge skills are not given an increase by this alteration.
Hybrid Form (-2) You are able to take on a unique merger of human and demon forms, sacrificing the protections afforded by the demon's flesh for raw destructive power. You may take the refresh cost any Speed, Resistance, or Resilience powers from your Demon Form and change them into appropriate Strength powers. You must draw from the Skill Shuffle of your demon form.
Involuntary Hybrid (+2) Requires Hybrid Form. '''You may only take on the hybrid form during very specific circumstances, as determined by the GM.

Demonic Arts (-4)

Description For one reason or another, your character can tap into mystical power for great effect.
Options Combined Fusion
Skills Affected Conviction, Discipline, Endurance, Might
Effects (Cost) Description
Ability Slots You gain 4 Ability Slots for Arts your character has learned, inherited, or developed. You may select Arts for each of these slots now or during play. You may gain additional slots as one of the options of the Refinement power, to a maximum of 8. Characters should gain additional Arts no more than once per major milestone. See more in Using the Arts.
Limited Scope Your Arts may only come from 3 total areas from the following list: Curative Magic, Curse Magic, Destruction Magic (Fire, Ice, Electric, Force, Expel, Darkness, Almighty for 2 choices, any element for 3 choices), Physical Arts (Pierce, Slash, Strike, Almighty for 2 choices, any type for 3 choices), or Support Magic. Scope may be expanded as one of the options of the Refinement power.
Narrow Focus Within your scope, you further specialize. You gain two points of specialization, as per Refinement.
Combined Fusion (-1 per Art) You may perform a Fusion Art, but only with another character who has also taken this Art. The minimum stress cost remains as one per character, but a Combined Fusion may only be attemped once per exchange, taking a full action from each character involved.
Tech Dependency (+1) You require some sort of mystical tool or drug to gain any use from the Demonic Arts, an error normally reserved to those with Manifest Potential or Wild Cards. Should you be denied the item in question, your powers are inaccessible without some mitigating circumstance, and even then requires a Fate Point.

Demonic Parley (-1)

Description Due to some manner of "contract", supernatural nature, unusual equipment or many other reasons, you are considered a peer among demonkind. This means that they will often listen to you before simply eating you. Whether they eat you afterwards is a different matter entirely.
Skills Affected Social Skills
Effects (Cost) Description
A Matter of Perspective You are regarded as someone worth talking to by the demonic world at large, unless some specific goal directly requires your death. You gain +1 to all social skills when dealing with demons, and often easily gather their attention. Whether or not this is necessarily a -good- thing is highly situational at best.
Network of Rumors Demons share information among each other, largely because that information is often only of true relevance to humans anyway. You may use the Contacts skill among demons to seek information about particular demons or those they deal with frequenty - largely other parleyors. This may lead to insights unavailable to those with only mortal "sources".

Ethereal Sensor (-1)

Description You have an innate sympathy for demonic power, and can sense its presence and observe its nature.
Skills Affected Lore, Empathy
Effects (Cost) Description
Active Scanner You may take an action to perform an assessment using Lore or Empathy (choose when selecting this power) to determine a demon or demon-touched being's more mystical Aspects or to determine (and apply a temporary Aspect towards) a target's Weakness. At GM discretion, this may be used to determine potential Arts or other factors of the demon or person involved. The scan's difficulty is based on the refresh value of the being involved, but multiple actions may be taken, splitting the required shifts over multiple turns.
Broad Scanner You may make an Empathy or Lore test to determine if demons or demon-touched entities are within a number of zones of you, based on your success. The difficulty is set by the GM, determined by how naturally demonic the area happens to be.

Greater Potential (-2)

