---
title: "Fate Core"
version: "0.1.0"
slug: "fate-core"
players: "3-5"
duration: "varies"
age: "13+"
tagline: "A flexible, narrative-first tabletop RPG built on aspects, fate points, and the four actions"
type: "rpg"
status: "live"
updated: "2026-07-22"
published: true
variants: false
how_to_play: "Roll 4 Fate dice plus skill against the ladder. Characters defined by aspects (story phrases). Invoke aspects for bonuses, accept compels for fate points. Four actions: overcome, create advantage, attack, defend."
mechanics: [dice, narrative, aspects, combat, exploration]
complexity: moderate
related: [dungeon-world, ironsworn, brp, dnd-5e]
theme:
  surface: light
  tint: warm
  texture: none
  cover: cosmic
  typography: modern
  accent: blue
  section-divider: "⚖"
engine:
  topology:
    type: none
  content:
    source: content/rules/
    schema:
      type: category-list
---

<div class="section">

## Fate Core

Fate Core is a generic, narrative-first tabletop RPG by Evil Hat Productions, built around aspects (phrases describing what's true and important about a character, place, or situation), fate points, and four core actions: overcome, create an advantage, attack, and defend. Rolls use four Fate dice (each showing +, -, or blank) added to a skill rating and read against the ladder. Characters are defined less by numbers and more by the story-relevant statements attached to them, which can be invoked for a bonus or compelled by the GM to complicate the story in exchange for a fate point.

**License:** Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0).
**Attribution:** Fate Core System © 2013 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. Developed, authored, and edited by Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard, Jeremy Keller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson, Clark Valentine, Amanda Valentine, Fred Hicks, and Rob Donoghue. Content sourced from the official Fate Core SRD HTML, as mirrored in the `fate-srd/fate-srd-content` GitHub repository.

</div>

<div class="section">

### Rules

**Getting Started**

- [The Basics](rules/the-basics/) — What you need to play, the character sheet, rolling the dice, the ladder, fate points, invoking and compelling aspects
- [Game Creation](rules/game-creation/) — What makes a good Fate game, setting up your game, the setting's big issues, faces and places
- [Character Creation](rules/character-creation/) — High concept, trouble, the phase trio, the skill pyramid, stunts and refresh, quick character creation

**Core Mechanics**

- [Aspects and Fate Points](rules/aspects-and-fate-points/) — Types of aspects, invoking, compelling, the fate point economy, creating and discovering aspects in play
- [Skills and Stunts](rules/skills-and-stunts/) — Building stunts, stunt families, and the full Default Skill List (all 18 skills with actions and stunts)
- [Actions and Outcomes](rules/actions-and-outcomes/) — Opposition, the four outcomes, the four actions (overcome, create an advantage, attack, defend)
- [Challenges, Contests, and Conflicts](rules/challenges-contests-and-conflicts/) — Zones, turn order, stress, consequences, extreme consequences, conceding, movement, teamwork

**Running the Game**

- [Running the Game](rules/running-the-game/) — The Golden and Silver Rules, setting difficulties, dealing with time, creating the opposition (NPC types), scenes, sessions, and scenarios
- [The Long Game](rules/the-long-game/) — Arcs, campaigns, milestones (minor, significant, major), and world advancement
- [Extras](rules/extras/) — The Bronze Rule (Fate Fractal), creating an extra, weapon/armor ratings, superpowers, special gear, cybertech, wealth, vehicles, magic

**Reference**

- [Character Sheet](rules/character-sheet/) — Blank character sheet (printable) with interactive generator
- [Cheat Sheet and Veterans' Guide](rules/cheat-sheet-and-veterans-guide/) — Quick-reference notes and what's changed for players of previous Fate games
- [Appendix I: Open Game License](rules/appendix-ogl/) — The full OGL 1.0a text and Fate Core's copyright notice

</div>

<div class="section">

### Data

- [skills.json](../../games/fate-core/data/skills.json) — All 18 default skills with actions, descriptions, and example stunts
- [ladder.json](../../games/fate-core/data/ladder.json) — Adjective ladder from Terrible (-2) to Legendary (+8)

</div>