The charts in Optimum Trait Conversions for Fudge are meant to provide a quick guideline for translating traits to and from Fudge. It is a very simple matter, but there are several issues worth keeping in mind.
If you are translating the traits of another game into Fudge terms and the other game has fewer trait levels, e.g. PDQ, the other game will have one or more trait levels duplicated. In this instance, the PDQ rank Average can equal either of two Fudge traits: Fair or Mediocre. How does one choose? The GM is free to make an arbitrary decision, of course, but it’s nice to have a consistent rule of thumb, so here are several options:
- Always pick the highest trait level.
- Always pick the lowest trait level.
- Always pick the median trait level (if there is one).
- Flip a coin or roll 1d6.
- These ratings are followed by numbers in brackets: [1-3] or [4-6]. Roll 1d6 and obey the brackets. A roll of 1-3 commands you to choose the lower trait level. A roll of 4-6 volunteers you to choose the higher trait level.
If you are translating Fudge traits to those of another game and Fudge has fewer trait levels (a common situation), you will need to choose one number within a range. If you wish to convert a Fudge character to a game that uses a range generated by 3d6 for example, and one of his traits is Fair, you will have to choose a rating within the range of 9-12. Your options are:
- Always pick the highest rating.
- Always pick the lowest rating.
- Always pick the median rating (if there is one).
- Roll the appropriate die.
- In the case of a four number spread such as 9-12, you could roll a 1d4 where 1=9, 2=10, 3=11, and 4=12; or you could roll a 1d6 where 1=9, 2 and 3=10, 4 and 5=11, and 6=12. In a three number spread such as 13-15, you might roll 1dF where -=13, 0=14, and +=15.
The other option, for translation to or from Fudge, is to alternate between one or more of the methods at regular intervals. For example, if a Fudge character has multiple traits that translate into ranges of numbers, you might decide that for the first such trait, you will always pick the highest rating, for the second you will always pick the lowest rating, for the third you will always pick the median rating, etc., or whichever order you like. This could be particularly desirable for translating Fudge characters into games where the ratings are based on the 1-100 range.
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