Dice Whims

A Tabletop that makes you feel

Game Master Tools

Fate Difficulty System

The Fate System establishes action and encounter difficulty through set thresholds. The GM selects a difficulty level - Easy, Medium, Hard, or Legendary - each with a predefined success range. Before players roll, the GM must declare the Difficulty Number, a specific value within that range.

Players roll 1d10 + Magic Bonus (1-10) + Mastery Bonus (1-10) + Bonuses (of their choice) to determine their result. If the roll meets the difficulty threshold, they succeed. Rolls below the threshold result in failure. Rolls exceeding the threshold, result in a Critical Success. Legendary tasks have the narrowest success window, making them the most challenging.

Difficulties

Difficulty	Success Range	Min Roll	Average Roll	Max Roll
Easy	11-25	3 (Below)	28.5 (Above)	70 (Above)
Medium	26-40	3 (Below)	28.5 (Within)	70 (Above)
Hard	41-55	3 (Below)	28.5 (Below)	70 (Above)
Legendary	56-65	3 (Below)	28.5 (Below)	70 (Within)

Rewards

Reward players often and well. Whether through looting enemies or discovering hidden treasure. Rewards can include items, spells, and, of course, currency. When players reach their maximum allowed equipment or spells and acquire a new asset, they must discard the excess (selling, throwing away, passing to another player).

Shop

When players want to change or buy a new spell, weapon or item in their arsenal they need to visit a shop. Shops are found all over the place but its up to the GM to add them to a location that fits. The GM determines the exact price of each item, using the ranges provided below as reference.

Item	Price
Eminence Scroll (3-use Spell)	30-40
Eminence Scroll (2-use Spell)	40-50
Eminence Scroll (1-use Spell)	50-60
Weapon (3 or less damage)	30-50
Weapon (4+ damage)	50-70
Consumable	5-50
Items	5-50

Challenges

Challenges are narrative-driven, GM-initiated events designed to test the players in various ways. These scenarios are quick to resolve and focus on creating engaging moments during the story.

For each challenge, the GM sets the difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard, Legendary) and describes the scenario. Each player then rolls once, with their result determining failure or success. The effect gained lasts for the current and the next scene, unless the GM chooses differently. Here are a few example challenges:

Challenge	Description	Failure	Success
Street Collapse	A building partially collapses onto the street, blocking passage and causing chaos.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Prepared.
Market Riot	A sudden riot in the marketplace disrupts commerce and endangers bystanders.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Brave.
Smell Leak	A mysterious smell leak creates an explosive hazard in a busy district.	Lose 5 Defence.	Become Lucky.
Nuisance	A stranger is being rude to you and your party.	Become Affected (Anger).	You gain +5 Mental Mastery.
Magical Disturbance	Uncontrolled magic sparks bizarre phenomena in the heart of the city.	Become Hysterical.	Reset all Emotion uses to 0.
Pickpocket Ambush	Skilled pickpockets target unsuspecting citizens in crowded alleys.	Lose 1 item.	Become Confident.
Slippery Sidewalk	Heavy rain turns pavements into treacherous, slick surfaces.	Lose 5 Defence.	Become Brave.
Fire Outbreak	A sudden fire in a residential block sends residents into panic.	Lose 10 Health.	Become Invincible.
Surprise Help	A stranger offers guidance.	Lose 1 Empathy.	Regain 1 Empathy.
Sewer Flood	Manhole covers give way, flooding streets with contaminated water.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Invincible.
Parade Disruption	A noble parade is unexpectedly derailed, sparking public unrest.	Become Fallen.	Become Hidden.
Unruly Crowd	A spontaneous demonstration escalates into an unpredictable melee.	Reduce your Physical Score by 5.	Become Enraged.
Magical Protest	Local mages stage a protest that quickly spirals into chaotic magic.	Reduce your Mental Score by 5.	Become Overpowered.
Accidental Duel	A misunderstanding on the street ignites a public duel between rivals.	Roll on the Injury Table.	Become Invincible.
Mystic Fog	A strange, dense fog blankets the city, obscuring vision and sowing confusion.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Regain 1 equipment effect use.
Sudden Rain	Intense rain pours.	Become Affected (Surpise).	Become Hidden.
Festival Mishap	A local festival goes awry, resulting in unforeseen chaos and disorder.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Confident.
Cursed Statue	An iconic statue exudes a malevolent aura that unnerves citizens.	Become Affected (Happiness).	Become Overpowered.
Shadow Intrigue	Suspicious figures in dark alleys plot clandestine schemes.	Your Health becomes 1.	Become Brave.
Sudden Flux	A brief anomaly warps time, disorienting the city's inhabitants.	Become Exhausted.	Become Attuned.

