When comparing 13th Age vs Fate Core, the Slant community recommends Fate Core for most people. In the question“What are the best tabletop RPGs?” Fate Core is ranked 9th while 13th Age is ranked 27th. The most important reason people chose Fate Core is:
Whereas Fate Core is skill driven, has more variables to keep track of and is potentially more varied in terms characters created, Fate Accelerated is approach driven, has less variables to keep track of and allows getting started quicker. Also, the Accelerated version is just 50 pages whereas the Core version is 310 pages.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro The game is built for people who've done it before
The world is half built, letting you get in and leave your mark. Each class plays mechanically different than other d20 versions. Skills are placed by backgrounds. It's a short hand and interesting way of playing DnD.
Pro Long lists of skills are gone completely
And covered by backgrounds (much like FATE or Cortex+) so that players aren't searching through lists of skills and what they can do constantly.
Pro Gonzo without the grid
13th Age has some very gonzo fights with party combos, lots of variable powers for monsters and PC's but as a simple set of rules for combat that speed it up without losing a lot of options.
Pro An even more streamlined version is available, called Fate Accelerated
Whereas Fate Core is skill driven, has more variables to keep track of and is potentially more varied in terms characters created, Fate Accelerated is approach driven, has less variables to keep track of and allows getting started quicker.
Also, the Accelerated version is just 50 pages whereas the Core version is 310 pages.
Pro Excellent clarity of rules
It starts at the very beginning by explaining what is roleplaying and moves on to introduce various mechanics and conventions and explains why they're there, when's the appropriate time to use them and what are the best practices on how to do it.
The book does so in easy to understand language, offers many examples and highlights the important bits in various ways.
Pro Focuses on roleplaying by originating gameplay from world-building
Fate uses "aspects" to influence the gameplay in ways that are consistent with the world that's built. Aspects are descriptive phrases that define anything they are attached to. They give both roleplaying and mechanical advantages and disadvantages. For example, a character could be "raised in a wretched hive of scum and villainy" and that would allow him to better negotiate with thiefs and crooks, but also make him poor at fine dining etiquette.
Pro Multiple settings available for free
If you have problems creating your own game world there are a lot of settings available for free and they range from fantasy to Soviet-era pulp sci-fi, so everyone can find something for himself.
Pro Straightforward and Flexible
The system is great for moderating a session of roleplaying. Bring your own setting, and any additional gameplay your group enjoys. It lends itself well to those without the money to invest in miniatures, game boards, or even tables.
Pro No fixed setting
Fate Core is a general purpose RPG system that can be applied to any theme.
Cons
Con Too similar to 4th
Con The Icons and the PC relationships to them can confuse
Can be confusing, especially for new players.
Con It doesn't really do anything new, it just looks pretty
Con It can be difficult to come up with aspects
Coming up with aspects can take a while. Especially for new players. In addition to coming up with traits that define the character, tags and compels are needed. Furthermore all of these little nuances have to be coherent as well as balanced in terms of power. This can make the character creation process take a while.
Con Compel mechanic is not for everyone
Compels allow GM to trigger a player's aspect in exchange for a fate point. The player can avoid invoking noted apect by spending a fate point.
Concerns about the system include removing control from the player of how a character is played, GMs having a lot more data to track (each aspect for each player) and possibility of getting stuck in a compel-loop of forcing certain behaviour.
Con Atypical mechanics
The general mechanics of Fate are broadly dissimilar to classic roleplaying games like D&D. While this is generally the system's strongest point, players who are not yet accustom to the game may find great difficulty with it.
Con Not for passive players
If you find your players passive and unwilling to take an active role in creating game world then the experience may be not as enjoyable as it could be.