Being that sort of nerd, I have always tried to find a way that someone who has achieved philosophical mastery of a skill (the iconic example being Musashi and swordsmanship) to be able to reflect how that mastery affects the other things they do. This is one of those ideas that's either really obvious or makes no sense, depending on how you think about it.
I've spent an unreasonable amount of thought on this, but the other night realized I've made my life too complicated. It's as simpel as this: Make the skill an aspect. Invocations kick in when you can spin the tale of how the mastery transcends.
Cannot believe it took me this long to see something this obvious. Overthinking is a real threat.
How would this work in practice?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever started a new endeavor, and gone "Oh, hey, this is just like !" and gotten utility out of that insight? Sort of "Oh, hey, baking is just like programming!" It's that, writ dramatically large.
DeleteAre you thinking of "platonic invoke" where invoke allows you to assert strong fiat powers over the narrative, or "Fate Core invoke" where it has some more specifically described mechanical effects? When you say, "Invocations kick in when you can spin the tale of how the mastery transcends," it reads a lot more like the platonic case (i.e., the way you or I might treat an invoke away from its published purposes). :)
ReplyDeleteBoth (I think) - the effect will still probably be a +2, the tale spinning is more about how to describe the (possibly non-obvious) ways that the aspect applies to the situation - like why my basket-weaving skill is helping my swordsmanship.
Delete(That said, it is *totally* a non-fate core example of skills, but the idea translates without too much trouble)
So, like this, I am Musashi and I have "Swordsmaster of the school of the strategy of two heavens as one" aspect.
ReplyDeleteI am playing chess with some noble and am about to lose the contest. I've rolled a +3 and he's got a +4, and I go
... "then I realize the true plan of his attack. As the sword that strikes low after being raised high, it is the pawn that I must be wary of. I take the pawn, and pin his king."
Spend point, +5. Boom.
Like that?
Exactly like that!
Delete