System
The Dresden Files RPG will be powered by an updated version of the award-winning Fate system from Evil Hat Productions.
For some good ideas of what you might find, check out Evil Hat‘s first Fate 3.0 game, Spirit of the Century.
Also worth taking a look at is a game from another publisher, based on a modified version of the Spirit of the Century core rules, set in the “rock-and-roll space opera” worlds of the Starblazer comic, called Starblazer Adventures. It’s not quite the same direction we plan to take Fate 3.0 in the Dresden Files RPG, but that doesn’t make it any less fun!
We’ll occasionally be posting glimpses into the system design process on this website, in our blog. You can find our system posts here.
I cannot WAIT to get hold of a tabletop Dresden! I am wondering, however, if there is anyone out there creating a 3-d online universe version of TDF. I am just starting to make one but would love to work with someone.
@Talonn Atlanti Dear gods no! Any more than eight people playing a 3D game set in the TDF universe would instantly discard any semblance of noir awesomeness and devolve into powergaming asshattery.
@The Mighty Buzzard
This is true. I would never recommend an MMORPG for Dresdenverse, as it would A) fail horribly due to its obscurity and B) ruin the universe for many earnest fans who don’t want idiots clogging their game time.
Well, what about an online version of the table top game? It could be for those who don’t have friends who’re interested in the table top game, so couldn’t play it physically at home. I would be one of them, none of my friends are the type to play RPGs the old fashion way.
Hey all, in fact to answer your question about an online version, I am interested in taking this on withing an environment called second life. We are well established there as Black Operations in game. My in game name is Grey Blankes, I’ve been a fan of TDF for years, now I’m wondering where it can go next, we are already working on a hud system to best simulate the aspects of racial abilities and skills as well as track your own presence within the “crowd”. We’re all very professional having come from various game companies that laid off, or no longer exist…anyways…if anyone has an account and wants to talk about it, let me know in world.
@Mana
That is exactly why sites like Rondak’s Portal exist.
Will there be any details of the capabilities of Vampire wyzards as antagonists? Personally I am waiting for the book wherein Harry finally decides to deal with Mavra; this possibility of magical duels between a living and undead Wyzard seem like a great plot device.
At the least, Mavra will be statted up.
sounds cool. I just hope that isn’t all.
I can just imagine throwing a couple of starting wyzards against Mavra to toy with them, though.
@Grey
Shilo CLawtooth in world on SL. Let’s talk about a RP Dresden.
I have taken a look at Spirit of the Century and it uses the +\- 4d6.
But I just saw a review of Starblazer Adventures and it uses a 2 dice System.
So I was wondering what will TDF-rpg use? I didn’t find anything on the site.
@Cydthemagi, you’ll be able to use either method, that’s why.
If you like Fudge Dice, go 4dF. If you like things a bit wilder, go d6-d6.
I for one have played the following games:
D&D
Vampire: The Masquerade
Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Hero System (i.e., Champions, Fantasy Hero, etc.)
. . .and more
Q1: What makes this system stand out from, lets say, creating a Hero System campaign with people creating Dresden Files type characters, (e.g., maybe another PI who is 1/2 White Court vampire, or a normal human in the SI who has gone nameless in the books?).
Q2: What is the difference between Vol. I and Vol. II books?
Q3: Why are people against a virtual version of the game? I mean, I love table top, don’t get me wrong, as I was a GM for 10+ years, but I too have little in the way of friends who play RPG’s in the area (actually only have one type friend and he is “to busy” to game anymore). Having a virtual version of the game in addition to the table top version would help many folks out that WANT to play the game but have NO ONE to play with. Sure, I could go on meetup.com and see if anyone else was interested, but in the mean time. . .what then? And if no one responds? Ack. .. .you see my point. BTW, for the record, I was disappointed with Champions Online.
