Against the Titans! - Rules

Against the Titans! uses FATE rules, using many elements of DFRPG mixed with FATE Core and custom elements. If something needs clarification, let me know, and try to get a hold of these books (let me know if you need help with that).

Character Generation

Power Level: 8 refresh, 30 skill points, skill cap one at Superb, otherwise at Great
Stress: 3, by default (see Physique, Presence, Will)
Aspects: 6, plus 2 Special Aspects (Job and Ultima Gear)

Aspects

You get two Aspects for the Character Profile - one for High Concept and one for Trouble - and one for each of the Phases below, for a total of six. The Aspects derived from the Phases can be renamed at Significant Milestones per the DFRPG rules.

Character Profile

The core Aspects of your character. These will be with you through most of the game, and are very difficult to change, so think carefully!

High Concept: Sums up what your character is about - what and who she is (Hardbitten Guard Veteran, Dwarven Tinkerer, Corvus Red Mage, Scion of a Great House, etc.)
Trouble: Something that complicates your High Concept, an aspect that regularly trips up your character and frustrates his efforts. (Stuck at the Bottom of a Bottle, Poor Impulse Control, Former Revolutionary, Massive Debts, etc.)

A Note About Race: Against the Titans! includes several non-human races, including the Corvus, Dwarves, and others. If you want to have special abilities related to your race, it is suggested you include your race as part of one of your aspects. This will open a special packet of powers for you that costs one or two refresh. Humans can get one too! However, you can choose not to buy this package. Not every Corvus or Dwarf or Human has the same abilities as other members of their race.

Phase 1: Origin

A short summary of your character's life from before they became a Titanslayer - or at least before the major event that led them to decide to become a Titanslayer. You can go from early life to adulthood, or just focus on their last career.

Phase 2: Disc One

Your first adventure as a Titanslayer, or your last adventure in your previous life that led to you deciding to become a Titanslayer. If this was a JRPG, think of it as what your character is up to when they're become introduced as potential party members.

Phase 3: Sidequest

Each character contributes a minor, supporting role in another character's Disc One adventure. Add a few sentences to explain how your paths crossed.

Phase 4: Bonus Dungeon

Repeat Phase 3 with someone else!

Special Aspects

These two Special Aspects - Job and Ultimate Gear - are specific to Against the Titans! They are also not as permanent as your other Aspects. As a benefit of a Minor Milestone, you can change your Job or your Ultima Gear. There is no other cost for doing so.

Job

A classic Titanslayer Company includes specialists in one of four Jobs - Arrow, Blade, Helm, and Shield. Not every team has one of each, and in many teams there may be several of one and none of another. Each Job provides a special combat related Stunt that you can use for free once per Scene. You can spend a Fate Point to use it again in the same Scene.

Every member of the Company is of equal importance. Though the Helm is the brains of the Company, he is not automatically the leader. In fact, the leader of the first Titanslayers was their Blade, then Crown Princess and now Queen Varakyn. In many companies, leadership is democratic, with all members deciding on courses of action by consensus. In others, the final decision might well be left to a specific member, but this could be anyone from the Arrow to the Shield. In more than a few leadership rotates depending on what the current task is - the Helm is in charge when not out hunting Titans and during negotiations, deciding which Contracts to take and how to divvy up resources, but once in the field the Shield takes command. Don't let your Job dictate who's in charge.

Most Titanslayers wear a gold badge that shows their Job. If a Titanslayer has previously done a different Job, they will usually wear a silver badge for each other Job they've done and are willing to do again, or a copper one for a job they've done before but won't take on now. Some Companies prefer specialists who stick to one Job, others those who show flexibility, and many those who have a broad base of experience but are currently focused on one role.

Arrow
The Arrow is the point man of a Company. He searches out the targets and figures out their habits, strengths, weaknesses. The Arrow is the eyes and ears of the Company.
Scout: Make a free Assessment without a Skill roll or using an action on one enemy. You identify one existing Aspect of the target. Alternatively, you can identify a non-Aspect Catch or Weakness.

Blade
The Blade is the assault trooper of the Company. She takes the fight to the enemy, and deals the killing blow. The Blade is the strong arm of the Company.
Slayer: When you make a successful attack on an Enemy, in addition to whatever damage or Consequences you deal, fill in the first unfilled Stress box of the target. This can lead to additional Consequences.

Helm
The Helm is the tactician of the Company. He determines how to take on the enemy, makes the plans and keeps everyone working together. The Helm is the brains of the Company.
Strategos: At the beginning of each Scene, apply the Aspect Just as Planned for free. Anyone can tag this Aspect once for free. Additional tags may be made with a Fate Point, as normal. Alternatively, you can identify an existing Aspect on the Scene for free, with no Skill roll or action required.

Shield
The Shield is the defender of the Company. She guards the other's backs and wards off the enemy's attacks. The Shield is the tough heart of the Company.
Bulwark: When another member of the Company is attacked successfully by an enemy, before damage is applied you may grant a retroactive +2 to that ally's defense roll, or grant them Armor [2].

Ultima Gear

No true Titanslayer lacks a piece of the power magical weapons and armor known as Ultima Gear. Made with the benefit of Catalyst, Utilma Gear binds to the life force of its wielder, giving it incredible powers in their hands. Binding to a new piece of Ultima Gear takes some effort and requires special magical equipment, but is a routine process.

