In Fate Condensed, we’re using only one-point stress boxes. Fate Core System and Fate Accelerated both use a series of escalating-value boxes (one 1-point box, one 2-point box, etc). You can use that style of stress box if you like; for this version we decided to stick with one-point boxes because it’s simple—with the other method, folks can get confused just a little more easily.

There are a few other angles on this style that you’ll want to keep in mind.

• As you’ll see on page XX, with 1-point boxes you may mark as many of them as you want when you get hit (the escalating-value style of Fate Core, meanwhile, has a “you can only mark one box per hit” proviso).
• This style goes with the Fate Core notion of separate Physical and Mental stress tracks, instead of a single unified track as with Fate Accelerated. If you’re inclined towards a unified track, add three more boxes to make up for it, and use the higher of Physique or Will to lengthen it as indicated.
• Three points of stress absorption on one track is not a lot! If characters end up feeling a little fragile in play, you may want to add one or two boxes to the default quantity. It’s all about how fast the consequences hit. (With the older style, a [1][2] track absorbs 2 to 3 stress, [1][2][3] = 3 to 6, [1][2][3][4] = 4 to 10.)