Description You possess a direct link to the sea of unconsciousness, able to tap into the true potential of humanity. Alternately, you may possess some other source of broad, universal power.
Musts Demonic Arts. Only Wild Cards generally demonstrate this power. Speak with your GM before taking it for another template.
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Changing Masks You may take a full action to switch to another source of Demonic Arts, changing the attached Resistance and Weakness powers with them, modify Refinement, and gain a Skill Shuffle. These sources must be predetermined and noted. Should you ever possess more Sources than the number of slots you possess (see below), you must choose a Source to abandon. Rumors abound of a special place where Sources may be deposited, or even fused like demons. You are likely aware of it.
In the Cards Your true power comes from the bonds you make with representations of the archetypes, lessons, and stories that make for truth - whether beautiful or even perhaps terrible. So far, a true villain hasn't managed to develop the gift. Aren't we lucky? In any case, as you gain a new Persona, you may add your rating in a Relationship of the matching Arcana as free points of "refresh" to split among Refinement, Strengths, and Weaknesses for that Persona alone. Once assigned, these points become as permanent to that Persona as anything else.
Source Slots You gain a total of four Source slots, which may be designed now or achieved later in play. Your initial Refinement only applies to a single Arcanum, which may change as part of a major milestone.
Additional Slots (-1) You gain another two Source slots, and may determine the nature of that source. This may be purchased multiple times to represent a broad catalogue of powers.
Internal Fusion (-1 per Art) You are able to combine the abilities of two separate sources as one. Determine whether the Fusion Art is Physical or Magical (most powers perform a primary function with a secondary benefit) and design it accordingly. This Art halves the final stress cost of the result Art. Fusion Arts cause a minimum of two points of stress of the appropriate category, however.

The Hunger (+1)

Description Part of the curse of Atma is an unnatural hunger for human or demon flesh. Why only these things sustain the demon within is a mystery, but the Hunger itself is undeniable, driving those corrupted to the fringes of society or into the depths of war zones.
Skills Affected Discipline
Effects (Cost) Description
Carnivore You may (and often must) eat the raw flesh and bone of humans and demons without complication while in your demon form, no matter how implausible the form.
The Hunger is Stressful You have an additional stress track called a ''hunger track'' based on the Discipline skill. Unlike other stress tracks, this track does not clear at the end of a scene.
The Price of Power At the end of a scene where you've heavily used your power, you must check to see if you are overwhelmed by the Hunger until you feed immediately. This manifests as an attack with a strength equal to the refresh cost of any combination of demonic powers you possess; you defend with Discipline.
Success The Hunger track remains the same.
Failure You take hunger stress equal to the threshold of the attack. You may use physical or mental consequences to buy off this stress. Alternately, you may take a special form of consequence, sacrificing access to powers. Every point of refresh worth of sacrifice negates two points of stress. In the case of Demonic Arts, the GM may decide a lost power at each point of refresh thus sacrificed.
Taken Out The Hunger overwhelms you, slowly but surely, and you must attack either the weakest, closest, or most directly threatening target at the GM's discretion. Your character, as a thinking being, is taken out of the scene. Only the Hunger remains, and it has full access to your power.
Touchy Subject Highly stressful situations can also call up the Hunger. If an attack (physical, social, or mental) against you achieves spin, you may be required to defend against the Hunger.
Sating the Demon In most circumstances, you must feed to remove the Hunger track. At any point, should you devour your fill of a human or demon (the amount of meat taken must be fatal, though those recently 'taken out' are valid meat.), the track clears completely. Feeding within a scene of using the power removes the need for a challenge.
Hunter (-1) You have embraced the Hunger, gaining power from the flesh that you devour. After scoring a wounding blow on an opponent, you gain +1 attacks in subsequent exchanges against the same target. In a grapple, you may cause an additional point of stress on the target as a supplemental action, as you chew and gnaw on them.

Integrated Worksmanship (-2 or -3)

Description You are able to craft the specialized tools needed to face demons on a (relatively) even playing field by studying the enemy and the new way of the world.
Skills Affected Lore, Craftsmanship
Effects (Cost) Description
Integrated Worksmanship You have the ability to merge occult practice with modern technology, achieving the best of both. Select an area of expertise (either a particular kind of esotech or a particular focus of training) at a refresh cost of -2, or work as a generalist at -3.
Item Slots You gain two Arcane Tech slots for tools that simulate supernatural powers, which may be designed now or during play. You may swap one Arcane Tech slot for two Enchanted Tech slots.
Expanded Catalog (-1)You gain two additional Arcane Tech slots (Which may be traded 2-for-1 for Enchanted Tech slots). This power may be taken multiple times.

