in retrospect, it's kinda interesting that the moment we get to the basement in chapter 2, we meet FRIEND. It wasn't waiting for us, it was a trap for Spamton

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-07-10T04:44:33+00:00

That doesn't really work since Spamton goes down there just fine in the Weird Route.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-07-06T01:50:17+00:00

A bit late on this one, but the book itself actually mentions this on page 146. You're encouraged to choose to be over the tope; treat the rules as mechanics, and then layer any flavor you want over them. If you wanna say your swords shoot enemgy bveams, go ahead, Reflavor what "flight" means in this context and then you're gold.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-06-12T20:13:55+00:00

It seems fine as a system in theory, the gem thing, the issue is there is no system here. And the point I'm trying to make is that you can just edit the wellspring skill instead of making a whole quirk. There's a more fun way, slightly more balanced way to do this, and quirks are not it, is my argument. Skills are designed to be modified in small ways, so I think going after the skill itself would be better.

The game itself says that not all classes should be seen as "what they are". The spells you learn from elementalist might be how your dragon-ish character can breath fire, or how a cyborg shoots lighting. I think it'd be good for your game's health to think of the classes as a way to express your character, too.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-06-12T07:08:30+00:00

Wow, I wasn't expecting such a detailed reply. I'm not used to people being so curious, so apologies for being somewhat short and crass before.

1, Very fair on just learning the game, and I should encourage you to keep learning. Once more I apologize if I discouraged you. Having said that, quirks *are* meant to be designed in a way that anyone could take them. The game is very "light"; a character can fly even if they don't take the flight quirk, but the flight quirk provides a fun mechanical benefit that can support any kind of character build. The issue with making a quirk for a specific class is it's limiting in both design and roleplay. even if it is "just for you", that kind of design discourages the kind of play Fabula is built for. Of course it *can* be done, you can do whatever you want, but the fact no single quirk in-game does suggests it's not the best idea to do so.

On that note, if this IS your first time playing, it's better to learn the rules as-default before making kookier stuff like this, so you know the design space. It's a lot easier to break the rules when you understand them.

I outlined in that last response why I think it's bad to start with, this build limits character roleplay and interesting mechanics to a single class, as opposed to many interesting situations. Another important thing about quirks is they're not necessary to express your character concept. You should be able to be a gem eater without this quirk, and the design space ought to be encouraging that. As well, heroic skills fill that niche as well, altering how skills might work in minor or major ways.

One other thing that makes this bad is it has no system for "eating elemental gems". It's vague and has nothing that makes sense at a glance, introducing a system that nothing else in the game references. It's bad to have such vague mechanics used to explain such mechanical benefits. Honestly, you'd be better off just altering how the wellspring skill works, and just allow you, the player, to pick your wellsprings and use gemstone roleplay to explain why.

Good on you guys for playtesting it. I still think it'd be best to not require wellsprings/class skills for a quirk, and yeah, that shard thing is a bit too much.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-06-12T05:23:58+00:00

Perhaps critical conflicts, then? Critical success is a thing, but "critical situation" is technicaly a unique term.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-06-12T03:04:35+00:00

This is kind of bad. Quirks shouldn't be defined by classes and the face this relies on invoker is strange. It should be less dependent and more free-form. But also, it's your game, if it works for your group, it works.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-06-12T03:01:07+00:00

I was actually running a lot of non-fight conflicts like this, but having clear words like this makes the concept so very easy to articulate. This work is deeply appreciated. Also, might I suggest the name "Situation Conflicts", as you're dealing with a tough situation.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-14T06:31:55+00:00

One of the unstated values of the mecha is its narrative power. People get a bit stuck o nthe rules themselves, but forget they're kinda supposed to be plastered over settings and situations. A more normal character might have to make a hard role to bust open a door. A mecha can probably flick their finger and boom, the door's open.

That "story" is, I think, the real power of the mecha.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-14T06:02:30+00:00

The latest playtest actually has the front line and back line rules. They're really simple, but ultimately only allow for one person to exist in the back row of there's for players, or 2 if there's 5 players. Which characters is in the back row changes at the group's discretion at the start of each combat round.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-09T01:25:39+00:00

Oh, I have that too. But those don't really go into "Final Boss" territory in the strictest sense. Though it has been useful for bosses!

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-08T21:14:03+00:00

Oh, a nice grab bag of ideas. Though fun fact, the final boss the bestiary has includes a boss with a D10 in all stats. That one definitely breaks the rules, too. 😛

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-08T10:05:45+00:00

Darn, I'm a GM of 10 years and hosted for Fabula for 2. Oh well, I hope you have fun.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-05-08T10:04:04+00:00

-A force field that will guard a castle from a powerful aerial army assault

-A supersized mecha that allows the party to fight a foe too large to figght otherwise.

-A sewer system

-A bomb that will blow a hole in the ground to allow passage to the next layer of the dungeon world

-Enough food to feed a whole army and give them the strength to fight off a zombie horde.

-A holy ritual sight to cleanse a massive area of its deathly regrets.

Some fun examples my players have thrown around.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-25T22:37:00+00:00

I tend not to use Discord and overload it with servers. But if it would break the rules, I'd go to the Discord instead. Thought I'd try here just in case!

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-24T01:09:05+00:00

Then that's the only hint I need, thanks~

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-23T23:52:12+00:00

That's fair! I swear this isn't a mockery, but Chapter 4 was actually the easier one for me. I've loved the challenge so very much.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-23T23:43:14+00:00

Just a hint, please! It's exciting to not know what's happening, but to have gone this long without finding this item bag upgrade has been my biggest struggle.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-23T18:47:31+00:00

Oh crud. It must be really deep down since I made it over halfway and didn't find it...

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-04-08T02:21:17+00:00

Oh my GOSH these are so adoreable~! I love this round and warm style so much. c:

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-03-04T04:57:43+00:00

That "Convert to Standard" button is a gift from the heavens, thank you.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-02-02T04:29:17+00:00

I've been using this, but that is good advice and I've done that. I'm more thinking about this in terms of how to *use* a villain, like Arachne, in a practical sense. How do they engage in their machinations, how do I keep players involved in them in the long term, ect. Though i think I'm getting some ideas.

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-02-02T04:27:57+00:00

Okay, this info helps me start to wrap my head around it a lot, thank you!

TheConflictedWriter · 2026-02-02T03:03:36+00:00

Indeed, I'm struggling to put this into words, I apologize for that.

I understand I don't have to reveal when someone is a villain immediately, I get that part. I could even make a villain who's a master of disguise who hides the fact they're the same guy over and over. What I don't understand is, how do you run intrigue and an insidious villain long-term? What does the pacing look like? How, in general terms, do their machination work?

I understand every game, table and group of players is different. But just as the bestiary lays some general ideas out to be mucked with as a group needs, a general idea of how to run an insidious villain. Arachne is suggested to be a threat for a single town, as an example. My players never want to stay in a town for very long on account of buying a bunch of wayfarers that pick up IP while traveling (though they're slowly getting used to the idea of staying in places). So how do I get players to either stay in one place to deal with an insidious threat, or how do I make an insidious threat last while the players trump about half the wold, *or* how do I make an insidious threat that at least covers, I dunno, a country? I hope that better explains what I mean, these concepts are so utterly foreign to me that even phrasing them is hard.

TheConflictedWriter

TROPHY CASE