Dresden Files RPG Fate Core - Stunts vs Powers and Updated Mantles?

[Razgrizi]

Good afternoon everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day.

Recently, I picked up Dresden Files Accelerated and introduced it to my players. While my players enjoyed it, they said they preferred the more number crunching system that Dresden offered but like the combat aspects of Accelerated. So, I was doing some researching and, low and behold, what they want is Fate Core. It essentially is the best of both worlds from Dresden and Accelerated. 

Translation for most of it seems extremely simple, but I am having a hold up on one part and that is the powers component in DFRPG vs Core and Accelerated.

In DFRPG, most powers have a refresh minimum that can easily go up in refresh cost, such as -2, -3, etc. In CORE and in Accelerated, they treat all these as just stunts and only cost 1 refresh. How would you translate it correctly? Would you still keep the refresh or would you give it to them at one? The other reason I ask is in DFA stunts are simplified a lot more versus their powers in DFRPG, such as Werecreatures Transformations are now assumed you get the powers of your creature without having to take the stunt, versus RPG where if you, say had a bird, you would still have to take wings and it cost you one refresh. How would you handle all that? I just want to make sure that, when my players level up, they get stuff fairly and dont just pick the most expensive thing, like for my ghost emissary, physical immunity for one stunt/condition versus -8 refresh.

In addition, in DFA, we have gotten some updates to mantles, specifically how things like Winter/Summer work. In it, its considered a 'core stunt' that the mantles would have access to things like Seelie/Unseelie Magic, which in the game is just automatically given (or one refresh) while in RPG its considered -4 refresh to just have that. How would you handle those minimum changes as well?

Thank you all I appreciate it and look forward to yalls answers!

[Sanctaphrax]

Chapter 11 of Fate Core is all about Extras, which can be multi-Refresh super-stunts like DFRPG Powers.

I think it's a mistake to count core stunts as free. They cost you your mantle choice, which is the single most powerful resource you have when making a character. DFRPG Powers are probably decent guides for what those abilities should cost characters who aren't getting them as part of a package deal. Actually, I think you might have some luck with a straight port of DFRPG Powers into Fate Core.

[Bernd]

It’s actually easier to just port the combat aspects of Fate Core to DFRPG than the whole Powers-System to Core. Take a look at the Veteran’s Guide in Fate Core and update DFRPG like that. I actually wrote the changes needed down, in DFRPG’s vocabulary:

# The Dresden Files RPG — Fate Core Update

## Aspects and Tagging

• Tagging now stacks with an invocation or together with other tags on the same aspect. Further, an aspect can hold more than one tag at a time. It’s still not possible to use more than one fate point per aspect.
• When using a maneuver, assessment or declaration to create/reveal an aspect and the result is a significant success (3+ shifts), you create two tags on that aspect (instead of just one).
• A maneuver can now be used to create a tag on a sticky aspect. A significant success creates two tags on that aspect.

## Actions

• The optional Spin rule (p. 214) should be used.

## The GM and Fate Points

• As GM you start each scene with a pool of one fate point per PC that’s in the scene. Spend fate points from this pool to invoke aspects (and consequences) against the PCs. When it’s empty, you can only use tags to invoke aspects against them.
• When a player uses a fate point to invoke one of the NPC’s aspect, this fate point does not go into the GM’s pool.
• When a player compels one of an NPC’s aspects, add the fate point to your pool. If that compel ends the scene, or when an NPC concedes, instead add those fate points to your pool at the start of the next scene.
• Fate points you award for compels do not come from this pool. You never have to worry about running out of fate points to award for compels.

[Sanctaphrax]

Also, Fate Core doesn't have blocks. At least not in the DFRPG sense. This has pretty important implications for combat, especially where grapplers and enchanted item specialists are concerned.

[dragoonbuster]

Yeah, you really need to port in Core's different action rules if you're going to say you're "porting Fate Core" into Dresden, IMO. Which isn't too much work, but definitely needs attention. What Santca said regarding enchanted items and grappling, plus I would add evocation in general.

[blackstaff67]

I especially like the rules for group attacks as well as resolving skills supplementing other skills.