Magatama (-Varies)

Description You possess a Magatama, a demonic parasite within you that makes you essentially "half demon".
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Alive Inside Me You possess slots for up to two Magatama within you, increasing your physical or magical abilities. Each Magatama possesses its own Resistance and Weakness powers, which should be noted clearly. You may also apply Speed and Strength powers (or other supernatural powers with GM discretion) to the package. The refresh cost of the total package may not bring a Demifiend below 1 refresh without the normal consequences. You must spend at least 2 refresh points on this effect.
Skill Shuffle You may alter or exchange your ratings in skills for each Magatama, within the limits of the Skill points and caps at your power level.
Inhuman Mantle Your appearance takes on relatively minor, but certainly noticable demonic traits. Horns…fangs…unnatural, glowing lines across the skin…these are just a few examples. You gain an immediate +1 to the Intimidate skill when dealing with humans, but may have other problems with interactions. Concealing these traits can be difficult, but if you take time and effort, you can. Use any appropriate skill (Stealth or Deceit, usually) restricted by Discipline to do so, but you can't do anything stressful (like combat) without dropping the concealment. (Similar to Mark of Power, and stacks when appropriate.)
Growing Hoard (-1 per parasite) You've gathered another Magatama, through active hunting or happenstance, further increasing your flexibility.

Persona (-1)

Description You are able to draw forth a protective manifestation from your inner sea of possibilities, a representative of your will to succeed. This Persona takes the form of a being of legend, reflective of one's inner nature and ordered along the Major Arcana of the Tarot.
Options Resilience
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Inner Certainty You gain an additional mild consequence that can be used for any stress track.
Still Human You do not register as a demon or possessing demonic power to any instrument or power, until your Persona is evoked. This does not qualify you for a Pure Human's +2 to refresh.
Resilience (-Varies) For each point of refresh dedicated to this power, you gain an additional stress box for one kind of stress. For each two levels of this power, you gain an additional minor consequence.

Resistance (-Varies)

Description Certain forms of attack are simply less than effective upon you.
Options Absorption, Immunity, Repulsion
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Resist You are highly resisted to a particular form of the Demonic Arts, as well as any mundane example. Treat this as an Aspect that is always active when relevant, applying the appropriate +2 to any block, or a -2 to a relevant attack against you, as appropriate. The cost of this Resistance is at least one refresh point. Consider these other factors:
Common (-1) If the area type is commonly available (such as magical elements or physical damage types common to the arts), add 1 to the cost.
Broad (-3) If the area is broad (such as all magical or physical attacks, curse magic, etc.)
Absorption Requires Immunity. (-1) This upgrade makes a particular type of attack invigorating, rather than damaging. Any time you suffer an attack from the appropriate area, you take no harm ''recover'' a point of stress instead.
Immunity (-2) Rather than bothering with resistance, you become completely immune to the upgraded area of harm.
Repulsion Requires Immunity. (-1)You suffer no harm from that particular damage source, and more than that, such attacks turn on their wielders. Roll a Discipline attack for magical effects or Endurance for physical ones against an appropriate defense, gaining the same Weapon Bonus or Power shifts to damage as the attack that dared to strike you.

Refinement (-Varies)

Description Your power grows inside you, marking you a more potent force to be reckoned with in the new world.
Skills Affected Conviction, Discipline, Endurance, Might
Effects (Cost) Description
Expansion Gain another Arts slot, developing another Art as appropriate.
Refined Power You gain more ability with the Arts, in a number of potential ways. Each time Refinement is taken, choose one option from the following list:
Scope Add an area to the scope of your Arts
Specialty Specialize in a particular area, adding a two +1 bonuses to either control or power rolls. These bonuses may stack over time, but also follow the pyramid.

Song of Sera (-1)

Description You have a soothing quality to your voice or music, one of the few powers that can ease the unnatural hunger of the Atma Corrupted. Most people who possess this power gain dangerously loyal allies in the Corrupted they encounter, forming mercenary companies, cults, or communes in out-of-the-way places.
Skills Affected Performance
Effects (Cost) Description
Snake Charmer You gain a +2 to all social rolls against the Atma Corrupted once they know you possess the Song.
Soothing the Hunger You may act to calm the Hunger of the Corrupted, granting them a new Discipline roll at a difficulty based on the refresh cost of the Atma-Corrupted. They gain and may immediately tag the aspect ASSISTED BY THE SONG for this roll.

Speed (Varies)

See the Dresden Files RPG Book 1: Your Story.

Strength (Varies)

See the Dresden Files RPG Book 1: Your Story.

