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42 digest pages of core rules (including bits clarifying where it diverges from Fate Core), 15 pages of optional rules #FateCondensed
The condensed text is plenty readable, but the lack of whitespace means it can't break out important ideas into pull quotes and sidebars. Smaller margins mean that page references are inline rather than in the margin, a layout aspect of Core and FAE I really liked.
A nice change in presentation is that Condensed emphasises that Aspects are true and affect game fiction, *before* getting into how they can be invoked/compelled to manipulate rolls.
Unlike FAE, which tells you to write your character's High Concept, Trouble, and 1-3 "free" Aspects (unfilled ones can be filled in play), Condensed requires one Aspect to be a relationship with another PC, only giving two "free" ones.
filling out aspects during play is presented as an optional rule way in the back. Read in order cover to cover, it's clear Accelerated really is meant as a quickstart while this is a reference.
(especially since Condensed omits a "what is a roleplaying game" section)
obviously, Condensed uses Core's more traditional skill list (19, you start with nonzero ratings in 10) instead of Accelerated's Approaches list (6, start with nonzero ratings in 5)
But Condensed is also explicit, on page 9 in the"core" rules, that this list is meant to be individualised.
It points out some of the design choices in the skill list and what spread of skills a starting PC has, before directing you to the back for hacking advice.
It points out some of the design choices in the skill list and what spread of skills a starting PC has, before directing you to the back for hacking advice.
One page neatly summarises some commonly-used design space for character Stunts. Nice!
(by comparison, Accelerated spends two pages on examples of just two broad kinds of stunt, again this is better for quickstart play)
(by comparison, Accelerated spends two pages on examples of just two broad kinds of stunt, again this is better for quickstart play)
The way Stress works is simplified. Each box is worth one Stress, instead of Cote & Accelerated's wonky "some boxes absorb more stress, but you don't get small change back". You can mark multiple Stress boxes when you get hit, unlike Core.
Condensed defaults to Core's separate Physical and Mental stress tracks, the length of which is modified by certain Skill ratings. But it also gives suggestions on combining the tracks, as Accelerated does.
Nice player summary of when you should roll, and how to make a roll. An improvement on Accelerated's text.
Unfortunately the GM side isn't given this same overview before zooming in.
(yes there is a summary sheet in the back)
Unfortunately the GM side isn't given this same overview before zooming in.
(yes there is a summary sheet in the back)
Rolls are vs a static Difficulty or active Opposition. It's not explicit that the GM uses the same adjective ladder as PC skill ratings when setting Difficulty, i.e. because the 4dF roll is centered on 0.
Also if I'd written this I'd have made room for a table of probabilities.
Also if I'd written this I'd have made room for a table of probabilities.
Then it gets into invoking your aspects for +2 to a roll. Other players can object by calling bogus. The text makes an interesting connection between the Bogus Rule and safety tools -- both can be about maintaining a collectively agreed-upon game fiction.
Minor quibble: It's a little weird to have this aside about using Create An Advantage to make an aspect that's compatible with a Stunt your character has, before we even get into a discussion of Create An Advantage and other action types.
There's a note that fiction-first should delineate what success and failure look like.
If you're not a safecracker by trade, then your success-with-style on a roll to crack the safe may look the same as the safe *designer's* success-at-cost.
If you're not a safecracker by trade, then your success-with-style on a roll to crack the safe may look the same as the safe *designer's* success-at-cost.
while I agree with this, there's also some risk of double-accounting, particularly with a granular skill list. The untrained safecracker will probably have a lower skill rating than the master thief or safe designer.
However, this note is worth keeping in mind if you're using a less granular skill list like FAE Approaches or "STR, DEX, WIL"
There's some nice examples of what dice outcomes can look like. As long as the story does't stagnate, it's all good. Failure might mean you don't crack the safe and trip an alarm, you crack it but a guard immediately finds you, or you crack it but get hit by a poison needle trap.
or even "you don't get it open, get stuck by a needle, and the guards find you" if you want to play hardball.
