Hypercompetent sidekick

[WaterAndWindSpirit]

I've seen an idea Mutants & Masterminds, and I kinda like it, and I wonder if it broke something to apply it in GURPS.

Let's say the GM gives the PCs 200 points. One player says "Okay, I buy a 100 points ally, only I play the ally and the 200 points character is the actual sidekick." Let's suppose, for ease of game, that the "always available" frequency of appearance is "all the time".

What breaks? Thanks!

[Kalzazz]

Nothing breaks as long as the DM is cool with controlling a 200pt NPC with the party that is the sidekick of Mr. 100pt PC and the player is cool with controlling someone with half the throwweight of the rest of the party

Of course, if you want my personal house rules, the player is still stuck statting up Mr 200pt and controlling him most of the time, I as a DM only lightly control Allies here or there when it seems appropriate and mostly leave them to the players to handle

[WaterAndWindSpirit]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Nothing breaks as long as the DM is cool with controlling a 200pt NPC with the party that is the sidekick of Mr. 100pt PC and the player is cool with controlling someone with half the throwweight of the rest of the party.

There are a few situations where this could happen.

Superheroes sometimes have sidekicks more powerful than themselves without necessarily being unable to do things themselves.

Or you could have a "General" type PC with 100 points worth of tactics and leadership abilities and the ally serving the role of a loyal bodyguard.

[Kalzazz]

Actually we have a specific term for this in our group 'Pikachu Syndrome' for when the sidekick outclasses the character

Pikachu is a lightning slinging Deity of Awesome, able to go toe to toe with the mightiest critters of the world!

Ash is not so much

Our usual approach to build a character though is to make the PC the baseline 200pts or whatever, and then spend 40pts (or whatnot) for a constantly available 150% ally

[Kale]

The Green Hornet and Kato come to mind for this trope.

[trooper6]

Why wouldn't you just make the "Sidekick" the 200point PC and spend some points on the "Main Hero" as a Patron?

Say, an Extremely Power Individual (base 15)
Lets give a +100% for Special Abilities

For a Main Hero that is present Almost all the time (x3) the cost is: 90cp, which basically gets you to the 100 point concept you wanted.
For a Main Hero that is present Constantly (which doesn't actually seem right), the cost is 120cp.

And Voila! you have the sidekick as PC.

[Dingle]

Is a duty + patron the way to stat a more powerful character that you have to help?

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by Dingle

Is a duty + patron the way to stat a more powerful character that you have to help?

I believe so!

[Christopher R. Rice]

I offered another level for Allies in my article "A Familiar Path" in Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot. For a minion 200% of your points, it has a base cost of 20 points.

[smurf]

15 or less is the best frequency unless allowed by GM.

The sidekick has to go to the: toilet, shopping, eating, sleeping, keeping parents happy, impressing outlaws, get the dry cleaning, be a bit ill, visit the doctor for a health check up, birthday party to go to, maybe a wedding or burial service.

Otherwise the side kick would be a really annoying side kick that is always around the PC when any of the above happens.