Weakness (+Varies)

Description Demons are beings of extremity, and with that extremity comes power. By taking on additional mystical weaknesses, you gain a discount on other abilities.
Options Staggering Weakness
Skills Affected Varies
Effects (Cost) Description
Weak vs. … A particular type of harm is exceptionally effective against you, counting as an Aspect that is always active when relevant. By default, this weakness is worth one refresh point. Other factors may modify this discount, but these points must all be spent towards other supernatural powers.
Common If the weakness is commonly available (such as magical elements or physical damage types common to the arts), add +1
Broad If the weakness is broad (such as all magical or physical attacks, curse magic, etc.), add +3 instead.
Staggering Weakness (+1) When struck by a particular weakness, you must make roll Discipline at a difficulty equal to the threshold of the effect. Should you fail, you gain the Staggered temporary Aspect which may be tagged by any enemy. It immediately ends once tagged successfully.

Using the Arts

Designing an Art

Type Determine the type of Art it is, between the various Magical and Physical Qualities
Action Determine if the Art is an attack, block, maneuver, or passive effect.
Power The number of shifts dedicated to the Art at the time the Art is created, between a number of factors.
Cost Non-passive effects have a stress cost: mental for Magical Arts or physical for Physical Arts. This is based on the Power applied to the Art, at a minimum of one point of stress.
Physical Cost the difference between the Power of the Art and the character's Endurance.
Magical Cost the difference between the Power of the Art and the character's Conviction.
*Optional Curse, Expel, Darkness, Curative, and Support Magic may use a character's Presence to determine the cost and use Rapport for any needed rolls.

An Art may be modified during a significant milestone to accomodate additional power.

Attacks

When designing an attack power, you must dedicate a pre-set number of shifts to the raw effectiveness of the attack.

Strength Each shift increase the Weapon rating of the attack by one.
Area 2 shifts allows you to target one entire zone, hitting all enemies within a zone.
Multiple Hits To target multiple individuals, or the same target more than once, you must split the shifts of power between the attacks performed. All hits within a single Art use count as one attack for the sake of tags or other powers that enhance an attack, effectively giving both hits the benefit. Multiple hits are rolled in "volleys". Every target being attacked takes the first attack roll against their defense, then follow-up hits apply a second roll to all targets, and so on.
Random For no extra cost, you instead add a bit of Chaos. Roll a fudge die per target. On a (-), nothing happens but the cost is still paid. On a blank, apply the power normally. On a (+), add 2 to the power's Strength at no cost.
Spin Reaction This attack becomes a passive effect triggered when you gain spin on a defense, targeting the attacker immediately. Each shift adds to the Strength of the counter-attack, but Area or Multiple Hit factors cannot be added. Reduce its final stress cost by one, down to a minimum of zero, but this attack ONLY triggers in those circumstances. The power of this attack may not exceed your Convictions for Magical Arts or Endurance for Physical Arts, so essentially it -must- have a zero stress cost.
Side-Effect You may assign secondary shifts to apply an Aspect on a successful hit. By default, for one shift, the effect only takes place when the attack achieves spin. Each additional shift reduces the required threshold by one. Shifts of power may also be spent on persistence for these effects, adding two turns per shift due to relative difficulty to trigger the power.
Blocks

Rather than harming a target, you seek instead to avoid an outcome.

Block Each shift of power increases the block strength by 1. (+3 for a Good block, etc.)
Armor Armor equal to half the shifts put into the Art. (+4 to Armor:2, etc.)
Persistence Each shift may add one exchange of duration to the block or armor. Blocks work per attack, while armor's persistence is measured in turns.
Targets You may target all allies in a zone with 2 shifts.
Block Reaction When this block is successful, it triggers an immediate reaction of some sort. Design an Attack or Maneuver, adding those shifts to the cost of this block.
Maneuvers
Maneuver Creating a temporary aspect on a target requires three shifts. Each tag of the aspect that is available without Fate points costs another shift.
Persistence Each shift may add one exchange of duration to the maneuver's effects.
Area/Targets If a hostile effect or neutral effect, base area and multiple hits on the rules for designing attacks. If a beneficial effect, use the target rules for blocks.
Stunts and Powers as Passive Arts

Subject to GM approval, individual Effects of a Power (Usually not the entirety of the power) or some stunts may qualify as passive Arts. Negotiate these effects carefully with your GM, and be aware that events and powers that prevent you from using the Demonic Arts (Human Form, for example) also deny you access to these powers.

