Ally (Mouth Piece Only)

[kirbwarrior]

Working on a character concept, and it eventually occurred to me, the NPC the character has in their life isn't an Ally (who comes with and helps on adventures), Contact (someone you go to for info), or Patron. And I don't think it is a Dependent, since they'll never come into danger.

No, what I want out of the NPC is only a roleplaying aspect; a mouth piece the PC can talk with and is friends with. They might help out in small ways, but the main part was for having an NPC in the PC's life.

I may just be overthinking this, but is there a way to do this in Gurps? It feels more powerful than the Pet or Friend perks, but is definitely not on the level of Ally. Any thoughts? Thank you ahead of time.

EDIT: I love off-the-wall* ideas, and I was just reading over UT for fun. I then noticed how complex and great computers can get at extreme TLs. So, I thought, 'what if I just get an Accessory: Computer perk?' It doesn't work (since TL is 4), but if I added on High TL+8 (Only for the perk -80%) and whatever UB would be necessary (which might be a perk or nothing at all), it might make it a simple [10] advantage. If it works, then that is so cool, and if not, then I'll look for a more serious idea.

*A player of mine I helped make a real person using Magic-as-Powers and Using Abilities at Default by getting Ally (Summonable), summoning them up, and then buying them without Summonable and the lowest frequency of appearance. Jumped through so many hoops to do it on a smaller budget than a similar Snatcher could do.

[Anthony]

I'd go with an ally with a very low frequency of appearance, and just note that a failed roll doesn't mean the character is absent, just not functioning as an ally.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

I may just be overthinking this, but is there a way to do this in Gurps? It feels more powerful than the Pet or Friend perks, but is definitely not on the level of Ally. Any thoughts? Thank you ahead of time.

Agree with the player that they have an NPC chum? If they're never going to help on adventures they don't cost points, and if they're not going to cause adventures (i.e. a kidnapped Dependent) so they're not worth points, so 'has an NPC friend who doesn't affect adventures" is either a 0 point feature or a campaign setting.

[Nereidalbel]

If anything, it's a Perk. Your description says they rarely help, and anything they do help with probably isn't worth more of a bonus than a Perk is allowed to give, anyway.

[Ashtagon]

Does he do anything other than chat? If he is willing to use his talky/social skills to aid the character, that's some kind of ally with a limitation (won't appear in person) or something similar. If he is purely a chatter with no assistance or information to offer, he's a 0-point feature.

ETA: otoh, I'm not sure if his lack of physical; presence should be a limitation, if his essential function as an ally is to act as a potential facilitator for the party face. Physical presence is only really essential in combat situations, and such a limitation for that would make the ally useless.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

... It feels more powerful than the Pet or Friend perks, but is definitely not on the level of Ally.

What does it actually do?

[aesir23]

I'm unclear about how this is any different than the Friend perk.

[Kromm]

Even a Friend perk is expensive for a generic friend, which is what this sounds like. (Friend means you have a place to crash and someone who may provide very minor material aid – more like "best friend" or "oldest, dearest friend.") Remember that just as not all bosses are Patrons (only ones that provide significant social and material assistance), not all jobs are Duties (only ones that can be enforced by significant legal, mortal, or social pressure, or force), not all hierarchies have meaningful Rank (only those that give you people and resources to command), and not all family members are Dependents (only the ones you have to support in some way), it's the case that not all friends are Allies or Contacts, or the basis for a Claim to Hospitality. Most are just NPCs that don't appear on your character sheet in any capacity, though they might show up in your character backstory if you write one.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Most are just NPCs that don't appear on your character sheet in any capacity, though they might show up in your character backstory if you write one.

I might even give you points back for them sometimes. I've certainly accepted a relationship that you wouldn't drop everything for, but which you care about enough to give me some sort of plot hook as a quirk before, and would again.

[Kromm]

Indeed, the canonical Favor Owed quirk (GURPS Power-Ups 6: Quirks, p. 32) offers one possible set of game mechanics for a friend who can be the cause of hassles.