A piece of Ultima Gear takes the form of a Weapon or Armor. Every piece has an Aspect - for example, a sword may have Fiery or Freezing or Impossibly Keen - that can be Tagged as normal, or may work on a Catch or Weakness of a target. Ultima Gear also provides two free Refresh to spend on Powers or Stunts. It is effectively a free Item of Power with a [+2] One-Time Discount. Powers should be taken from the lists in DFRPG, though special examples can be worked out. Note that you cannot spend your normal Refresh to get more powerful abilities on the Ultima Gear, so at character creation you are capped at [-2].

Skills

Each level in a skill costs 1 skill point. You cannot have more skills at one level than you have at a lower level (so for two Great (+4) skills you need at least two Good (+3) skills). Each skill has trappings, ways and rules the skill can be used in certain circumstances.

How Good is Good?

Here’s a general idea of what the five skill ranks can mean for your character:

Mediocre (+0): A lack of training or talent.
Average (+1): Apprentice training or considerable talent.
Fair (+2): Journeyman or “professional” training, or an incredible degree of talent.
Good (+3): Veteran or master-level training, or a combination of impressive talent and extensive training.
Great (+4): Nearly unmatched ability
Superb (+5): Amazing!

Skill List

Magic Skill

The Magic Skill is actually two Skills in one. When you take Magic, you choose whether you are a Black Mage or a White Mage. You cannot be both unless you spend 2 Refresh to become a Red Mage. Both versions of Magic have a few standard trappings that you can use simply by possessing the skill, in addition to the shared trapping Cantrips. By spending additional Refresh, you can gain access to more advanced Spells that give you additional trappings and options when using Magic. You can only take spells of your chosen Magic focus, unless you are a Red Mage.

*Cantrips*
Magic can be used to make minor effects, such as lights or sounds or small illusions. Normally these minor cantrips are for simple amusement or minor utility, but Magic can be used to complement another skill. Black Magic can complement when you are doing something destructive or trying to frighten someone or force something to happen. White Magic can complement when you are doing something creative or trying to support someone or keep something from happening. You can only use Magic to complement one other skill per scene.

Black Magic

Black Magic is offensive in nature. It is more powerful when used to attack, and can be used to create elemental effects. It can also be used to impair enemies. Black Magicians also learn to Bind magical spirits and other entities in order to ask them questions.

*Binding*
Functions as the Gather Information trapping for Contacts.

*Blast*
A magical attack that counts as Weapon 1, and is considered Dark for the purposes of Catches, Weaknesses, or Resistances.

*Curse*
Places a Maneuver on an enemy. Includes things like Blind or Paralyze.

Example Black Magic Spells

Anguish: Make an attack against an opponent's Mental damage track

Doom: Directly place the Mild Consequence Doomed on an opponent. Unlike normal consequences, Doomed clears at the end of the current scene. Doom can be resisted with the better of Will, Presence, or White Magic. Doom may only be used against a given opponent once. Using Doom inflicts one shift of Mental damage on the user.

Elemental: When you use Blast, you can choose to cast it with the Fire, Ice, or Bolt aspect instead of Dark. You must choose which element you are using when you make the attack roll.

Gravity: You can use Black Magic to place a Grapple on an enemy.

White Magic

White Magic is defensive in nature. It is more powerful when used shield, and can be used to heal. It can also empower allies. White Magicians are also taught oracular powers, allowing them to acquire knowledge normally beyond their ken.

*Boost*
Places a Maneuver on an ally. Includes things like Haste or Strength. For 2 shifts you can place a fragile aspect, and for 4 shifts you can place a sticky aspect.

*Divination*
Functions as the Answers trapping for Lore.

*Protect*
Creates a magical shell to block attacks. White Magic can be used to Defend against Physical Attacks.

Example White Magic Spells

Cure: You may use White Magic to heal wounds. Cure can be used to remove or lessen Consequences other than Extreme Consequences. It takes 2 shifts to remove a Mild Consequence or reduce a Consequence one step (from Severe to Moderate, Moderate to Mild). It takes 4 shifts to clear a Moderate Consequence or reduce a Severe Consequence to Mild, and 6 shifts to clear a Severe Consequence. In addition, the Consequence level Cure was used on gains the temporary Aspect Cured. This Aspect lasts as long as the Consequence normally would (one scene for Mild, one session for Moderate, one scenario for Severe). So if you use White Magic to reduce a Severe Consequence to a Mild one, the character you healed has the Cured Aspect on their Severe Consequence for the next scenario. They can take a new Severe Consequence during that time, but it cannot be affected by White Magic until the Cured Aspect resolves.

Clear: You can use White Magic to remove a Maneuver that has been placed on yourself or someone else. The difficulty for removing a Maneuver on someone other than yourself is +1 higher than normal.

Holy: A magical attack that is considered Light for the purposes of Catches Weaknesses, or Resistances.

Shell: You can place use White Magic to defend against Mental Attacks. You can also use White Magic to place a defensive Block on attacks against an ally.

Racial Templates

The racial templates below provide the baseline abilities for the common peoples found in the Sealed Realms. However, it is possible to modify these templates and take only parts of them if it makes sense for your character. Some Moogles, for example, are larger than normal or are too heavy to fly (in game terms, remove Diminutive Size, Wings, or Both). Some even lack their normal extrasensory abilities due to disability or injury (remove Moogle Sense). On the other hand, some Viera have had their claws removed or never fully developed them, while others aren't as blindingly fast as the typical member of their race, or never underwent the normal training most Viera receive in their youth (removing Claws, Inhuman Speed, and/or Wildborn). In short, these templates provide a baseline to work from when playing a member of these races.

Other Templates and Special Features