Aspects

What Are Aspects?
The central character attributes in The Dresden Files RPG are ''called aspects. Aspects cover a wide range of elements and define what makes your character unique—basically, they describe the core of your character’s identity. (By contrast, skills, stunts,'' and supernatural abilities could be said to paint a similar picture of what your character can do, rather than who he is.)


 * Aspects can be:


 * : Relationships (Mama’s Boy,  Apprentice to Ancient Mai)
 * : Beliefs (The Lord Is My  Shepherd, Nothing Is Forever)
 * : Catchphrases (Can’t Keep  My Mouth Shut, “It’s Not My Fault!”)
 * : Descriptors (Wiseass  Wizard, Rugged as the Road)
 * : Items (Sword of the Cross,  My Mother’s Pentacle)
 * : Pretty much anything else  that paints a vivid picture of the character (Big Man On Campus, Anger Is My Constant Companion)

In terms of game rules, aspects are the main avenue by which you gain or spend fate points for your character. Fate points are a kind of currency that can be spent for bonuses, and they are earned when aspects cause problems and complications for the character. Here’s a summary of all the ways that you can use aspects:


 *   Invoking aspects  : Spend a fate point, describe how one of your character’s aspects is beneficial to him, and get either a +2 bonus or a reroll to a skill roll.


 * Invocation for effect: Spend a fate point and describe how one of your character’s aspects allows you to make a declaration of fact about something in the game.


 * Compelling aspects  : Either receive a fate point when one of your character’s aspects works to his disadvantage, or spend a fate point to avoid that disadvantage.


 * Tag: On any aspect you create or discover in a scene, get the first invocation for free (as in, without spending any fate points).

At the start of a game, you’ll create character aspects as part of the process of character creation. Starting player characters (PCs) have seven aspects, including one aspect each for their high concept and their '''trouble. '''These aspects are effectively permanent, though they can change over the course of time.

You will also encounter temporary aspects during the course of play. These aspects might be placed on your character to describe momentary changes of condition or circumstance (Off-Balance, Broken Nose), or they might be placed on an environment to highlight elements that might come into play during a scene (Gas Main, On Fire, Uneven Terrain). Typically, you will use your skills to create or discover aspects during play.

Also see Interacting with Other Aspects