Using the Arts

  1. Select the Art you want to use and the appropriate target(s).
  2. Determine the cost by comparing the Power total of the Art against your Conviction for Magical Arts or Endurance for Physical Arts, to a minumum of one point of stress.
  3. Roll with Discipline for Magical Arts or Might for Physical Arts to activate the Art, if necessary.
  4. If successful, note the effects of the Art's Power and apply any threshold normally.

Example Arts

Curative Magic

Dia
Description You recover the spirits of an ally, aiding them in the fight.
Type Healing
Action Maneuver
Power 3 - Maneuver: 3 shifts
Effects The Dia spell removes 1 points of physical stress from a target, starting from the rightmost boxes.
Recarm
Description You bring an ally from the brink, with a surge of energy to stand anew.
Type Healing
Action Maneuver
Power 6 - Maneuver: 3 shifts, Maneuver: 3 shifts
Effects Recarm functions by first turning someone "Taken out" from the scene to awaken or recover, then removes two points of the appropriate stress from the rightmost boxes. This does not cure death. Death is a pretty serious condition, all things considered.

Curse Magic

Rakunda
Description You dull the defenses of an enemy with a curse.
Type Curse Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates an DEFENSE DOWN aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.
Sukunda
Description You sap the agility of an enemy with a curse.
Type Curse Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates an AGILITY DOWN aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.
Tarunda
Description You weaken the attacks of an enemy with a curse.
Type Curse Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates an ATTACK DOWN aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.
Marin Karin
Description You charm the subject, turning them against their own.
Type Curse Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 4 - Side Effect, CHARMED aspect (may be tagged once, then compelled w/ Fate points to make the subject attack a random ally instead of you), 2 shifts (occurs with a threshold of one), with Persistence 2, 4 exchanges)
Effects This spell, if successful, creates a CHARMED aspect, with a free tag. When compelled, this aspect makes the subject spend the exchange attacking a random ally instead of their intended target.

Destruction Magic

Agi
Description You launch a bolt or blast of flame at the enemy.
Type Fire Magic
Action Attack
Power 3 - / /Strength: 3 shifts//
Opposed By Athletics, magical blocks, or some other reasonable skill.
Similar Arts Garu (wind), Tera (earth)
Bufu
Description You launch a shard or conjure a block of freezing ice.
Type Ice Magic
Action Attack
Power 4 - / /Strength: 3 shifts, Side Effect - 1 shift (FROZEN)//
Opposed By Athletics, magical blocks, or some other reasonable skill.
Similar Arts Zio (electric - SHOCKED)
Hama
Description You abjure an enemy with divine energy.
Type Expel Magic
Action Attack (Special)
Power 5 - //Strength: 2 shifts (special)
Effect This attack, if successful, bypasses stress and immediately takes out the target, with a catch. If the attack cannot take out the target, it inflicts the smallest available social consequence. (FEARFUL, TERRIFIED, AWESTRUCK, etc.)
Opposed By Discipline
Similar Arts Mudo (Darkness)

Physical Arts

Counter
Description You punish an enemy for daring to try to harm you.
Type Physical Reaction (Same as a normal attack)
Action Attack
Power 4 - / /Spin Reaction - 1 shift for Strength, Side-Effect: 3 shifts to create COUNTER-ATTACK aspect, which must be tagged immediately.//
Effect This effect, triggered when a defense gains spin (a threshold of 3 shifts or more), allows the defender to immediately lash out with a vicious counterstrike. Requires a Great(+4) Endurance to learn.
Double Fang
Description This attack strikes a single target twice, but still counts as one attack for the purposes of tags or other effects.
Type Physical Pierce
Action Attack
Power 4 - / /Multiple Hits - 2 shifts per attack on a single target.//
Opposed by Athletics, physical blocks, or some other reasonable skill.
Heat Wave
Description This attack devastates all targets in a zone, launching a double strike on them.
Type Physical Strike
Action Attack
Power 8 - / /Area: 2 shifts to target all enemies in a zone, Multiple Hits: 3 shifts of Strength applied twice.//
Opposed by Athletics, physical blocks, or some other reasonable skill.
Bash
Description The most basic of assaults, this Strike attack crushes a single enemy.
Type Physical Strike
Action Attack
Power 4 - / /Strength: 4 shifts//
Opposed by Athletics, physical blocks, or some other reasonable skill.
Similar Arts Cleave (Slash), Single Shot (Pierce)

Support Magic

Rakukaja
Description You armor an ally with a protective blessing.
Type Support Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates a DEFENSE UP aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.
Sukukaja
Description You bless an ally with the nimbleness of the wind.
Type Support Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates an AGILITY UP aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.
Tarukaja
Description You bless an ally with additional force to their attacks.
Type Support Magic
Action Maneuver
Power 5 - / /Maneuver: 3 shifts, Persistence: 2 more exchanges//
Effects This spell creates an ATTACK UP aspect for the next three exchanges with three free tags.

