The newest version of 52 Fates will include an enhanced background and skill system that will help refine the current system. Currently, you choose one background for your character. This provides a broad set of skills that are not explicitly listed, but allows for interpretation between the players. This allows for a very flexible, dynamic system that relies on how the players want to define their world.
How will the new background & skill system work?
The new system adds defined, concrete skills, but still works with the open definition already established for backgrounds. This was included to allow for better protagonist growth, as players can now choose not only a background but also a few additional skills that might not be related to their chosen background for better personalization.
For example, the burglar background description is as follows:
The protagonist, whether to simply survive or to try to become rich, has earned their living by stealing other people’s possessions and money. They are proficient at infiltrating buildings and other structures, lock picking, moving silently, and hiding.
To this description, the rulebook will add the following concrete skills:
- Climb walls
- Find & remove traps
- Lock picking
- Pick pockets
- Stealth
These skills will have detailed descriptions included in a new Skills section of the rulebook. Not only does this provide a solid starting point, but also having skills as separate items that can be added can make for cool, surprising characters. For example, you can have a protagonist with the scholar background somehow being proficient at picking locks. Why do they know this skill that seems so out of character? Now the player has a neat thing that can even contribute to developing their backstory!
Backgrounds and skills, just like it is currently, will provide +1 play card to any related task.
I’m hoping that this will make protagonists in 52 Fates even more unique and special, while still keeping the system as simple as it is!
