Would you allow this power: I know a guy

[JmOz]

I KNOW A GUY

Summon 25-point creatures, Expanded Class of Beings (Very Limited Group:  humans; +1/4), Loyal (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Specific Being (+1) (16 Active Points); Arrives Under Own Power (-1/2), Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-1/2), OIF (Token, cellphone, or costume (Depending on the character); -1/2), Requires A Roll (14- roll; -1/4)

 

Real Cost: 6

 

The power represents an extremely well connected guy, but his contacts kind of come and go If you get what I mean

[Netzilla]

Sure. Other games I've run and played had similar "powers" and I've frequently found it convenient for pointing PCs in the right direction as a GM. Loyal might be a bit much; Devoted and Slavishly Loyal definitely so. I'd rather limit it to Friendly.

[JmOz]

What about it being a foci?  The idea started based on "The Shadow" and was to represent the rings that Identifieedd them to each other...

[Ninja-Bear]

Wouldn't contact at most levels be cheaper?

[csyphrett]

Wouldn't contact at most levels be cheaper?

Contacts represent a specific person like Jimmy Two Toes the local dock racketeer. This summons represents anyone the character can justify calling to get information so maybe you can get Jimmy, or maybe Big Mike, or Sal, depending on who answers the phone.

CES 

[csyphrett]

What about it being a foci?  The idea started based on "The Shadow" and was to represent the rings that Identifieedd them to each other...

That's fine for a phone. If they all belonged to the same organization, an identifying characteristic might be added on for the summoned character (must possess ring, brand, blind eye, etc)

CES

[Steve]

Contacts represent a specific person like Jimmy Two Toes the local dock racketeer. This summons represents anyone the character can justify calling to get information so maybe you can get Jimmy, or maybe Big Mike, or Sal, depending on who answers the phone.

CES

You could do an organization contact to represent a pool of different contacts that can be grouped together. Instead of knowing one police officer, you can have an entire police department as the contact. It's triple the cost but still worth it.

[JmOz]

This is more of a representation of the character who knows "Somebody" from different walks of life.  I am thinking The Shadow here, who has all the people he has saved as "agents"..  In the Dark Champions book they talk about doing something like this with a resource pool, but if you are not using that book...

[Netzilla]

FYI, resource pools are also in APG1.

 

The focus seems okay to me as I took it as the character's way of identifying his or her self to the prospective contact. As it's Obvious, I would assume almost anyone would recognize it for exactly what it is. Could lead to Secret ID problems.

[JmOz]

Your right, should probably be IIF, with reducing to friendly and IIF still 6 Real Points

[Ninja-Bear]

Well to answer your original question. I think its fine.

[winterhawk]

I have a character with a nearly identical power, so okay by me.

[Armitage]

The 5e version of Dark Champions had a Super-Skill called I Know Someone Who Can Help.

 

Summon person built on up to 200 Character Points, Expanded Class (any human; +1/2), Reduced END (0 END; +1/2); Arrive Under Own Power (-1/2), Requires a Persuasion Roll (-1/2).

[Surrealone]

There's nothing wrong with the power, I think it's fine.

 

If the GM wants to add an element of GM control he can require it take No Conscious Control as a limitation ... and adjust the value of that limitation from the base -2, downward, to represent how frequently the character might NOT actually know a guy.  (i.e. At -1 No Conscious Control value, the player should expect the power not to yield results 50% of the time; at -1/2 No Conscious Control value, the player should expect the power not to yield results 25% of the time, etc.)

 

Such an approach allows you to exercise GM control ... without invoking GM fiat (since GM fiat is now built into the power as a limitation) ... and without depending on a raw die roll (i.e. Activation Roll ... or a Skill Roll) to represent whether the character knows someone.  If you'd rather rely on die rolls to govern the success/fail rate, then that's an option, too.

 

Such options let you find the balance you feel is right for your game ... without saying 'no'.