Demon Creation

Devil Summoners have the closest relationship with demons, and will have the most need as players to design balanced demons on the fly. As such, consult the following rules.

Refresh

A Devil Summoner may never contract with a demon of equal or greater Refresh value. This doesn't mean they can't do business, but the partnership will be just that - business. Fusion increases the refresh of the demons involved to the highest Refresh value +1, so be careful not to advance a demon past your ability to contain it. The demon may or may not bother to warn you.

Skills and Powers

Demons require a minimum refresh value of 4 (the minimum refresh value of a PC Devil Summoner is 5, in any case - their powers +1) as they MUST purchase Demonic Arts. After that, they have a varying number of Skills. Up to refresh 10, they gain (Refresh Value - 2) x 5 skills, and gain three skill points per Refresh point after that. Discipline, Endurance, Might, and Resolve are their most important skills. Any remaining Refresh may be spent on any valid power, subject to GM discretion. While a demon may take the Refinement power, they do not gain additional power slots by doing so.

Fusion

When fusing two demons at a Cathedral of Shadows, the new demon will have a refresh value equal to the highest demon's rating +1. Roll four dice - each one representing a skill for the first demon. Each die that comes up positive represents a power you can opt to carry forward. Do the same with the second demon as well. At any point, you may spend a Fate point during fusion to re-roll either result.

Who said Fusion would be perfect?

Long-Term Projects

To be updated soon. In the meantime, take inspiration from the thaumaturgy rules found in the Dresden Files RPG: Book 1 - Your Story.

Esotech

Arcane technology, also referred to as esotech, allows for mortals to compete on an even field with demons, granting a limited ability to "copy" their arts with technology. These tools have their own limited stores of power, but are easily modified with a night's work. Machine guns marked with Sumerian sigils along the barrel interior, katanas etched with the human genome in micro-scarring along the edge, explosives subjected to the recording wailing of 300 demonic victims - each of these are valid sources of esotech, and only a few examples of the infusion of passion, symbolism, and the arcane into steel and science.

Arcane Tech

Enhancive gear is designed to directly even the odds - emulating the demonic Arts or other Powers in limited ways. An Arcane item is designed based on the Craftsmanship and Lore of the designer. While these items do not drain stress from their users, the designed Art-emulation has a single set effect that can apply no more shifts of power than the designer's Lore and Craftsmanship skills combined. The object itself suffers stress based on the effect's Power, mitigated by the designer's Lore skill . It has its own Stress track based on the designer's Craftsmanship skill, and has its own Mild, Moderate, and Severe consequences to expend.

  • Each use of the item drains a minimum of one stress, and the stress is sequential - all previous boxes fill when a certain point of stress is hit. The character suffer their own consequences to keep the object working, within reason.
  • Targeting these effects, when contested, often rely on other skills: Guns, Weapons, or Craftsmanship are common.
  • These items may be used by others for no more than one scene per major story. Each additional scene of use requires a fate point from the designer.

Designing Arcane Tech

Quality Determine the following based on the crafter's relevant skills.
Maximum Power Equal to Craftsmanship + Lore.
Stress Based on Craftsmanship, as with other stress tracks (See Endurance, etc.)
Action Determine if the desired effect is an attack, block, maneuver, or passive effect.
Power The number of shifts dedicated to the device at the time the Art is created, based on the following factors…
Cost Non-passive effects have a stress cost. This is based on the shifts of power applied to the effect, at a minimum of one point of stress.
Theme Once you've determined what you're trying to do, reconcile the effect with a scientifically sonud delivery method - shell, canister, injection, grenade…the possibilities are vast.
Requirements Work with your GM to determine any necessary Skills to be able to craft the necessary equipment.

