I'd agree if they're more roll-player than role-player then Fate based systems might not work out best for them, but as far as character concepts go, I'd say keep it simple at first. Start them as Pure Mortals and introduce a new concept of the game world with each adventure, just like the books do. Ex-cops, retired military, ex-cons, hackers who suspect something, they all would work for giving a solid foundation to understand how to play the game while simultaneously giving them a good footing without assigning homework. After they start to 'see' how the world works, then open up other options for them. Maybe that retired marine has Cherokee roots and rediscovers his heritage as a shamanistic shapeshifter, learning to be a theriomorph who, over time, can learn to master many different animals using totems. Maybe the ex-con has a history of violence because he has the blood of a Winter Fae in his veins and after a run in with Summer it comes to the surface... Lots of great ways to start off as a straight and 'discover' your hidden talents.

Then play the game. Do what all good story tellers do and SHOW them how to play using NPC's. Have a Social Battle with a contact or the police to 'wear' them out, give them a taste of that VERY different battle style. Then send them off after gangsters working for the restless shade of Al Capone and the Ectomancer that he communicates through. Have some mooks for them to plough through and slip an NPC in there that keeps throwing around declarations and assessments to give the mooks a leg up, you could even make said NPC be just another simple mook possessed my the spirit and use the ghost's powers to affect the terrain. OR BETTER YET, each time they target the possessed one, a different mook takes up the reins as the spirit moves to another body... Sorry... hit a creative streak...

 Rather than tell them how to use the system to their advantage, show them.

I would make the assumption that while magical fire can create natural fire (read magical = there then gone, natural = sticks around for the party), conjuring water and earth (or things related to such) would fall under being magical constructs that would fade once the power for it ran out. Basically, magically called water evaporates faster than regular water, probably like ectoplasm, so that would work as a good explanation as to why being hit with a torrent of magically conjured water wouldn't leave the target soaked. Now, that being said, redirecting the flow of water or using magic to tear up a fire hydrant or water line would have other implications.

I'm just wondering if there's a mechanical way to express defending yourself with your faith (such as against a BCV or Demonic Shade using a crucifix or seal of Solomon). Would it simply be used as a Block against the opponent using your Conviction as the Blocking skill? If so, (and this is probably a GM ruled thing) would it work against all creatures with a Holy catch listed? Moreover, would they get an attempt to break through it with something like Discipline or would their attacking skill take precedent?

Sorry, a bunch of questions that I don't know the answer to and couldn't seem to track down, but my kungfu might just need more work.

I've stated a TON of guys for NPC characters, decided I'd start sharing them here, so here's one of my personal favs for you to enjoy. They're all set to PL's of 10, and can easily slide up or down without much change to the chars. Have fun.

Cyrus Solomon Gold
High Aspect: Undead Mobster
Trouble: Bound to the Swamp

Stress:
Physical: OO(OOOO)
Mental:   OO
Social:    OOO

Skills:

• Superb (+5): Might, Fists
• Great (+4): Contacts, Deceit
• Good (+3): Discipline, Intimidation
• Fair (+2): Lore, Presence, Burglary
• Average (+1): Guns, Resources, Empathy, Alertness, Craftsmanship

Supernatural Powers:

• Human Guise [-0]
• Living Dead [-1]
• Ghost Speaker [-1]
• Supernatural Toughness [-4]
  
  • The Catch: Holy Articles [+3]
• Supernatural Strength [-4]
• Restoration of Self [-1]

Adjusted Refresh: 2

Appearance and Age: Cyrus appears to be a man in is late 30's in decent enough shape, when he appears human which is whenever he isn't in sunlight, the rest of the time he appears as a rotted, withered, degenerated corpse. He was born in the early 1800's, died in the 1830-40's, and was resurrected by the confluence of power in the Swamp in the 1940's. He regained sentience at some point after that, so he's been around for a while.

Cyrus Gold's Aspects

High Concept: Undead Mobster - A mobster who was killed in the 1830's or 40's that has been resurrected by the confluence of powers in the Swamp.
Invoke: TO make use of Undead abilities or mobster skills.
Compel: Any time being undead or a known criminal would complicate matters.

Trouble: Bound to the Swamp - That which keeps him among the living.
Invoke: When using a skill related to the Swamp either in or about.
Compel: As an Achille's Heel without exposure to the Swamp he begins to deteriorate at a normal pace once more.

Restoration of Self: Cyrus Solomon Gold is the result of a natural convergence of mystical energies within Slaughter Swamp. He is a fully sentient zombie, maintained by the natural energies found around the Swamp. Whenever Cyrus is injured by merely remaining within the swamp he can be restored, so long as the time spent there is equivalent to the time needed for a 'vanilla' to heal accordingly (or in some cases a wizard). Also, by being placed in the swamp after being 'killed' Cyrus will return to unlife after enough time has passed to do so.

Concept and Background:

Cyrus Solomon Gold was born in the early 1800's. He lived a life of crime, which eventually caught up with him when a rival mobster killed him and had his body buried in Slaughter Swamp where no one would ever find him. He arose in 1944, initially as a mindless zombie that wondered the swamp slaughtering any hapless traveler he happened across. Legends say that several times the militia would head out into the swamp to destroy the monster, but despite many success, the Slaughter Beast kept returning. The confluence of energies the locals unconsciously directed towards the swamp, energies of fear and dread, kept Cyrus returning, reviving him each time a storm rolled through in which lightning would touch down in the swamp. Eventually, to put an end to the stories of the walking dead perpetuated by locals, the Catholic Church sent a group of priests to bless the edge of Slaughter Swamp so that the Slaughter Beast couldn't leave it's borders.

It worked, Cyrus was trapped in the swamp, and as time went by he slowly came back to himself. Years later, when the blessing finally faded, Cyrus emerged from the swamp, and set to rebuilding that which he had lost. He has since worked himself to death, several times, to reclaim the power he lost with his death decades before. His power base is centered on the swamp, and as such has taken to calling himself the “Beast of Slaughter Swamp” in a bit of irony as he actually is the beast of legend. He's managed to maintain control of the area over the past century, no one guessing who he truly is, as each time he dies he chooses a new alias and begins controlling the mob anew, though his lieutenants know of his condition.

Why not use a Magna-Doodle? I mean, seriously, have you ever TRIED writing on an Etch-A-Sketch?

Besides that, the iron filings of a Magna-Doodle better lend themselves to geomancy than the aluminum powder of an Etch-A-Sketch.

I had considered magna-doodles as a variant version, having not really looked into the mechanics of either before I made the post, and yeah, that would make for a much better analogue, if only for the humor of me waving my hand and 'crafting' a perfectly written paragraph while my buddy with the other one writes like a child on it. Thanks for the fast replies too. It's greatly appreciated.