Flavored Fate Points

[devonapple]

I am pondering the value of assigning particular affinities or flavors to Fate point rewards. This would generally require the GM to have a variety of tokens to hand out, of course.

For example: a player earns a Fate point for self-compelling an Aspect that would infuriate him (let's say, having to let a criminal go on a technicality), and instead of getting a white poker chip, the GM provides an "anger-flavored" red poker chip. Later, that player gets into a conflict - perhaps even with the criminal from the earlier self-compel - and spends a Fate point to get a bonus to a roll that is in line with venting that anger/fury/etc.: could the system stand allowing that player a +3 for using an anger-flavored Fate point for an anger-flavored action? Would you propose a lesser benefit of some sort: possibly an automatic success one one or more of the dice used in the roll?

I would not propose making the flavored Fate point less useful for actions that are opposed to the flavor - just a benefit for redirecting that energy back out into the universe - a sort of Fate point Aikido.

[bibliophile20]

Interesting idea, but the bookkeeping and additional adjudication that it entails would be too much for me to run.  Plus, it's a little too easily broken--+3 is a LOT in the Fate system, and anything that makes my inner Munchkin lick its chops like this is something that I don't think I'd personally be comfortable with having at the table. 

[devonapple]

Interesting idea, but the bookkeeping and additional adjudication that it entails would be too much for me to run.  Plus, it's a little too easily broken--+3 is a LOT in the Fate system, and anything that makes my inner Munchkin lick its chops like this is something that I don't think I'd personally be comfortable with having at the table. 

+3 does sound like it could potentially be a game-breaker, but what do you think about guaranteeing success on one or more of the dice in a roll? Too close to a +3?

The paperwork could be onerous, but if you only have 3-6 flavors it might not be so bad: players could mark 1G 2R 1W for one Green FP, 2 Red FPs and 1 White FP, and the pressure of each situation would be memorable enough that the intent of those colored FPs would be fresh in their mind when they used them, which is usually fairly quickly.

[bibliophile20]

My PCs are Fate Point banks; they ask for a lot and then never give it back.    I think the record so far in this campaign has been 16 Fate Points banked at once, and then half of those 16 expended in a single round. 

The only way I'd allow it is with a tweak to your original idea: they can expend only One flavored Fate Point at a time.  That's a bit more balanced. 

[sinker]

Or only one flavor bonus applies? That way they aren't restricted when they're spending their fate points, but they only get the added benefit once.

[devonapple]

Or only one flavor bonus applies? That way they aren't restricted when they're spending their fate points, but they only get the added benefit once.

Both of your views seem to be in line. I'd agree that a flavored FP  (or FFP) could be used for something else, as just a regular FP, but only one appropriate FFP would give the bonus during a check.