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Chapter 6: Running Scenarios

Three Clocks at the table

Keep at most three active timers in a scene: Situation, Counter-Clock, and Campaign. This is a ceiling, not a quota. A conversation with one clear stake may need none. A clock makes change visible; it does not replace the fiction or require a roll where the outcome is already settled.

Give each active clock a distinct job
ClockQuestionExample
SituationWhat are the characters trying to accomplish here?Get the ferry passengers ashore [6]. Full: everyone reaches the bank.
Counter-ClockWhat threatens that effort?The mooring gives way [4]. Full: the ferry breaks loose; anyone still aboard needs another escape.
CampaignWhich larger change is this scene touching?The valley loses its river crossings [8]. Full: communities are isolated and the campaign shifts to restoring contact.

Before play: name each clock, its size, what advances it, and what completion means. Tell players the visible warning signs and how their actions could help. Use the applicable procedure for ticks and SB costs. “Time passes” is only a trigger if a deadline or interval has actually been established.

During play: describe the attempt, establish Position and Effect, resolve uncertainty with the core procedure, then describe the changed situation and mark the relevant clock. Announce why it moved. Do not tick all three because a roll went badly, or charge twice for the same consequence. A clever solution can remove the danger and retire its clock without filling it.

In the ferry scene: landing a boatload advances the rescue under the chosen progress procedure. A broken rope threatens the mooring; warn the table before it parts. Saving this crossing can prevent a regional loss. The campaign clock moves only when its own trigger occurs, not once per rescue roll. If the party secures a second ferry, let that change the problem.

When another timer appears: first ask whether it describes an existing threat. Fold a patrol alarm into the pursuit clock; do not track both merely because two tables supplied names. If an obligation becomes the immediate problem, give it the appropriate active role and put unrelated fronts back in campaign notes. Scene, regional, and personal are useful descriptions of scope, not three additional clock slots.

Between sessions: record the outcome, update fronts only for established events or scheduled triggers, retire resolved clocks, and bring forward the one campaign pressure most relevant to the next scene. Keep a short list of inactive fronts with their next warning sign. They need no constant ticking.

Fate's Edge GM Guide — Chapter 6

A scenario is a self-contained unit of play with a clear stake, meaningful choices, and visible pressure. Your goal as GM is not to control the outcome, but to shape the pressure so that player decisions create memorable consequences. This chapter distills Fate's Edge into actionable GM techniques for facilitating scenarios — from preparation to execution — using the system's core tools: Story Beats, timers, and player agency.

GM Mindset: Co-Creating Drama

Before rolling dice, internalize these principles. They transform rule enforcement into collaborative storytelling.

GM Core Principles

Preparing a Scenario: The 15-Minute GM Sprint

Effective scenario prep focuses on pressure points, not plots. Do this before each session:

  1. Identify the stake: What is the players' immediate goal? Write it as a question: "Can they get the Sunstone in time?"
  2. Set 1–3 visible timers: Use the Timer System (see "The Timer System" below) to track progress/opposition. Label them clearly: Ritual Completion [6], Guard Patrols [4].
  3. Prepare 2–3 flexible situations: Not scripts, but pressure cookers with clear stakes and timers. Example:
    • Situation: "The Sunstone is on a pedestal in the collapsing chamber. The ceiling cracks ominously."
    • Timer: Chamber Collapse [8] (ticks on Partial/Miss inside chamber)
    • Stakes: Succeed = get Sunstone; Fail = take Harm 1 + timer advances.
  4. Seed player hooks: Review Bonds/Complications. Ask: "How does this situation threaten what they care about?"
  5. Check complication debt: Note unresolved Complications from last session — they add +1 SB to the first scene.
Scenario Prep Checklist

Zero-Prep Scene Generation

Sometimes you have no prep. Sometimes the players go somewhere you never expected. When that happens, generate a scene at the table using three draws from a standard deck:

  1. Draw a Spade (Place): This is where the scene starts. Describe the immediate environment. (e.g., "A crumbling watchtower on a hill overlooking a cursed bridge.")
  2. Draw a Heart (Actor): This is the immediate obstacle or NPC. Give them one emotion and one desire. (e.g., "A tired guard who wants to go home to his family.")
  3. Draw a Club (Pressure): This is what goes wrong right now, or what is already pressing on the scene. (e.g., "A blight is spreading through the ground, corrupting everything it touches.")
  4. Set a Timer: Use the highest rank from your three draws to set the scene's primary pressure (4, 6, or 8 segments). (Rank 2–5 = 4 segments; 6–10 = 6 segments; J/Q/K = 8 segments; Ace = 10 segments.)
The Synthesis Question

Ask one question to connect the three draws:

"How does the Pressure (Club) make the Actor (Heart)'s life harder?"

The answer is your scene's opening hook. Write one sentence.

Example:

If you have more time, draw a Diamond (Leverage) to add a reward or hidden opportunity to the scene.

Running the Scene: The 90-Second Loop

Every meaningful player action follows this GM procedure. Internalize this loop — it's your engine.

  1. Declare intent and approach: "What do you want to do, and how?" (Player states Attribute+Skill)
  2. Set Position and DV:
    • Position: Dominant (advantage), Controlled (normal), Desperate (high risk). Default: Controlled.
    • DV: 2 (routine) to 5+ (extreme). Default: 3 (pressured). Never inflate DV to "challenge" — use Position instead.
    Flexible Dice Pools

    Let the fiction guide the dice pool. If a player describes a physical action (looming, threatening with a weapon), use a physical Attribute (Body + Melee). If they describe a social action (persuading, lying), use a social Attribute (Presence + Sway). The skill list is a vocabulary, not a cage.

    ActionDefault PoolCreative Alternative
    Intimidation (physical)Presence + SwayBody + Melee
    Intimidation (verbal)Presence + SwayPresence + Deception
    LyingPresence + DeceptionWits + Deception
    ResearchWits + InsightSpirit + Lore
    PersuasionPresence + SwayWits + Sway

    GM Guidance:

    • Ask "How?" — The player must describe how they use that Attribute and Skill together.
    • Maintain Position — A creative pair does not automatically improve Position or reduce DV.
    • Consistency — If you allow Spirit + Craft for visionary work, allow it again in similar circumstances.
    • No Double Dipping — The player cannot swap both Attribute and Skill to max out a single stat.
    Announce: "Controlled, DV 3. On a Miss, the guard hears you."
  3. Roll and count: Pool = Attribute+Skill d10s. Successes: 6–9 = 1, 10 = 2. Count 1s for Story Beats (SB).
  4. Apply Outcome Matrix:
    • Successes ≥ DV, SB=0: Clean Success — intent achieved, no complication.
    • Successes ≥ DV, SB>0: Success with SB — intent achieved; GM spends SB.
    • 0 < Successes < DV: Partial — progress; player gains 1 Boon.
    • Successes = 0: Miss — no progress; player gains 2 Boons; GM spends SB.

    Remember: A Partial moves the story forward. A Miss always escalates.

  5. Spend Story Beats: Use the SB Spend Menu (see "Story Beats Spend Menu" below) to introduce complications that change the situation. Tie spends to visible outcomes: "I spend 2 SB — the alarm blares and two guards rush in (tick Guard Patrols +2)."
  6. Describe the new situation: End with one sentence stating the new fiction: "The chamber shudders as dust rains from the ceiling — Ritual Completion is now at 5 of 6."
Between sessions

The between-session checklist — tick the timers, count the complication debt, prepare two or three situations, re-read your own notes — is in Chapter 10, under The GM’s Sacred Trust. That is the moment you will actually want it, and keeping one copy is how it stays true.

Key GM Techniques

These are the levers you pull to shape pressure. Practice them until they're instinctive.

The Timer System

Timers are your single most useful GM tool. Use them for:

When to Tick a Timer

Timer Size Guidelines

SegmentsTypical Use
2–3Quick challenge, one-scene tension
4Short-term tension (a patrol arrives, a door breaks)
6Standard scene timer (a ritual completes, a rival escapes)
8Multi-scene or session timer (a faction consolidates power)
10+Campaign timer (a war, a prophecy, a curse)

The Three-Timer Guideline

Maintain at most three active timers in a scene. More creates cognitive overload and dilutes tension. Name them and tick them aloud where players can see.

