He actually just got his first point this last session, if my notes are right. A number of players will be updating their beliefs at the start of the next session, so that may shift things around a bit.
I’m not sure they are feeling the incentive of shade-shifting yet; we’re only ten or so sessions in so that may seem a bit far-off to them.
One of the reasons why I don’t want to mess with thing is that there is drama going on, and I don’t want to upset that balance. At the same time, I don’t want them to feel that everything is too easy. We had a half-session last time, and the only thing I ended up awarding anyone was that persona point, which is not my usual practice.
10 sessions? He could be half way to an epiphany. Fate points require diligent investment over a long term. Can’t dump them into an ability when you feel like it (as you can with Persona or Deeds).
Aristea is the best way to “dump” Fate into an ability. Aristea something 3 times, and then figure out a way to spend 5 Fate and 1 Persona in that ability.
I always thought shade shifting as an “accidental” thing. Something that goes progressively through the adventure and you discover after spending the las artha. But we haven’t had one yet, so I’m just guessing.
One Persona in ten sessions? Don’t worry about too much Fate. Worry about too little Persona!
I wasn’t trying to say that Fate is useless. I’m saying that my table perceives those Fate points as useless and rarely bothers with them. Sure, a 1/72 chance could work… but players instead hoard Fate for those times when the reroll gives them better odds, which is usually less often than they get Fate. Hasn’t caused problems yet, and usually once they’ve got Fate in the teens they dump a bunch on rolls and the cycle keeps going. It’s a psychological block, not a real block, and it still doesn’t hurt anything.
If I kept their Persona from them, though, they’d be howling in rage. Persona makes the successes come 'round.
I’ve had players voluntarily take massive wounds rather than spend a Deeds point on something that wasn’t an Aristea. I think that’s the way to do it, because they’re making a conscious decision to not save their ass now in order to become stronger later.
But yeah, consciously saving up for 3 Aristeas is damn hard. Two seems to be the limit of what is usually readily budgetable.
On “high Ob.-tests”. I’ve found the game is a lot different if you speak/act, then collect dice. Also, strict interpretation for skills.
Not having FoRKs at the beck and call really calls for more use of Artha.
[i]Player: “Please daddy, let me have the long-ship this summer.”
That’s a B4 persuade, and FoRKs from falsehood, ugly truth and intimidation.
GM: Sorry, no FoRKs, other than maybe Soothing Platitudes. Come to think of it the Chieftain isn’t to found of whiners, so that’s a +1Ob.
Player: “What!!??!?”
GM: “Hmm, right, maybe more - he’s though and alll…”
Player: “Never mind, I’ll add three Personas - come on lucky 6s!”[/i]
I’ll usually keep the scene evolving somewhat organically until it’s in its final form. So once they say something, they’re not locked into just saying that - they can add more if it’s reasonable.
However, I don’t usually let them go back if they’re in character. Once they’ve said it, it’s out there.
This is the way I’ve been running it. From time to time, I’ve also given a player an optional skill test – something that is my idea, and they can weasel out of it if they want to. I generally do this only if I have a cool idea for a new complication of failure, and I have a sweet reward to entice them to risk it. I might even sweeten the reward if the possible complication is truly nasty.
If you’re worried about Fate bloat, I might suggest you set up a few scenes with elves or dwarves interacting with the party. Have them use their elven skill songs or dwarven arts to great effect and often. Point out to the player with lots of Fate that he pretty much has free license to get this capability with any test.
And then pull a fast one and swap his dice out with loaded ones the next session. Uber-Fate Guy wins, but so does the GM.
