Most of the feedback I had for my preview of Mass Effect Accelerated was very positive, but one critique that came up was that it seemed too complex for a game of Fate Accelerated. While I like the level of complexity and granularity I am achieving (as I think it models the video games well with Fate), it definitely isn’t for every Fate GM or player. This inspired me to take a pass at Mass Effect as modeled after the excellent It’s Not My Fault.
Under this scheme, your players would select one Race “card” and once Class “card”. Each Race and Class is an Aspect, three Approaches at +1, and a Stunt. In baseline It’s Not My Fault, players would select two cards and get a third, but for purposes of Mass Effect, simply allow players to choose a third aspect, allocate 3 more points of Approaches (with no approach going over Good +3), and select a third stunt. Give your players 2 or 3 Fate points each, plus a stress track, and you’re ready to go. It can’t get much simpler than that!
Here are eight race options and all six class options to get you started:
Races
Asari
Careful, Quick, Sneaky
Natural Biotic: Gain +2 to Forcefully Create an Advantage when biotically forming mass effect fields, like BARRIER or STASIS FIELD.
Drell
Clever, Quick, Sneaky
Total Recall: Once per session, you instantly recall a useful memory or fact as a create advantage with a free invoke.
Human
Clever, Flashy, Forceful
The Indomitable Human Spirit: Once per session, you may beat the odds by succeeding on a roll you just tied or failed.
Krogan
Flashy, Forceful, Quick
I Am Krogan!: When charging two or more foes, use your rage and overwhelming physique to make a Forceful attack at +1 per foe.
Quarian
Careful, Flashy, Sneaky
I Can Fix Anything: Gain +2 to Carefully Overcome when making repairs or jury-rigging some piece of technology or machinery.
Salarian
Clever, Quick, Sneaky
Quickest Thinking: Twice per session, you may use Clever instead of any other approach thanks to your rapid cognitive abilities.
Turian
Careful, Clever, Forceful
Universal Combat Training: When invoking aspects to aid in a Forceful attack, gain +3 per invoke instead of the usual +2.
Classes
Adept
Careful, Flashy, Forceful
Singularity: Once per session, you create advantage to form the SINGULARITY aspect with a free invoke in your zone or an adjacent one. Invoke the SINGULARITY to alter gravity, impede movement, enhance attacks, et cetera.
Engineer
Careful, Clever, Flashy
Deploy Drone: Twice per session, you may deploy a drone that lets you attempt a task you otherwise couldn’t or add +2 to one of your actions.
Infiltrator
Forceful, Quick, Sneaky
Tactical Cloak: Once per session, gain the INVISIBLE aspect with a free invoke. You remain invisible until you take an action other than movement.
Sentinel
Careful, Flashy, Forceful
Tech Armor: Twice per session, reduce the damage of a successful attack made against you by 2.
Soldier
Careful, Forceful, Quick
Overwhelming Firepower: Once per session, you may make a Forceful attack at full strength against all enemies in a zone.
Vanguard
Flashy, Forceful, Quick
Biotic Charge: Once per session, you may instantly charge an opponent you can see, inflicting the create advantage aspect STAGGERED with a free invoke.
Let me know what you think in the comments or take it for a spin and report back!
Reblogged this on Blog of the Technolich and commented:
This looks like a great way to kickstart interest in a full Mass Effect / Bulldogs campaign. Check it out!
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Thanks! If you use it for your own games,don’t forget to come back and comment on Roll for Your Fate to let me know how it went.
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[…] I ran a session of my first draft of Simply Accelerated Mass Effect: a scaled down version of my Mass Effect Accelerated project, heavily inspired by It’s Not […]
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