I'm new to RPGs, and have been studying the Fate manuals. So far so good, except a niggling question about failing dice rolls and fate points.
From my reading of the manual, to Create an Advantage, I pay a fate point and roll the dice. If I fail, the advantage aspect is either not created or created with a free invocation against me. But in this case do I still lose a fate point?
In favor of keeping the fate point, it seems expensive to cost two to invoke the aspect. But on the other hand, it's similar in cost to using an aspect to reroll the dice to get another lousy roll.
Then again, the fate point economy seems to be based on good things lose you a fate point, good things cost you one.
How does it actually work?
Update
My best guess is that I combined two sections in my mind.
In the Fate Point Economy section on spending fate points, it reads:
You spend fate points in any of the following ways:
- Invoke an Aspect: ....
- Power a Stunt: ....
- Refuse a Compel: ....
- Declare a Story Detail: To add something to the narrative based on one of your aspects, spend a fate point.
And in Four Actions it reads:
Use the create an advantage action to make a situation aspect that gives you a benefit, or to claim a benefit from any aspect you have access to.
So, if these are not the same, when does a player Declare a story detail and when does she Create an advantage?