  1. Situation Timer: Tracks progress toward the scene's immediate goal (e.g., Chamber Collapse [8], Persuade the Duke [6]).
  2. Counter-Clock: Tracks opposition pressure (e.g., Guard Patrols [4], Ritual Completion [6]).
  3. Campaign Timer: Tracks long-term front pressure (e.g., Cult Influence [6], Sun's Fading [10]).

Merge redundant timers (e.g., two "guard arrival" timers become one). Retire timers that resolve naturally.

Progress Timers (For Extended Challenges)

Instead of "3 successes before 2 failures" (which feels arbitrary and often ends too quickly), use a Progress Timer:

Progress Timers

Example: "You need to escape the auction house. I'm starting a Progress Timer: Escape to the Docks [6]. Every time you make progress, I'll tick it. Clean Success: 2 segments. Partial: 1 segment. Miss: no segments, and I get SB to complicate things. When the timer fills, you're out — but every complication along the way matters."

Why this works:

Story Beats Spend Menu

Spend SB to introduce complications that escalate pressure or reveal truth. Match SB cost to narrative impact — never spend more than needed.

SB CostEffect
1Minor pressure: Noise, distraction, tick a 4–6 segment timer +1, worsen Position by one step.
Example: "Your foot scrapes a loose stone — the guard looks up (tick Guard Alert +1)."
2Moderate setback: Alarm raised, lose cover/advantage, lesser foe appears, split the party briefly.
Example: "The guard calls for backup — two more arrive (new timer: Reinforcements [6])."
3+Serious trouble: Reinforcements arrive, key gear breaks, major twist shifts the scene, authority arrives, environment changes dramatically.
Example: "The chamber ceiling groans — a 10-ton block begins to fall (Chamber Collapse now at 7 of 8)."

Pro tip: One strong beat (e.g., 3 SB for reinforcements) creates more drama than three weak beats (1+1+1 SB for noise). Be generous — unused SB is wasted momentum.

Handling Player Creativity

When players propose unexpected solutions:

Using the Deck of Consequences

The Deck of Consequences is your primary tool for generating answers when you have nothing prepped. Use it for:

Suit Interpretation for Plot Generation

The suit tells you the nature of the answer:

The rank tells you the severity (Ace=legendary, 2-5=minor, 6-10=significant, J/Q/K=major).

Interpretation Procedure

When you draw a card for a plot question:

  1. State the literal card: (e.g., "King of Hearts" = Betrayal).
  2. Ask: "Who or what is betraying whom?"
    • If the card answers an NPC motivation, they are betraying an oath, a trust, or a relationship.
    • If the card answers an environmental question, it is a physical betrayal (a structural collapse, a ward failing).
  3. Link it to a Timer: How does this answer advance or tick an existing Timer? (e.g., "The guard betrays his post to save his wife, which means the Ritual Completion timer advances because no one is watching the door.")
The Three-Card Synthesis Rule

For a complex question (e.g., "What does the future-scrying spell show?"), draw three cards. Force them into one sentence.

Example:

The Golden Rule: If a card makes zero sense after 10 seconds of thought, discard it and draw again. The deck is a tool, not a tyrant.

When to Stop Drawing

Filter Through Genre

When the generator gives you a prompt, interpret it through the lens of the region's subgenre (see Chapter 14). This keeps random draws thematically consistent.

RegionSubgenre"Betrayal" becomes…
EcktoriaPolitical IntrigueA sealed document, a broken contract, a flipped vote.
MistlandsFolk HorrorA broken ward, a bell that doesn't ring, a spirit that crosses the levee.
VhasiaCourtly RomanceA broken oath of chivalry, a knight who unbuckles their gorget.
AcasiaMercenary RealismA free company switching sides mid-battle, a contract voided.
YkrulNomadic EpicA hostage string cut, a treaty term re-read, a violation of hospitality.
ThepyrgosAcademic MysteryA false citation, a contested proof, a student's hidden ambition.

