Over the last two days, I have converted the EPT priest and magic user "skills" to Fate, using the Fate Freeport Companion as a guide. A few of the items on the skills list are indeed skills, such as the skills that confer the ability to knows 2 ancient languages or knows 2 modern languages, and the astrology skill. Those I am rendering as simple stunts. Here's an example of Astrology as a stunt:
Astrology: Take a +2 to WIS to Create an Advantage while observing the influence of the sun, the four planets, and Tekumel's two moons. This stunt provides insights into the influences and motivations surrounding a person or situation, uncovering a hidden Aspect.
So much for skills that are skills.
Here is an example of a skill that is a spell.
Telekinesis (Cost, Per Scene): Roll CHA to use your mind to move a solid object through air or water, but not through walls, etc. Weapons or missiles may not be moved this way, but the spell itself can be used to do harm. Target defends with DEX to get out of the way of the spell.
Some of the text in both these skills quotes the description in EPT. Neither is an exact replication of the EPT mechanics, however; Fate works differently as a system than EPT. For example, the description of Telekinesis in EPT says you can use it twice per day. We've described it for Fate as a Per Scene spell, meaning it can be used once per scene; the next level up is Per Session, meaning the spell could be used once per game session; the next level up from that is Per Scenario, meaning that the spell could be used once per scenario.
I'm thinking that people creating characters will be able to purchase three spells for one point of Refresh. Starting spells are selected at this cost from either/both of the priest and magic user skills lists. This is the cost for the first seven "skills" on each list. If you want some of the skills that are higher on the lists than the first seven on each list, the Refresh cost will be higher.
Hopefully we'll have the chance to test out some of these conversions today at CONvergence! We may also do some conversions from the actual EPT spell list (as opposed to skill list) while we create characters.
Cool stuff I am thinking of running a Tekumel game at Celesticon where Jeff Dee will be running 3 games under his new Tekumel ruleset( I was on that Kickstarter) But I am struggling on what rulesset to use. My brotber ran a session over Roll20 and that system(Guardians of Order) system is just too clunky for me.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding. I have run the GOO system and it went fine, although the magic system as written is a bit cumbersome. I know that Patrick Brady who was one of the designers has created a revision called Tekumel Lite, which largely solves this problem. I have been in three games that used it and in those the system was almost invisible.
DeleteI have also heard good things about Jeff Dee's new system from people who have playtested it.
Brett Slocum has a very elegant conversion for The Fantasy Trip, as well as for GURPS. I have played both of those and they work fine.
My go-to system for GMing Tekumel is Fate now, but I also enjoy playing EPT. That is a very rules light option, and almost 40+ years on, still a very playable game.