Comparison with Spirit of the Century fate points.

[themadviolinist]

There seem to be some similarities between fate points in BW and in Spirit of the Century, and I'm curious if other GMs use them similarly? Specifically, we are instructed to give out fate points when characters follow their beliefs or allow their instincts to be used against them, or their traits turn the story in unexpected directions. As a GM will you do what in SotC terms is called "compelling and aspect," meaning offer a fate point to the player in exchange for tapping a BIT to make the character's life more "interesting?" This seems a natural thing to do, but I'm never sure I completely understand the designing mindset, so I wanted to see what the Powers That Be (the as hold the lash) think.

[Mel White]

I've done this a couple of times, offering Fate artha for a PC to do something specific in accord with a Belief or Trait. It really just amounts to pointing out to the player that 'such and such' action will earn artha. There's no equivalent penalty for refusing the 'compel' as there is in SOTC. In many ways, earning artha in BW is similar to self-compels in SOTC. The characters earn artha at the time of their action. It's more broad than in SOTC, since there is a range of activities taht can earn artha while Fate Points in SOTC are earned when the compel complicates the character's life.
Mel