Aberrant: 2011 - Allies, Enemies, Followers, and Mentors

[Ravenshire]

At some point and time we are all going to invest time and effort into getting some NPC that is somewhat devoted to us. What I am curious about (amongst other things) is how do we advance them?

Do we advance them through stories they are in, just like PC's?

Do we advance them by month of active service of the PC they are attached to?

Do we have a set, different rate for each of the above?

My thoughts on the matter are this:

Mentors (if they are unique to the PC) advance like PC's do. They don't have to be active in a month to get expts, only their PC does.

Followers, being just that, should get one expt (2 if they are very busy) per month of their active PC. They need a mention to get the points.

Enemies are like the PC. They get expts when the PC gets them, so a PC that is as tough as your PC remains just as tough.

Allies get expts only when they get a mention in a month. They are major NPC's in your character's life, but this is still mainly about your character. If your character doesn't mention them, or just isn't active, the ally gets nothing.

[Josh Brickman]

Let's say you have a mentor at three dots.

Even if you gain Q6 with all the trimmings (or god help you, Q8), your mentor is still three dots (which is more impressive at 30 nova points than at 300).

In theory, your mentor advances by you increasing the number of dots for him.

Or... perhaps your mentor advances in power, stays at three dots, and consiquently has less and less time for you and interest in you.

[Cyn]

I think that given the NPC status of both mentors and enemies, for the most part they advance as the player to whom they are attached needs them to advance. For instance, there are perfectly valid story arcs which depend on the rate of advance for either a mentor or an enemy varying enourmously from the guideline being suggested. Just to give some very basic story arc examples:

1) The student becomes the master: One's mentor advances at a slower rate than the PC, leading to the PC eventually overcoming the mentor in power, status or both.

2) Back with a vengeance: An enemy shows a sudden jump in power, causing the PC to suffer a profound disadvantadge until they can begin to catch up.

3) Change of scale: A past enemy has fallen behind in the power race, leading to a PC defeating them more and more easily until they become a nuisance rather than a true threat. The PC moves on to bigger and more problematic issues.

Each of those three stories are not only useful but downright common story arcs. Each of them depends on a non-standard rate of advancement for the NPCs involved. So unless there's a rash of people using NPC enemies of theirs to beat up on other PCs that I'm not aware of, I think formalizing NPC power advancement is a mistake that will get in the way of good storytelling.

[Summer Solstice]

Eh, you're thinking to hard.

I think if you create an NPC and make use of that NPC then you should advance tham at a REASONABLE rate. I'm not going to bother saying what is reasonable and what is not since we all have different opinions on what that might be (some feel a dot a day is cool, others will create the NPC and never increase a thing).

Players and moderators should have some input as far as advancement goes (when and if it gets out of hand). Seriously, 4s and 5s are not something baselines (even mentors) usually have. Baselines should never have higher than 4s unless they are canon NPCs and certainly should not be masters of their craft right out of the gate, or the perfect financial sponge simply because that's exactly what the character needs them to be.

[Catalyst]

Here is an issue. Power. What is power?

Should a foes that was a threat in mainly a physical form, remain only a threat in that way? Or could they become as time goes on more of a mental threat?

Should mentors only help out in a pinch? What is a pinch? How long does it last?How does one help in this one way?

The problems with these sort of NPCs is that story tellers handle them better than players do and we all think in slightly different terms.What is cool by Dave, may be bullshit by John.

[Summer Solstice]

Originally Posted By: Catalyst

Here is an issue. Power. What is power?

Power is the relative strength level in comparison to the player. Or a justified order of statistics that makes the NPC fit the niche they were designed for.

Quote:

Should a foes that was a threat in mainly a physical form, remain only a threat in that way? Or could they become as time goes on more of a mental threat?

If properly 'played' then no, they should be a physical, mental, and social threat to the PC if the NPC in question would actually use one, any combination, or all of those tactics.

But, what does this have to do with answering the question about how to advance them in relative power to the PC?

Quote:

Should mentors only help out in a pinch?

No. They are teachers, peers, and role models. People the PCs should look up to, respect, or fear (depending on which way the character leans morally).

Mentors should not however be a crutch for the character to sponge off of or have the NPC do all their legwork for them because they have this 'handy dandy' mentor who knows everything.

But, again, how does this answer the question about advancing the NPC?

Quote:

What is a pinch?

Depends. Opinions vary. My guess would be when the PC needs help desperately and their mentor is the only person they're close enough to that can help them.

What does this have to do with advancement?

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How long does it last? How does one help in this one way?

You're kidding right?

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The problems with these sort of NPCs is that story tellers handle them better than players do and we all think in slightly different terms.

I gotta call "bullshit" on that one Catalyst. Storytellers are not the people who should be running players NPCs for them; they should merely voicing and tracking the NPCs activities. The NPCs should be fleshed out, and raring to go before the character is brought into play. Obviously contacts and NPCs met after play are different.

Players who do not know whether or not a mentor or other selected NPC would or would not help them in a given circumstance need to be beat with a stick because they apparently were not paying attention to the game.

But, how does this have anything to do with advancement?

Quote:

What is cool by Dave, may be bullshit by John.

If everyone did everything my way, the world would be awesome. John will learn, or John will be eliminated.

But it certainly doesn’t help Ravenshire with his question about advancement of NPCs.

[Rosemarie]

I'm thinking that it might be best to submit character sheets, or even a rough outline, for the major NPCs in your life after your character's accepted. If my character is accepted, I'll be doing up a sheet for her ally, as he is a nova artist of some note. Family members, Contacts... those are a bit different.

Though claiming a major NPC as an Ally/Mentor/Contact without good explanation is ridiculous. Having Andy Vance or Gaal and Najarian as Contacts (these guys know everybody) is one thing; having Divis Mal or a major member of T2M as a mentor beyond 1 or 2 dots is another. Even then, I'd definitely be putting my foot down over Mal.