[RPG] How to create pre-generated characters for a science fiction Fate Accelerated RPG one-shot

character-creationfate-acceleratedgm-preparationone-shotscience-fiction

I am running a one shot under the Fate Accelerated RPG system with a science fiction theme this weekend in lieu of our normal game. The characters will wake up on a ship that is derelict and on a collision course for the sun. They need to first save the ship and if there is time then figure out what happened.

I don't want to get bogged down in character generation in this game — they're very meticulous about going over what each skill does and each attribute and things like that, and character generation for The One Ring RPG took four hours for three people.

To help us get into the game sooner, I need to create four pre-generated science fiction based characters in the Fate Accelerated RPG system and need some help with either how to go about doing that or where to find some online.

Best Answer

The most useful way to create a Fate Accelerated pregen character is: just barely, and then jump into the game immediately and let people fill in the blanks when they need to.

Aeon Wave (which is pay what you want, including free) does this to great success, and is a sci-fi game based on six premade characters. It's for Fate Core, but you may want to adapt its characters and material to your Accelerated game anyway, especially for the aspect suggestions on the character sheets. Or you might want to just run it outright. Our group has also used this pregen method for Doctor Who one-shots — the character sheets are here if you'd like to see.

For a game of Fate Accelerated, I'd recommend the following:

  • Create one or two more characters than players, so that people have more options available. They'll be more likely to find just the right thing for them, and it'll help avoid disputes over characters or one person feeling shafted with the last pick.
  • Give each character a High Concept, a Trouble, and one other aspect. Make them good. This will be about enough to flesh out the character concept well. (The other 2 aspects are left blank.)
  • Assign one +3, +2, and +1 approach. (The remaining +2, +1, and +0 are left blank.)
  • Give them one stunt. (Leave the rest blank. Make sure the FAE stunt templates are available at the table for reference.)

Everything blank gets filled in only when the player finally needs it. When it comes time to perform a Forceful action, and they haven't yet filled in what Forceful is, they can choose it right then and there for their +2/+1/+0 and roll. They can fill in an aspect the moment they want to use it, even if they're in the middle of an action and looking for something new to invoke.

I know your group is meticulous, but having a pregen character won't stop them trying to learn, so that meticulousness is just going to be learning overhead. That's OK, and we might as well accept that. This approach will help things go fairly fast into the game though.

There's strong reasons for the blanks:

  • it's so your players can be more expressive about who that character is for them. This is powerful and important in Fate.
  • it's easier to choose a character who suits you, because you still have plenty of choice remaining about how the character will be. If there's a Detective there, I can still flavour half of his character how I want, so I don't have to agonise over him vs someone else.
  • it means only important stuff gets filled out, and everything filled out is important. Five prefilled aspects are a waste if only one or two turn out to be useful to the game. If you leave two or three blank, it means people get to fill in whatever is relevant, when it's relevant, including making something up on the spot.

For the last point alone, I suggest people don't endeavour to fill in all the blanks right at the beginning of the game. Encourage your players to leave them blank until they actually need an extra stunt or an approach they haven't filled in yet.

If someone wants to take a pregen character but adjust one of the aspects or skills you've already written down, say yes. If they're asking for that, the character's almost but not quite right for them, and letting them change something will make them happier than if they couldn't.

Related Topic