Advisory: Environmental & Positioning Maneuvers

The core rules already contain the building blocks for environmental tactics. What follows is advisory — a quick-reference lens that translates creative player descriptions into mechanical terms. Use it when you need to speed up a ruling, not when you want to restrict imagination.

ManeuverMechanical EffectSuggested Position DialAdvisory Note & Existing Rule Tie-In
High Ground+1 die to ranged attacks; or +1 Position on defense vs. melee.Controlled (if prepared) or Desperate (if scrambling).Don't let players "farm" high ground — fiction first. (Ties into Position & Effect.)
Cover (Partial / Total)Partial: +1 Armor vs. ranged. Total: Cannot be targeted directly.Controlled (behind a wall) or Dominant (fortified).Use existing Armor Conversion math. A thin curtain is partial; a stone pillar is total.
Chokepoint (Doorway / Bridge)Limits engagement to 1v1 (or 2v1). Blocker gets +1 Position to Defend.Dominant for defender; Desperate for side pushing through.Enemies will try to flank or use ranged AOE.
Shove (Push)Opposed Body + Athletics. Push target one range band.Controlled (flat ground) or Desperate (near a ledge).Core Rule. Great for environmental hazards.
Grapple (Restrain)Opposed Body + Melee vs. Body + Athletics. Target suffers −1 die.Controlled (if initiated) or Desperate (if outmatched).Core Rule. Excellent for locking down casters.
Sidestep StrikeMove one range band as part of melee attack.Position worsens by one step.Core Rule. High-risk, high-reward.
Charge / SkirmishMove two bands + attack. Costs 1 Fatigue; next defense Desperate.Desperate (for defense penalty).Core Rule. Pairs with Effortless Charge / Relentless.
Suppress (Ranged)Spend extra ammunition. Foes act at −1 die or Limited Effect.Controlled (if you have the drop) or Desperate (if they're charging).Great for crowd control.
Overwatch (Ranged)Ready an action to shoot a specific trigger.Controlled (prepared) or Dominant (if unseen).Requires a clear trigger.
Flank (Coordinate)Attack an enemy already engaged. Gain +1 die (or ignore 1 Armor).Dominant (if unseen) or Controlled (if noticed).Rewards teamwork.
Improvised Environmental HazardGM sets DV 3–4 for skill check. Success: Harm 2 (area) or Condition.Desperate (for triggering action)."Selling the Action" applies here. Drop DV by 1 for vivid description.

Building and Running Adversaries

An adversary is not a block of numbers. It is a question the players must answer. A ghoul asks: "What are you willing to eat?" A vampire asks: "What are you willing to lose?" An Oath-Keeper asks: "What do you owe?"

The Minimal Stat Block

The Adversary Minimum
  1. Name & Nature: What is it, and what system of the story does it represent?
  2. Stats: Body, Wits, Spirit, Presence, and a Key Skill or two.
  3. Harm & Fatigue: How much punishment can it take?
  4. One Thing That Makes It Interesting: A trait, a timer, or a twist that demands a choice.

Threat Level Scaling

Use Threat Level (TL) to place an adversary on the one scale the game has, or to move it up and down that scale without rebuilding it.

TLWhat it isKey AttributesHarm it dealsHarm Levels it absorbs
1Rabble — frightened, untrained, dangerous in numbers only1–213 (standard)
2Minion — a guard, a thug, a hungry animal21–23 (standard)
3Standard — the competent professional; most of what fills a scene2–323 (standard)
4Elite — a knight, a trained killer, a greater beast32–33 (standard)
5Lieutenant — named, and worth naming3–438 (advanced)
6Mini-boss — anchors an encounter by itself43–48 (advanced)
7Boss — anchors a session4–54–58 per phase, 2 phases
8Greater boss — anchors an arc55–68 per phase, 3 phases
9Legendary — anchors a campaign5–66–78 per phase, 3 phases
10Avatar or Power — the thing the campaign is about6+8+None — a puzzle, not a fight

This table is the SRD's, reproduced. Threat Level is the whole rating — there is no separate Tier, Cap or Danger for a creature. Harm is what it deals; Harm Levels is what it absorbs. None (puzzle) is the one override on the last column and is legal at any TL, but a creature with no Harm Levels must state how it is resolved.

