Appendix J: Using Expansions — A Guide for the Overwhelmed GM

Fate's Edge GM Guide — Appendix J

"I bought every expansion. Then I sat at my table with thirty-seven PDFs and a blank look. The players were waiting. The beer was warm. I learned that night: you don't use expansions. You borrow from them." — The Gray Wanderer, from a letter found under a stack of printouts

Core Principles

Every expansion is a toolbox, not a syllabus. You never must use any rule—only what solves your current problem.

Three Questions Before Opening Any PDF:

1. What problem am I solving? (e.g., "combat feels same-y", "need sea travel").
2. What is the smallest piece that solves it? (e.g., "Seven Bell Court judging table", "Sea travel timers").
3. Can I explain it in one minute? If not, choose smaller.

The 10% Rule: Use at most 10% of any expansion per session. The rest is lore, alternatives, or depth—ignore it unless the fiction demands more later.

The Hybrid Method: Core Story + Borrowed Mechanics

Build adventures by taking one core activity (tournament, heist, travel) and borrowing 1–2 mechanics from expansions that fill specific gaps.

Hybrid Recipe:

1. Pick your core activity (e.g., "a murder mystery in a port city").
2. Identify one gap in core rules (e.g., "investigation lacks clue variety").
3. Read first 5–10 pages of 1–2 expansions until you find a usable mechanic (e.g., "Salt Ledger clue types").
4. Add one cultural hook from lore (e.g., "in this city, sailors never whistle offshore").
5. Add one talent from player-options (e.g., "give an NPC a talent from Way of the Warrior").
6. Run the session. Ignore every other rule from the expansions.

Managing Player Expectations

When players ask for expansion content:

• Yes, but later: "Yes—but you'll need to earn it. Find a teacher in the next town."
• No, but: "No—but take this core talent and we'll reskin it."
• Later: "Not this session. Tell me about it in downtime; we'll build it into your arc."

Expansion Session Zero (start of arc): Ask players:

1. "Which expansions have you read?"
2. "What's one thing you'd love to see from an expansion?"
3. "What's one thing you absolutely don't want?"

Feature one expansion prominently for 2–3 sessions, then rotate.

Pre-Session Integration Checklist

30–60 minutes before:

• Select 1–3 expansions; write names on index card.
• Extract 1–2 mechanics per expansion; write as single sentences on card.
• Prepare one page of reference (print only relevant tables/talent lists).
• Note page numbers for quick lookup.
• Check for mechanic conflicts (e.g., two Boon uses)—drop one if found.

During session:

• Announce the mechanic: "Tonight we're using Seven Bell Court judging."
• Demonstrate once with a mock roll.
• Let players opt out (use core rules instead).
• If a mechanic slows play >2 minutes, simplify or drop it for the scene.

Post-session (5 minutes):

• Ask: "What expansion mechanic worked? What didn't?"
• Note which pages you actually used—toss the rest.
• Decide: reuse? If yes, file the page in your GM binder.

Quick Reference: Expansion Mechanics by Page Count

If short on time, read only these pages:

Magic Adjudication Quick Reference (GM)

Free Casting (TAGS):

DV = 1 + #tags (dangerous tags: +2 instead of +1)

Dangerous tags: Leap, Fold, Gate, Gravity, Create, Summon, Transmute, Animate, Transform, Dominate, Rewind, Resurrect.

Backlash: Spend SB from 1s. Severity by Position:

• Dominant: minor (one SB complication, a manageable cost)
• Controlled: moderate (1–2 SB, a temporary setback, a Condition)
• Desperate: severe (2–3 SB, lasting consequences — this is where Harm lives)

Rites (Runekeepers & Invokers):

DV = max(ObligationCost − Spirit, Tier: Low=1, Standard=2, High=3)

Obligation overflow: Exceed Capacity (Spirit+Presence) → 1 Fatigue/segment. Exceed 2×Capacity → +1 Harm, Patron intrusion.

Healing Magic:

• [HEAL] only: Restores 1 Fatigue. DV 2. 1 action.
• Healing Harm: DV = 1 + number of tags, plus a +2 surcharge. [HEAL] alone is DV 4; [HEAL][PURIFY] is DV 5. A second tag is optional — it names what is wrong, and should do more than a generic mending. Requires two actions unless Pushed.
• Ritual healing (Harm 2+): Requires Extended ritual (timer), rare components.

Summoning:

• Call: 1 action, spirit manifests.
• Bind: 1 Boon or 1 Fatigue.
• Leash capacity: Cap + Spirit segments. Tick when: spirit takes Harm, acts against nature, crosses a [WARD], summoner splits focus, rival contests control.
• Boon Finesse: Once/round, spend 1 Boon to clear 1 Leash tick.
• Leash full: Spirit acts once to its nature, then departs (or turns hostile).

Cantors (Songs):

• Sing: 1 action, resolves next turn. Roll Lore + Performance (DV 2–3).
• Push: Resolve immediately, mark 1 Fatigue, advance Corruption Timer by 1.
• Corruption Timer: Size = Spirit. When full → bloom (gain benefit & burden from last patron), reset to Tier (min 1).
• Resonant Rite: Performance with 10+ witnesses → may found Chorus (minor follower benefit, Obligation to patron each session).

Patron Intrusions (Obligation overflow or GM spends 2+ SB):

• Demand a quest ("Find my stolen symbol.")
• Impose a cost ("Your next Rite costs double.")
• Send an omen ("Candles burn blue; you feel watched.")
• Summon a rival servant ("Another follower of Malachai is hunting you.")

Common Magic Rulings:

• Countermagic: [COUNTER] tag vs. DV = spell's DV. Success cancels.
• Dispel: [DISPEL] vs. DV = effect's Tier (1–5). On hit, effect ends.
• Wards: [WARD] vs. Outsider. DV = target's Cap. Crosser adds DV to Leash.
• Line of sight: Required for most spells; without it +1 DV.