Stress Boxes

Stress boxes in Fate Accelerated are a simple way to track how much a character can handle before they’re in serious trouble. They aren’t just about physical damage—they represent all kinds of strain, like getting worn out, scared, or overwhelmed. Think of them like a buffer; as long as you have stress boxes left, you’re still in the fight, whether that’s a physical brawl or a battle of wits. When your stress boxes are all used up, that’s when the real consequences start kicking in.

How Shifts Translate to Stress

In Fate Accelerated, shifts represent how successful an action is compared to the opposing roll. When a character attacks or creates stress through any conflict—physical, mental, or social—the number of shifts (the difference between the roll and the difficulty or defense) determines how much stress is inflicted. For example, if your roll beats the target by 3 shifts, you deal 3 stress. Characters can absorb this stress using their available stress boxes, with each box able to soak up its designated amount. If the stress exceeds what the boxes can absorb, the leftover shifts translate into consequences, reflecting more severe and lasting effects of the encounter.

How They Relate to D&D Hit Points

Stress boxes are similar to hit points in D&D in that they show how close your character is to being taken out of the action. The big difference is what they represent. In D&D, hit points usually mean physical health—how much damage you can take before you die or pass out. In Fate Accelerated, stress boxes cover more ground, including mental and emotional strain. Another key difference is that stress boxes clear fairly quickly (often after a short rest), while hit points usually require healing spells or potions to recover. Fate Accelerated uses consequences for longer-term effects, like a serious injury or a lasting fear, while D&D handles that with mechanics like exhaustion or status effects. Stress boxes keep the focus on the story, not just survival, which makes them feel more flexible and narrative-driven.

In Questies, stress boxes work a bit differently depending on who’s taking the hits. Mooks—the basic enemies—are designed to be quick and simple to deal with. If they have stress boxes at all, each one only absorbs 1 stress. Once their stress boxes are used up, the very next hit takes them out, keeping combat fast-paced and focused.

For Players and Named NPCs, stress boxes are more robust and scale with their number. Each stress box absorbs stress equal to its number: the first box absorbs 1 stress, the second absorbs 2 stress, and the third absorbs 3 stress. Altogether, that means Players can absorb up to 6 stress before they need to take consequences. When stress boxes can’t soak up all the shifts from an attack, the leftover shifts determine the severity of the consequence. For example, if 2 shifts remain unabsorbed, the Player might take a mild consequence, but if 4 shifts remain, the consequence will be more severe. This system allows Players to mitigate damage in a way that feels fair but still adds stakes when stress boxes run out.