Challenge	Description	Failure	Success
Rockslide	A sudden rockslide blocks the mountain pass, threatening the journey.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Lucky.
River Crossing	A raging river challenges the travelers with its powerful current.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Prepared.
Wilderness Lost	Dense fog and tangled woods disorient the party far from civilization.	Become Triggered.	Become Attuned.
Bandit Ambush	Hidden bandits lie in wait on a lonely road, ready to attack.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Brave.
Wild Animal Attack	A pack of feral creatures ambushes the caravan on a rugged trail.	Lose 8 Defence.	Become Overpowered.
Broken Wagon	A critical wagon component fails, slowing the progress of the group.	Lose 1 equipment effect.	Gain +2 Mastery.
Sudden Storm	A violent storm forces the travelers to seek immediate shelter.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Brave.
Quicksand Pit	An unexpected patch of quicksand threatens to trap the unwary.	Become Stuck.	Increase your Physical Score by +5.
Mysterious Ruins	Ancient ruins beckon with both wonder and hidden dangers.	Become Apathetic.	Become Attuned.
Magical Bridge	The party passes over a magical bridge.	Become Hysterical.	Remove a Negative Condition.
Mirage	A deceptive mirage misleads the travelers about their true path.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Lucky.
Fog of War	A magical fog distorts sound and sight, complicating navigation.	Lose 5 Mental Mastery.	Become Prepared.
Thorny Underbrush	Dense, prickly vegetation forces the caravan to slow down.	Become Bleeding.	Become Brave.
Frostbite Risk	Extreme cold threatens the travelers with the risk of frostbite.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Invincible for 1 turn.
Cursed Ground	A stretch of land radiates an unsettling, ominous energy.	Lose 2 Mastery.	Become Overpowered.
Lost Map	The party's map is misplaced or stolen, leaving them directionless.	Become Affected (Sadness).	Become Attuned.
River Rapids	Raging rapids challenge the party's skill at crossing turbulent waters.	Lose 1 Empathy.	Gain +2 Mastery.
Desert Heat	Scorching heat in barren lands tests the endurance of the group.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Lucky.
Fallen Tree	A massive tree has fallen, blocking a narrow trail.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Prepared.
Temporal Anomaly	A time distortion warps perceptions, altering the journey's pace.	Become Stressed.	Become Overpowered.

Challenge	Description	Failure	Success
Rowdy Brawl	A sudden brawl among patrons erupts, threatening to disrupt the tavern.	Roll on the Injury Table.	Become Brave.
Secret Plot	Whispers of conspiracy circulate, hinting at hidden agendas.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Confident.
Stolen Valuables	Valuables vanish in the chaos, leaving patrons on high alert.	Lose 1 item.	Become Lucky.
Mysterious Stranger	A cloaked figure hints at impending danger with cryptic messages.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Attuned.
Spiked Drink	A tampered drink causes unexpected and bizarre effects.	Roll on the Injury Table.	Become Invincible for 1 turn.
Unruly Crowd	An unruly group disrupts the order, challenging the tavern staff.	Lose 1 Empathy.	Become Confident.
Bard's Tale	A bard's stirring tale incites strong emotions among the listeners.	Become Affected (Disgust).	Become Brave.
Hidden Passage	A secret door reveals a mysterious room within the tavern.	Lose 1 item.	Gain 1 item.
Ghostly Apparition	A spectral figure appears, sending chills down the spines of patrons.	Become Affected (Fear).	Become immune to a Negative Condition of your choice.
Another Brawl	A minor dispute quickly escalates into a full-blown tavern brawl.	Lose 5 Health.	Become Brave.
Food Poisoning	A batch of tainted food causes widespread illness among customers.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Lucky.
Drunken Revelry	Excessive drinking leads to chaotic and unpredictable behavior.	Lose 5 Mental Mastery.	Become immune to a Negative Condition of your choice.
Dice Game Deception	A local cheats in a high-stakes dice game, sparking conflict.	Become Triggered.	Gain +2 Mastery.
Suspicious Bartender	The bartender seems to be hiding something beneath the counter.	Lose 5 Defence.	Gain 1 item.
Fire Breaks Out	A kitchen fire threatens to consume the tavern if not quickly stopped.	Lose 8 Health.	Become Brave.
Old Rival Appears	A figure from your past arrives with a grudge and bad intentions.	Become Affected (Anger).	Become Overpowered.
Tavern Cursed	Arcane energies pulse beneath the floorboards, unsettling all inside.	Lose 2 Mastery.	Become Prepared.
Hallucinogenic Brew	An experimental ale induces vivid hallucinations.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Hidden.
Overheard Secret	You accidentally overhear a deadly secret while passing by a booth.	Roll on the Trauma Table.	Become Attuned.
Tavern Games Champion	You’re challenged to beat the reigning champion in a tavern game.	Lose 1 equipment effect.	Gain +2 Mastery.

Dice Whims

Game Rules & Assets

Game Master Tools

Fate Difficulty System

Difficulties

Enemies

Enemies

Everyday Person

Magic

Mastery

Attack Die

Health

Defence

1

1

1d10

1 + 1d10

11-25

Abilities

Simple Fists (A) (Mastery) (∞): Choose 1 target in Melee. Deals 1 damage.

Muffled Shouting (R) (Magic) (3): Choose 2 targets within 3 hexes. Deal 1 damage.

Immunity:

Disarmed.

Humanoid

Easy

Bird of Pray

Magic

Mastery

Attack Die

Health

Defence

2

1

1d10

1 + 1d10

11-25

Abilities

Birdly Prayer (Magic) (A) (2): Choose an ally. Increase its Magic by +5.

Scratchings (Mastery) (A) (∞): Choose 1 target in Melee. Deals 1 damage. On Crit: Target is Bleeding.

Immunity:

Disarmed.

Creature

Easy

Witch Wench

Magic

Mastery

Attack Die

Health

Defence

5

2

1d10

2 + 1d10

11-25

Abilities

Curse of Happiness (A) (Magic) (2): Choose 2 enemies. They become Affected (can use only Happiness). Lasts 2 turns. Deals 2 damage.

Slither Away (R) (Mastery) (3): Dodge an Attack or Cast. Move to an adjacent hex.

Immunity:

Disarmed.

Creature

Easy

Humpel

Magic

Mastery

Attack Die

Health

Defence

1

3

1d10

3 + 1d10

11-25

Abilities

Humpel Hum (A) (Magic) (2): Choose all adjacent enemies. They become Weak. Lasts 3 turns.

Sword Slash (A) (Mastery) (∞): Deals 2 damage.

Immunity:

None.

Humanoid

Easy

Bowess