Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

[megaplayboy]

I had the idea the other night for how to simulate a friendly NPC/org that is not always available to the character, but when they are available, they will help the character in a manner similar to a follower, including fighting alongside them in combat.

I know that followers are not always available, but the default state of affairs is that they are, unless otherwise specified by the GM. And contacts will provide a variety of assistance when the request is successful, but generally their use in a manner similar to a follower is discouraged.

 

So my thought on the manner was to create something in between, and call it an "Ally" perk. Basically it would either be an adder/multiplier on the Contact perk, or a limiter on the follower perk.

 

Something like

Contact:

 

....

Contact is an ally of the PC and will sometimes accompany them on adventures: +x

Contact will sometimes accompany them on adventures and is willing to fight alongside them: +y

Contact will fight alongside them and has significant combat ability: +z

 

or Contact is an ally of the PC: x2 cost

 

 

Follower:

 

Follower is a frequent ally of the PC(i.e., 14-): cost/2

Follower is an occasional ally of the PC(i.e., 11-): cost/3

Follower is an infrequent ally of the PC(i.e., 8-): cost/4

 

Basically, this is to simulate a "super-buddy" or "special guest star" who the character can ask for help in a pinch, and who will occasionally be able to comply with such requests. In game, it might also be that the ally will occasionally ask the character for help, and how the character responds will influence future cooperation.

 

thoughts?

[Dust Raven]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

I'm thinking something much simpler. Just build the Follower as normal, then apply an RSR: Contact Roll to it. The contact must be bought separately and represents the rappor the character has with the orgination/individual in general. When the request and roll is made, the Follower acts as a regular Follower for a time (depending on the situation and the roll, and likly GM whismy).

 

If RSR doesn't seem like much of a Limitation for this, then perhaps an Activation Roll. I suggested RSR because you don't have to keep rolling each Phase to see if the Follower has ditched you yet.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

I'm thinking something much simpler. Just build the Follower as normal, then apply an RSR: Contact Roll to it. The contact must be bought separately and represents the rappor the character has with the orgination/individual in general. When the request and roll is made, the Follower acts as a regular Follower for a time (depending on the situation and the roll, and likly GM whismy).

 

If RSR doesn't seem like much of a Limitation for this, then perhaps an Activation Roll. I suggested RSR because you don't have to keep rolling each Phase to see if the Follower has ditched you yet.

I kinda had something like that in mind with option B.

 

I suppose taking "Required contact" at a -1/4, then just applying an additional limitation from -1/4 to -2 to represent how frequently the ally will provide assistance as a follower would work. Then a 12- would be a total -1 limitation, a 10- a -1 1/2, and an 8- a -2.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

The Follower could also just be given Social Limitations and/or Psychological Limitations that make them less likely to help (or be available to help) the PC.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

The Follower could also just be given Social Limitations and/or Psychological Limitations that make them less likely to help (or be available to help) the PC.

I'm thinking you're joking, since I don't think a lot of PCs will pay full price for followers that are teh suck.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

Actually, I'd sorta like to see the HERO System go the other direction (in a hypothetical 6th Edition someday, etc.). Rather than introducing a sort of intermediate step between Follower and Contact, I'd like to see Followers and Contacts rolled into a single game mechanic. This single game mechanic could also have other options that would allow it to be used like megaplayboy suggests for the Ally.

 

Perhaps the cost structure could be based on Summon in some way. Heck, maybe it could even BE Summon... throw that into the mix too. 'Cause when you think about it, you could certainly build the same sorts of effects that Followers and Contacts give you, by using Summon and applying Limitations/Advantages...

[megaplayboy]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

Actually, I'd sorta like to see the HERO System go the other direction (in a hypothetical 6th Edition someday, etc.). Rather than introducing a sort of intermediate step between Follower and Contact, I'd like to see Followers and Contacts rolled into a single game mechanic. This single game mechanic could also have other options that would allow it to be used like megaplayboy suggests for the Ally.

 

Perhaps the cost structure could be based on Summon in some way. Heck, maybe it could even BE Summon... throw that into the mix too. 'Cause when you think about it, you could certainly build the same sorts of effects that Followers and Contacts give you, by using Summon and applying Limitations/Advantages...

well, in theory, summon, duplication, followers and contacts could all be done using some kind of core mechanic, and allowing various adders, advantages and limitations on it.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

I'm thinking you're joking' date=' since I don't think a lot of PCs will pay full price for followers that are teh suck.[/quote']

In a way. It is also a minor comment on the way GMs should allow Followers to be used. Just because they are your allies and friends, and generally are there to help you out, doesn't necessarily mean they should be your hate slaves (as opposed to love slaves? ); without lives of their own, completely at your beck and call and willing to do anything and everything you wish.