I dunno, it seems like a lot of people are saying negative things to other people’s posts without any real explanations to back them up. Sure, you could have a powermonger type gamer in a virtual setting, just like you could have some guy make their character by the book in the tabletop version and STILL be super bad ass and just kill everything you try and throw at it (trust me, I’ve seen it, ever try and run a RIFTS game with one guy always having to play the Robotech guy? Or how about the Champions character with a crazy powerpool that only a mathematician could figure out and who ALWAYS had the right gadget to do just the task at hand) and then you have the rules-lawyer GM’s who just HAVE to stick the book and allow for no “perhaps” scenarios. Arg. . .grrr. . .grumble.
Sorry, rambling, but you get the point. . .open minds in gaming. . .good things happen with those folks.
ok i have read over the spirit of the century and i get the just of how the game works i was just wandering how will the stress tracks work in the DFRPG how much stress can a person withstand, what deturmands that stress numbers. things like that plus i was interested to know how you lvl in the RPG
Where can I learn about the gaming system? I’m planning on pre-ordering the game, but I can’t figure out how it’ll play. I saw the character sheets and they confused the bleep out of me. Is there something out there that can explain the system? I don’t mind being the dumb one if it, or a link, is on this site. Just point me in the right direction? Please?
Another note: I’m excited as (another bleep) for the rpg. The books are awesome EH seems fan friendly, which is awesome. 2 Awesomes= Awesomestness (it’s a word, the dictionary is wrong)
@Robert, drop on by the Jim Butcher Online forums, where we host our message board about the game. You’ll get plenty of people able and willing to answer your questions about the game!
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/board,5.0.html
@Micah the Old GM of Many Moons
Q1) Answer – Nothing… and everything! In the end, the gaming system is really unimportant. I’ve run a Dresden Game using modified Mage (WoD) Rules. It worked but it wasnt perfect. I will say this. I’ve written for several published RPG’s and had a great deal of input in the development of several major gamelines and I can safely say… that the system used in Dresden if by FAR one of the most elegant systems I’ve ever seen. Hats to its creators.
Q2) Answer – without revealing too much about the books, consider V1 to be the Core Rule Book (Character creation, powers, rules and so on). VII is the Setting stuff. While you CAN play with only VI… I recommend VII which is MUCH more detailed and has great character ideas (It truly is a MUST for a GM).
Q3/4) Response – I cant really say. However, frankly, I highly doubt that ANYONE would been able to properly capture the feel of Dresden in an MMO. Look at every MMO that’s came out “Based” on a well developed setting. They have failed miserably, in both sales and execution. While I would likely play a Dresden MMO, I doubt it would be a viable game for anything more than 2-3months. It remains to be seen if a full scale Urban Supernatural game will work. (Remember, CCP/White Wolf have already announced/begun development of WoD Online so we’ll see how they do.) As WW is pretty much considered to have almost an exclusive grip of Urban Gothic/Supernatural Setting, it’s likely that no one will choose to invest MILLIONS of dollars in the development of a Dresden MMO, which will DIRECTLY compete with a WoD MMO.
I’m a gamer who plays almost expressly for the story. I have to say, my 2 main problems with rping in most of the other established systems are poeple who do not play to their characters as well as the rigic structure of advancment doesnt allow for characters to really evolve in a dramatic or story effecting way. FATE FIXES EVERYTHING! I am honestly stunned at how intuitive and narrative based the entire system is. Good hat is coming off to you guys!
Having read the RPG books (and loving them), I do have a specific system question. why in the world would you cast. shield spell as a block instead of armor? If I’m reading it correctly, if you treat it as a block, the attack has to get past the higher of the two rolls (block and defense) while if it’s treated as armor, the attack has to get past their sum.
Am I missing something? Is this not the right place to ask?
@Jon Hatch, the Armor value of a shield is half the value of the block, for starters.
So let’s suppose you have a wizard who can create a 4-shift shield spell pretty easily. This is either a Great (+4) block or Armor:2.
A thug comes along with an assault rifle (Weapon:3) and unloads on the spellcaster, getting a Good (+3) attack roll. The caster rolls only a Fair (+2) on his Athletics to dodge; without factoring in the shield spell, he’s getting hit.
