Super Squirrel Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 You read that correct. One of my players wants his cat as a DNPC. I'll allow it only if I can get a list possible ways that cat could come up as a DNPC. So, hit me with them... please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Have his cat catch an exotic feline cancer and have Teleios offer to cure it, in return for... And then, of course, it turns out Teleios infected the cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Well, it could be argued that DNPC is less about how the NPC relates to the PC and more about how the PC relates to the NPC. If this character REALLY cares about his cat, I suppose it could qualify. The character would have to be willing to risk his life to save the cat, to react when the cat is in danger as he would for a wife or child, and basically regard the cat as being much more important that most people would consider appropriate for a cat. Maybe he could take the same number of points as a Psych LIm: Thinks His Cat is a DNPC. Zeropoint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Well, if I recall, Witchcraft of the Champions has her cat as a DNPC, so it isn't without precedent. First, it can't really be a housecat, it has to get out (and therefore get in trouble) once in awhile at least. Have the cat stow away on a team vehicle often (if there is one) Whenever a villain who controls animals somehow shows up, roll to see if the cat is among the enslaved feline hordes. Maybe the villain de jour just hates cats, and targets them when not having more obvious targets (cops, super heroes, etc) around. Heck, maybe the poor malefactor has an allergy to feline kind? Cats are naturally curious, so perhaps they don't need much reason to end up infiltrating VIPER bases on their own ("Who knew our new experimental Rifle's coolant smelled like catnip?") And, of course, Foxbat could kidnap the DNPC, as he decides to become the world's greatest "cat burgular" and takes it all too literally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightray Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 I had a player who did that. As she later found out, her cat was in fact The Cat -- sort of the God of Catness. This was around the time that Cats had just hit Broadway, and she'd insisted on naming the cat "Macavity". So she wasn't too surprised when the cat's mischief kept causing more and more trouble... playing with the crystal holding bound elementals, clawing up her Tarot cards (multiple OAFs for her powers), talking to one of her teammates (whom nobody believed), trying to eat her familiar when she got one of those too... About the time someone figured things out, they realized that their rooster, "Chaunticleer", was the God of Roosterness -- and the two were not on good terms... I'd also briefly considered that her cat might have been inplanted with an alien xenovore larva, or that it was her arch-enemy in disguise (she'd have been amazed to learn she had an arch-enemy!). But, in hindsight, the cat shredding her OAF was more than sufficient. If kitty thinks that Norse Storm Hammer God's hammer is kitty's new scratching post, hours of entertainment (for you) will ensue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat - Electrode the Electrical Energy Projector will attract cat hair like nobody's business...and be none to happy about it either. - "Sorry, team. I won't be able to assault Dr Villainy's island lair this weekend, I can't find anyone to watch Fifi." - "ARGH!! Plasmoid the AmoebaMan snuck in through the cat-door...AGAIN!" - The supervillain The Jackal, is planting explosive catnip mice all over town. - "If I find one more half dead demonic mouse in my pillowcase...." - Remember the old Star Trek? Gary 7 and his cat Isis? Maybe the cat isn't JUST a cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat The cat gets mad at the super for being neglected at home again! Something unpleasent happens to the costume. 'nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoloOfEarth Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Remember the cat in Men in Black? The cat could have a special necklace that somebody is trying to steal. Or Inner Space? The cat was at the vet's and got injected with something (or an itsy-bitsy somebody) that VIPER wants to get their hands on. Or Grond really likes the 'pretty kitty.' (I kinda like this one. I can imagine the other players saying, "I'm not fighting him. It's *your* cat.") Or a mage's spirit is using the cat (the reincarnation of his familiar) for some twisted purpose. Or the cat likes to hide PCs' foci around the base. ("Dammit, where's the left gauntlet for my armor?!") Note that I didn't say "That PC's" as it could be taking other player characters' stuff to make that PC's life difficult. Hermit's Foxbat suggestion is a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Of course, if the cat has enough usable abilities, you might need to take him as a Follower, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat The cat should be an "indoor" cat that tends to get out, then hero man has to chase the cat around trying to catch Mr. Fluffy. So yes I would allow it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneWingedAngel Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Actually, I've seen this one done. In a rather short lived campaign with some friends, during the process of creating our characters, we all noticed that we all needed another five points in disads. Then somebody had the brilliant idea of "Why don't we get a cat?". So, five points of DNPC later, the team suddenly aquires a cat. It quickly became something of the team mascot, going with us on our nightly runs. It became quite common for one of us to turn to another and say, "We've got this handled. You go get the cat..." And yes, sooner or later we all chipped in to make it a follower, too. Best "Cat Burgler" you ever saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat In appropriate campaigns, the cat could be a relative, friend or loved one under a long-term curse. The current version of Salem in Sabrina the Teenage Witch is a DNPC with (semi)-useful skills. He knows a lot about magic, but can't actually use any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magmarock Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat A cat? A pet? As GM, I wouldn't allow it unless the PC in question had a vested interest in the animal- like if the PC is a druid, witch or wizard and the cat is the familiar. Or if the PC is a cat-person dedicated to saving all cats. Or if the cat is very special (i.e. can communicate or has other special abilities). But if the animal is merely a pet, I think that is a bit of stinky cheese, too smelly to stomach. I prefer the Psyhch Lim option. It's the same points as the dependant, but it's still up to the GM to decide if that is worth any points. IMO, "Protective of Family" is a 0 pt Disad, because everyone is protective of their family. It's a given and not worth much. Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA. Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat I think this is one of those things that boils down to: "SFX vs Game Mechanic". As long as the Player knows that the cat will be treated just like other DNPC's I would not have a problem with it. It will get in trouble. It will pop up in the middle of adventures. It will be taken hostage. It must be rescued, at any and all costs to the character. By getting DNPC points for this cat, the player is stating that to his character it is just as important as a wife, child, best friend, etc. And there are a few conditions I would put on it. 1) The GM gets to build the cat, and the Player does not get a copy of the sheet. Is it just an ordinary cat? Does it have powers and skills like Stealth, or the Batman "teleport" (no one saw me get on the team jet)? Does it have Unluck, causing it to constantly get into trouble? 2) Because the GM holds the sheet, he does not have to offer any explanations, logical or otherwise, how the cat ends up in the middle of things. Even if they put it on a leash, install cat detectors on the team transport, etc., it will be able to stow away and get into trouble. 3) It also will have some sort of movement powers, even if they just involve taking a nap in the back of a delivery truck and ending up downtown just as Grond is tearing up the city. 4) This is a DNPC, not a Follower or Animal Friend. Fluffy is not going to be chewing through ropes and fetching keys from the guard's pocket while he sleeps. Fluffy is more likely to start meowing furiously as you try to slip out the door, after all, he has a couple of cat treats hidden in that cell. Actually there are a lot of possibilities with this sort of DNPC. You may be able to convince your girlfriend to not go downtown tonight, but you could never convince a cat of anything. You would be rather shocked to find your girlfriend calmly sipping a bowl of milk at the feet of Dr. Destroyer, but a cat doesn't possess that kind of loyalty. I think I would allow it, and then fiendisly exploit it. Pretty much my standard procedure with anything a Player asks for. KA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat > Does it have powers and skills like Stealth, or the Batman "teleport" (no one > saw me get on the team jet)? Dude, all cats have that power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat > Does it have powers and skills like Stealth, or the Batman "teleport" (no one > saw me get on the team jet)? Dude, all cats have that power. Heck, most cats make Batman look like rank amateurs when it comes to that sort of thing. My cat does that certainly. I should also point out he's an accomplished escape artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rbezold Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Everybody dig _way_ deep into your old Justice League collections for ideas of what to do with a cat. Powergirl had a cat that had everyone convinced it must have come from Apokolypse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Dude, that cat wasn't a DNPC -- it was several people's Hunted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat A good example of a 'Pet' DNPC would possibly be Bandit from Johnny Quest. "We're going on a trip to the Amazon to check out a basecamp that we haven't had contact with in two weeks, and the last message was some guy screaming about a radioactive monster. C'mon, boy!" Bandit: *whimper*whimper*whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine* An actual comic-book DNPC pet that I recall was in New Warriors #13-15; The Sphinx (Female) had a cat that represented her love for the original Sphinx (male); when Nova threatened to break its neck, she gave up, well, ruling the entire world that she'd remade in her image by altering history. And speaking for myself, if it came down to a choice between one of my cats and certain members of my family *ahem*, I'd save the cat. Though this says more about my relationship with certain elements that share my genetic code than my innate animal compassion. Besides, Nefertiti is so KYOOTE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Everybody dig _way_ deep into your old Justice League collections for ideas of what to do with a cat. Powergirl had a cat that had everyone convinced it must have come from Apokolypse. IIRC: It kicked the crap out of Guy Gardner (A Green Lantern) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Well, it was a /yellow/ cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat I would so give Hermit rep for the Foxbat idea, but I have to spread some around a bit ... As for the DNPC, the cat could formerly be a villain's cat, thereby having its own hunted as the villain attempts to reclaim it. Nothing like getting a nemesis through your pet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savinien Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat I allowed it for a character in one of my games at HeroCentral. It hasn't came up much, but I could see how it is worth it to this character. I'm usually pretty anal about these things and it didn't set off any warning bells. I think you have to have a pet (like a cat), to realize how important they can be to you (and what sort of ridiculous things you'll do for them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Not only this, but certain cats have: Drain: vs. Dex (2d6), no range, cat must make skill roll to get between character's feet; AVLD: Defense is character doesn't care if it squashes the cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Re: DNPC: My Cat Not only this, but certain cats have: Drain: vs. Dex (2d6), no range, cat must make skill roll to get between character's feet; AVLD: Defense is character doesn't care if it squashes the cat. No, that's: Change Environment 1" (DEX Roll at -4 to avoid falling); 0 END (+1/2); No Range (-1/2); Not vs. people who don't care about stepping on cats (-1/2) Cost: 25 active points, 12 real points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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