How would you explain the need to use Fate Points to tag an Aspect, for newcomers to the system? Some players are asking me "If I have the Aspect 'As strong as Hercules', don't I automatically get a bonus when trying to break stuff? Why do I need to spend a Fate Point?"
Some far the reasons I have are:
- It represents the effort you have invested in having that Aspect. It's the 'karma' cost of having the Aspect.
- It represents luck. You spend the Fate Point to prevent other environmental factors from nullifying your advantages
- Aspects only come in when you need a bonus to your dice roll; so it's a heroic action which costs -something-
- It represents the flow of karma. You have to pay something to be stronger than most people.
- It's a mechanical shorthand for all the modifiers found in other games. Since everyone needs to pay Fate points for Aspects, it all balances out in the end.
Any other good explanations?
Best Answer
Fate points represent your ability as a player to manipulate the fate of the story. Aspects on your character(or elsewhere) just provide the pretext.
In FATE games, you do not simulate a world. You simulate a story and your skills represent what kinds of stories your character usually gets involved in. With fate points, you as the player get the power to alter those stories, in accordance with your character's aspects.
Think of fate points as storytelling currency. You pay to tell the story. The players have a finite supply and the GM has an infinite supply, but everyone must pay to alter the story.