If he has a Great (+4) block spell up, though, the Good (+3) attack roll can’t get through it at (+3 is less than +4) all; the hit turns into a miss.
If he has an Armor:2 shield up instead, the attack hits — the Good (+3) attack is better than the Fair (+2) dodge, so the attack is going to do 1 stress for the difference between attack and defense, +3 for the Weapon:3 value, -2 for the shield’s Armor:2. He takes a 2 stress hit.
Okay Fred i have a quick question.
In “Your Story” Pg. 170 Spirit Form is [-3],
but in “Our World” pg. 157 (Agatha Hagglethorn) and pg. 163 (Kravos’ Ghost) They both have Spirit Form but it’s at [-5].
So my question if you haven’t guessed is with of these is correct?
As always thanks for taking time out of your day to answer. PS Happy Thanksgiving
@Wayne, what Agatha and Kravos have is Spirit Form (Poltergeist). If you go back and read Spirit Form, you’ll see there’s a -2 additional refresh upgrade called Poltergeist that adds in new capabilities. Both of them have this upgrade, for a total of -3 + -2 = -5
Ahhh I see thanks.
How does Biomancy work in regards to healing? Is biomancy also how to do transformation magic?
@Wayne, biomancy is a tricky, poorly documented part of magic in the source material. But, yes, it’d incorporate transformation magic, and its healing elements likely manifest as accelerated medical care, only occasionally branching into true “regeneration” type stuff at the extremes.
Can someone explain what it means when stress brackets are in parenthesis? IE a red court vampires physical stress bar is OOOO(OO)
@Basil, those are the stress boxes that are available through the Toughness powers of the creature, and which can be bypassed by The Catch.
Quick question, The Stunt, “Step into the blow” if you use this, does the person your counterattacking get a chance to dodge?
@Wayne, the counter attack is exactly that: an attack. The rules for attacking always include the option to defend.
@Micah
Q1: Actually, system is really important when details crop up. Example- I was running a wasteland, post apocalyptic scenario in D&D 3.5. The bad guys ditched the good guys in the middle of nowhere. They had, after dealing with some bandits, enough food for five people, (Five man party) for five days. Then they found five NPCs. Dramatic tension? No, the cleric used Create Food.
Almost every setting has it’s quirks- D&D assumes resupplies are everywhere so the ranger can get more arrows and the fighter can get a new sword. WoD tends to have some odd assumptions about what you can buy, healing times, the similarity of weapon types, and on the availability of ammo. Every system has a few situations where the rules are just plain made for a different setting. To see how this works, pick one system, create a quest line for it, then try running that quest with another system. Unless you have a pretty generic quest or if you like houseruling, (which hey, who doesn’t?) you hit problems soon.
Q2: You’ve played D&D? Vol I Your Story is like the players handbook and the DM’s handbook. Vol II Our World is like the monster manual, with bits of White Wolf’s precreated world style thrown in. (Though you are playing a game biased on a book.)
Q3: Getting horror and suspense down with a small party is hard. Large party, harder. I’ve only seriously frightened a +5 crowd once, and I had to use hidden speakers and flash paper to pull it off. That kind of effect is impossible if your chat interface is filled with “LFG” and “DPS!!!”
By the way Fred, awesome game. Kudos.
Fred, Quick question, I’ve got a wizard that wants to put his Enchanted slots into Armor on a Flack Jacket, can he do that?
@Wayne, sure, but why? I’m not certain those effects would “stack” in a meaningful way, and a flak jacket is obvious as what it is. (Part of what’s awesome about Harry’s duster is that it’s NOT.)
@Talonn Atlanti
As cool as it would be to play a MMORPG in the Dresdenverse, I have to agree that it would ruin the feel of a player protagonist in your own little story. I think it would better if someone made a console game starring Dresden himself, but make it an RPG similar to Elder Scrolls Oblivion/Skyrim, Fallout 3/New Vegas, or maybe Fable 3
that way you will still have to play as Harry but you can create your own unique version of him.