For a few points, you can get an ally in Amber or the Courts of Chaos. Pundit didn't allow them in the campaign he ran here, but I'm not sure if it was because everyone was new to the game, or because there's some problem with them.
What about you?
Are they Allies or Bosom Buddies?
I allow allies in every game I run that has rules for them (and let people make allies later). Allies are two-edged swords. They're as likely to ask you for a favor as you them.
Bosom Buddies on the other hand tend to be touted by the systems as things like "Friends For Life" (from Shadowrun). People that will never desert you, never ask you for anything, and are basically tools with voices. For those types I allow them if their point cost is commensurate with their benefits.
To use an amber example, I wouldn't allow a bosom buddy with the ability to make you trumps unless his point cost was comparable to the making trumps special power.
Quote from: JongWKFor a few points, you can get an ally in Amber or the Courts of Chaos. Pundit didn't allow them in the campaign he ran here, but I'm not sure if it was because everyone was new to the game, or because there's some problem with them.
What about you?
I didn't allow them? I had forgotten that...
Usually I do allow them; and yes, if I didn't allow it it was certainly because of the "new to the game" thing. There's no problem with them IMO, you must know from our campaign that having an "ally" can be as bad as it is good.
RPGPundit
I'd allow them. Oh, boy, now that'll by fun. I can totally picture some poor asshole crying and saying "But, Caine, I thought we were friends..."
But that would be cheating, wouldn't it? NO!!! Because he would still help you, only asking for some dirty shit now and then.
"Of course we're friends, which is why you're the only one I'll trust with such an important and difficult task."
Quote from: James McMurray"Of course we're friends, which is why you're the only one I'll trust with such an important and difficult task."
Yup. Just like Caine. :D
This won't mean much to the others, but Jong; keep in mind that essentially, in the campaign we played, Gerard was effectively a good example of an "Ally" for you throughout the game. Even if you didn't spend the points to have him as such.
And Gerard was fucking useful to you; but at the same time that relationship came with all kinds of costs for you, and NOT because Gerard was trying to fuck you over, but because of all kinds of other things.
RPGPundit
Not just allow, but encourage.
I do allow them. However, I think it is extremely difficult to connect the relationships at the game start.
IOW, I might prefer that a Player says, "I'd like to have a couple allies in the Courts."
OK. How much do you want to spend? How sure are you of this ally? How public is the connection? How powerful at court is the ally?
While I will work with the Player to get this stuff hammered out up front, I usually only like to hand out such points if there is a "story" behind it that links the point spend to the PC's personal legend.
So if you've saved the lives of a couple Chaosi nobles, I'd like to hear about it and then I will know what kind of allies you have for your points.
Not only do I allow them, but I take it a step further and let players buy *enemies* for the other players' characters. A few have even taken me up on it :)
Now that's an interesting option. Never thought of it, but it could work really well, if it doesn't gets overdone. Brilliant, mate.