Example Arcane Tech

N-Jector

The N-Jector is the common nickname for a medical nano-injection instrument. Coded to common basic bio-data for team members, and a few thousand base templates, the nano-culture works to "restore to defaults" the physical condition of a subject. The short version: Very rapid field healing. In the long term, minor physiological changes have been noted. Surprisingly thick or bioluminescent scars, changes in hair or eye color, minor psychological changes…the list is endless, but usually nothing significant enough to counter the benefits.

Requirements Good (+3) Craftsmanship, Fair (+2) Scholarship - for the required medical knowledge
Power Limit 9
Default Power 3, multiples thereof. Most N-Jectors can only clear Moderate consequences (6 shifts)
Notes The N-Jector requires three shifts of power per degree of physical consequence (3 for mild, 6 for moderate, etc.) to clear it.
Personal Blank

This stealth tool masks perception to both demonic and human senses.

Requirements Good (+3) Craftsmanship, Good (+3) Lore
Power Limit 8
Default Power At least 3. (3 shifts per category of being the block applies to. Group Blanks must dedicate two shifts to affect teammates.
Opposed By Alertness
Notes The Blank creates a block against perception. When designed, the block must be set to either hide from demonic, human, or both perceptions. To sense those under the Blank's effect, an affected being outside of the Blank must exceed the Blank's power.
Spec Rifle

Easy to build but difficult to maintain, the Specialist Rifle comes in a dozen flavors, varieties, and forms, but is one of the most recognizable symbols of a Specialist on the battlefield. Usually a modified assault or sniper rifle, the device itself has mounted or underslung…attachments with their own deadly payloads. The example rifle below is a common item used by Purifier Hammer or Apothecary agents in the field.

Requirements Fair (+2) Craftsmanship, Good (+3) Lore
Power Limit Varies, highly customizable
Default Power 3 shifts of power (Fire) or 5 shifts to hit a zone
Target Skill Guns
Opposed By Athletics
Notes Spec rifles must determine a type of attack when designed (Fire, Ice, or odder ones using Strike or even Slash physical attacks), and shoddy or experimental models tend to burn out FAST. However, spec rifles are usually designed to remain as functional guns even without the Arcane ammunition. Rather than a mild consequence, the normal function of the gun can be jammed until repair.

Enchanted Tech

Less unreliable, but less directly powerful than Arcane Tech, this form of enchantment simply makes mundane gear work a little better. Integrating parts and fluids harvested from demons are a common source of tech enchantment, as well as working in platonic ideals, demonic blessings, or other minor mystical foci.

Each Enchanted Item slot can either be a one-use store of an Art, limited in Power by the designer's Craftsmanship or Lore, but without any particular risk or stress costs…or instead of a single use item, you may halve the available Power for an item usable at any time. These items can create attacks, blocks, or maneuvers subject to GM approval. These items only work for the designer, unless a shift of Power is dedicated to mass utility.

Alternately, these items may also be designed to modify existing equipment to make them more effective. Halve the shifts dedicated to the object, applying that bonus to the object's use. If halved again, you may increase the Weapon or Armor rating of relevant objects.

Example Enchanted Tech

Rosa Candida Outfitters

The height of style and security, Rosa Candida clothing is as durable and bulletproof as modern armor, without sacrificing that certain chic quality that brings even civilian customers running for the new wave in haute couture.

Default Power 4 shifts to create Armor:1 Physical
Notes These clothes are functional, stylish, and well-suited to resist small-arms fire and hand blades.
Spell Stones

A one-shot spell loaded into a smooth, etched stone the size of a palm. They often glow with relevant colors, convenient if unnerving.

Default Power Equal to the spell stored. Most commonly, an attack spell like Agi or Bufu. (See above.)
Notes The stones are thrown with Athletics or Lore, and resisted through the normal methods for that spell. Access to someone (or something) able to cast the spell is required to create a stone…at least their components.
Snuff Soul

Technically illegal, but growing in popularity among certain circles, the exact recipe of this tobacco-based nasal inhalant can vary wildly, but some form of unnatural or occult "spice" is mixed in to create a result - increased mental awareness and reduced fatigue.

Default Power Three shifts per two mental stress points relieved.
Notes A poorly made batch of Snuff Soul may provide addictive or have alternative results. This item recovers mental stress boxes, starting with the rightmost.