Fast Adversary Generation

Roll 1d6 on each table below to generate a Spark.

Random Adversary Generator
  1. Type (d6): 1=Mortal, 2=Unquiet Dead, 3=Cursed, 4=Beast, 5=Fae/Threshold, 6=Dungeon/Living Infrastructure.
  2. Descriptor (d6): 1=Patient, 2=Hungry, 3=Clever, 4=Ancient, 5=Bound, 6=Echo.
  3. Motivation (d6): 1=Protects a threshold, 2=Hungers for memory, 3=Seeks a witness, 4=Obeys a patron, 5=Collects debts, 6=Wants to be left alone.
  4. Weakness (d6): 1=Silver, 2=Fire/Sunlight, 3=A correct count, 4=A true name, 5=A memory offered freely, 6=Fresh water.
  5. Timer Size (d6): 1=4, 2–3=6, 4=8, 5=10 segments; 6=your choice of 4–10, but the timer is visible and ticks only on player failures.

Worked Example: Roll 3, 2, 5, 4, 1 → Type: Cursed; Descriptor: Hungry; Motivation: Collects debts; Weakness: A true name; Timer: 4 segments. Result: A starving ghoul that once was a toll-keeper. It demands payment from anyone who crosses its bridge. Its true name is carved on the underside of the keystone.

Adversary Moves: SB-Powered Enemy Actions

Instead of rolling for enemies, the GM spends SB to activate adversary moves.

MoveSB CostEffect
Strike1Deal Harm 1 to one target.
Heavy Strike2Deal Harm 2 to one target.
Shove1Push target 1 range band or knock prone.
Grapple1Target Restrained until break free (DV 3).
Flurry2Deal Harm 1 to two targets, or Harm 2 + Shove.
Press1Worsen target's Position by one step.
Disarm2Target drops one held item.
Trip1Target is Prone.
Brace1Enemy gains +1 Armor until their next turn.
Taunt1Target tests Spirit + Endurance (DV 3) or attacks this enemy.
Withdraw1Enemy moves one range band away.
Devastating Blow3Deal Harm 3 to one target.
Area Attack3Deal Harm 1 to all targets in a zone.
Call for Aid31d4 reinforcements arrive in 1–2 rounds.

Quick Adversary Cards

Print these and keep them behind the screen. Each is a complete stat block by the SRD's template: Threat Level, the attributes that will actually be rolled, the Harm it deals, and the Harm Levels it absorbs — or, for the two that cannot be fought, how they are resolved.

Bandit Captain TL 4 Ghostly Anchor TL 3
Body 3, Melee 2. Harm 3. Harm Levels 3.
Rabble Rouser — Rally 1d4 bandits.
Cowardly — Flees if outnumbered.		 Spirit 4, Lore 2. Harm 2. Harm Levels: None (puzzle).
Unfinished Business — Cannot be harmed at all until the anchor is addressed.
Bargain — May offer a deal.
Resolution: find what holds it here and settle it. Nothing else touches it.
Slasher TL 6 Oath-Keeper TL 5
Body 4, Melee 3. Harm 4. Harm Levels 8.
Regeneration — Ignores the first 2 Harm each scene.
Hunger Timer [6] — When full, it frenzies.		 Presence 4, Sway 3. Harm 2. Harm Levels: None (puzzle).
Demand — One story, memory, or confession.
Resolution: pay the original debt. It cannot be fought, and it has never once been in a hurry.
Thorn Courtier TL 6 Salt Prince Enforcer TL 4
Presence 4, Sway 3. Harm 3. Harm Levels 8.
Courteous Snare — A gift accepted is a debt owed.
Iron Offence — Brandishing iron gives the GM 2 SB.		 Body 3, Melee 2. Harm 3. Harm Levels 3.
Marked — Knows where you sleep.
Brine Curse — Test Spirit + Insight (DV 3) or gain Salt-Tongue.

Timers as Adversary Structure

A timer is not a countdown. It is a promise. Use timers to make adversaries feel inevitable without being unfair.