 

It depends a bit on the campaign, I suppose, but remember that you do get a significant discount already for the Follower's abilities.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

In a way. It is also a minor comment on the way GMs should allow Followers to be used. Just because they are your allies and friends' date=' and generally are there to help you out, doesn't [i']necessarily[/i] mean they should be your hate slaves (as opposed to love slaves? ); without lives of their own, completely at your beck and call and willing to do anything and everything you wish.

 

It depends a bit on the campaign, I suppose, but remember that you do get a significant discount already for the Follower's abilities.

 

Well, imo, a follower is kinda like your employee: they work for you much of the time, and you can tell them what to do, within certain parameters. If you are abusive towards them, they may be less helpful, get in your face, quit, or even sell you out.

 

I kinda miss the "loyalty" adders they had in the pre-4th days, with high and fanatic levels of loyalty costing extra, and lower loyalty costing less.

 

But if one wanted to have an absolutely loyal follower(an animal companion or helpful android come to mind), then it should be possible to simulate that in-system.

Similarly, it should be possible to simulate a follower with very shaky loyalty, and to assume that most followers fall somewhere in-between.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

Actually, I'd sorta like to see the HERO System go the other direction (in a hypothetical 6th Edition someday, etc.). Rather than introducing a sort of intermediate step between Follower and Contact, I'd like to see Followers and Contacts rolled into a single game mechanic. This single game mechanic could also have other options that would allow it to be used like megaplayboy suggests for the Ally.

 

Perhaps the cost structure could be based on Summon in some way. Heck, maybe it could even BE Summon... throw that into the mix too. 'Cause when you think about it, you could certainly build the same sorts of effects that Followers and Contacts give you, by using Summon and applying Limitations/Advantages...

 

I wouldn't like this at all. Follower and Contact are two completely different mechanics.

 

A Follower has a great range of utility for the character. A Follower can watch your back, call for backup, guard the base, stay with the car, go for coffee, shoot the bad guys, run interference when the boss walks in, distract the bad guys, return your library books, answer your phone, take a message, play "good cop", etc... And all part and parcel of the Follower's duties (specific dutied depening on the actual purpose of the Follower of course).

 

A Contact on the other hand, is really more of a really limited, but broad Skill. Need to know where Don Guido has been hanging out lately? Well, unless you want to devote a large amount of time looking for him (or if that's failed), you can call your Street Informant Contact. Need to look at the police report of that missing persons case you've been hired to investigate? Drop by your File Clerk Contact. Need tickets to the Governor's Ball? Time to check if your buddy the Judge Contact still likes you. The scope of what a Contact can do for you is very, very limited. Practically limited to the point they are basically like buying a unique Skill with OAF (other person).

 

Combining the two would just be wacky.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

I wouldn't like this at all. Follower and Contact are two completely different mechanics.

...

Combining the two would just be wacky.

I agree.

 

[EDIT: NVM on the rest; I see you were the one who made the original suggestion on that front anyway. ]

[CBikle]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

In many games I've been in (including the current one), the "Ally" rule sort of unofficially happens anyway. Often it is in the form of a friendly GM NPC who covers areas the regular PCs don't (cleric, inventor, etc) and accompanies them on adventures and is often run by another player in combat and/or if the player's regular character has been taken out of the picture.

 

For me, I think the key difference between contacts and followers is that PCs run their followers (robots/AIs too), but I run the contacts and contacts pretty much never get involved in combat.

[Mike W]

Re: Follower/Contact variant option: Ally

 

For me,

 

Follower and Contact are completely different mechanics. Followers rarely operate without you and are generally your employee/apprentice. They are almost always available to you and again, they rarely operate independently. When I think of Followers I either think of a group of agents(including your basic street thug gang that every Batman villain has) or I think of the "second bananas" of the world like Tonto to Zorro, Kato to the Green Hornet, and Robin(especially early in training) to Batman. Sometimes the second banana is the better character, but you can't think of them without the other partner but you CAN think of the first partner without the second banana.

 

Contact is an ally. Someone you work with from time to time but you have different lives, maybe even different professions or goals. As such, I don't see a need for making Ally a separate idea, especially now that Contact has relationship as a separate skill/modifier and requiring an additional roll. The intial roll is how easy they are to contact; this is based partly on how well you know them but also on how often they are home. I doubt if anyone has more than about an 11- to contact Doctor Strange, no matter how close they are to him because you never know what dimension he is going to be in. When you call Bleeker St. and Wong picks up the phone there is an equal chance that Wong says "Master Stephen is in." and "Master Stephen is currently occupied in the Dark Dimension and may be gone for some time." BUT, there are certain people(say Clea) who have about +5 to the relationship roll, people whom Stephen will drop almost anything for and come running. That, to me, is how you define an ally. Buy a Contact and spend some points on the relationship. If you have a 16- relationship roll with someone then they'll come running almost all the time, no matter what they are doing. Of course, their character sheet should generally have you listed in a similar manner, where they can depend on you to come running as needed.