--- In FateRPG@yahoogroups.com, "scifi_411" <scifi_411@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,

Hello.

> I'm new to FATE and to this group.

Welcome!

> I'm still learning about the system, so I'm full of questions.

And we have answers.

> I hope you don't mind, but here are a few of those questions. I
> apologize in advance if any of these have already been answered
> earlier in the group.
>
> So, the Dresden Files is supposed to be more gritty? Does anyone know
> in what ways that FATE will differ in that book compared to Spirit of
> the Century?
>
> What if I don't want to use the skill pyramid? Perhaps I want a skill
> point system to buy skills. Has anyone come up with variant rules for
> that?

It depends on how you mean. If you're talking full-on point-buy like
Champions or GURPS, then I'm not aware of any existing system for
allowing it (though adopting one of those over wholesale would
probably be very trivial). However, if you simply mean that you don't
want to be locked into the strict pyramid scheme, then Fate 2.0
actually has a possible solution for you that can be adopted with no
fuss at all.

The way character creation and advancement worked there is for every
Aspect you gained, you would also gain X skill points. These points
could be spent on any skill to raise them above the default, up to the
current allowed peak as determined by the pyramid. This avoided
overspecialization and complexity in book keeping, while still
allowing jack-of-all-trades style skill diversification. That might
be the angle to take.

That said, I think if you give the pyramid some time, it'll really
grow on you. I was a point-buyer myself until I got into Fate, and
while the pyramid doesn't necessarily jive with reality, it does make
a very nice tool for keeping a game level.

> Does magic in FATE 3.0 work the same as magic in FATE 2.0?
>
> Thanks,
> Marx

Hope my answer helped.