Timer TypeNameEffect
ArrivalPatrol Arrives [6]Ticks on noise/failed Stealth. When full, 1d4 guards arrive.
DoomCollapse [8]Ticks on failed Body+Athletics. When full, ceiling falls (Harm 2).
EnrageBloodlust [6]Ticks each time boss takes Harm. When full, boss gains +1 die to attacks, −1 to defense.
DebtDebt to the Hollow [4]Ticks on broken promises or lies. When full, an Oath-Keeper appears.
WitnessCrowd Turns [6]Ticks on failed social rolls. When full, bystanders become hostile.

Visible Pressure: Making Timers Matter

Timers only create tension if players see and understand them.

Common Pitfalls and Fixes

Even experienced GMs fall into these traps. Recognize and correct them instantly.

Pitfall Fixes

Rookie GM Comfort Dials

If you're new to Fate's Edge, start here to build confidence.

Rookie GM Settings
What to Do When You Forget

Scenario Types: Adapting the Loop

Apply the 90-Second Loop to these common scenario frames:

Social Encounters

Travel Legs

Frame each leg as a scenario with roles:

Extended Challenges

Use a Progress Timer, stated in full earlier in this chapter with its worked example, and reprinted in the Quick Reference below. Those are the only two places it should be read from.

Ending the Scenario: Leave Hooks, Not Loose Ends

Close scenarios to create momentum for the next:

  1. Resolve the immediate stake: State clearly whether they achieved their goal (yes/no/partial).
  2. Advance relevant timers: Especially Campaign and Faction timers based on outcomes.
  3. Seed 1–2 hooks for next session:
    • "The rival captain escaped — but she dropped this bloodstained sigil."
    • "The ritual failed… but the cult's leader whispers your true name as she flees."
  4. Explicitly note complication debt: "Your Complication remains unresolved — it will add +1 SB to your first action next session."
  5. Ask one reflective question: "What did you learn about your character tonight?"

The GM's Sacred Trust

Between sessions:

This invisible preparation transforms dice rolls into consequence-rich stories. Let the pressure shape the story. Let the dice sing. And never forget: you are playing the game too.

Quick Reference: Generator Workflow

The Generator Workflow
  1. Starting from nothing? Draw Spade + Heart + Club. Ask: "How does the Pressure make the Actor's life harder?" Set Timer (rank = 4/6/8).
  2. Need an NPC's motivation? Draw a Heart. Suit = nature; Rank = severity. State the literal card, then ask "Who or what is _____ whom?"
  3. Need a twist? Draw a Club. Ask: "What just went wrong?" Link to an active Timer.
  4. Need a reward? Draw a Diamond. Ask: "What hidden opportunity is here?"
  5. Need a prophecy? Draw 3 cards. Force them into one sentence.
  6. When to stop: After 3 draws in a single scene, stop. Rely on the dice and Outcome Matrix.
  7. Filter through genre: Interpret every draw through the region's subgenre.

Progress Timer Quick Reference (reprinted for the screen)

Roll ResultProgress Timer Effect
Clean SuccessTick 2 segments
PartialTick 1 segment; player gains Boon
MissTick 0 segments; GM gains 2 SB
GM spends 1 SBTick 1 segment

Flexible Dice Pool Quick Reference (reprinted for the screen)

ActionDefault PoolCreative Alternative
Intimidation (physical)Presence + SwayBody + Melee
Intimidation (verbal)Presence + SwayPresence + Deception
LyingPresence + DeceptionWits + Deception
ResearchWits + InsightSpirit + Lore
PersuasionPresence + SwayWits + Sway

SB Budget Guidelines

Encounter DifficultySB Available per SceneRecommended Moves
Trivial1–2 SB1–2 basic moves, mostly defensive.
Standard3–4 SBMix of basic and specialized moves.
Challenging5–6 SB2–3 moves per round; use advanced actions.
Deadly7+ SBFrequent advanced moves; multiple enemies acting.
Boss10+ SBUse Lair Actions, call for aid, final stands.

Morale & Surrender Quick Reference

Morale Timers:

Surrender Conditions: