Ally advantage. Am I reading this right!?

[Boge]

Okay, so it's 5 points for a 100% point total ally x4 to have them with you at all times. That's 20 points for an always active ally at your point total.

Ally Groups says you can have 51-100 of that ally for a x12 cost.

So if I'm a 250 point character, I could pay 20x12=240 points for one hundred 250 point allies following me around all the time?

What am I missing? I mean even with one 100% ally, you spend 20 points and essentially clone yourself.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by Boge

Okay, so it's 5 points for a 100% point total ally x4 to have them with you at all times. That's 20 points for an always active ally at your point total.

Ally Groups says you can have 51-100 of that ally for a x12 cost.

So if I'm a 250 point character, I could pay 20x12=240 points for one hundred 250 point allies following me around all the time?

What am I missing? I mean even with one 100% ally, you spend 20 points and essentially clone yourself.

You don't get to design your allies. The GM does. Then the GM plays the Ally as an NPC - one who's allied to you, yes, but they're not your pawns in the game. They'll have their own motivations and reactions, which if the GM plays them well, may conflict with your own for RP purposes. And, of course, your PC has to treat them right or you might lose them.

Also, "always available" is usually restricted to stuff that's really always available - maybe an implanted AI or a summonable spirit. Most normal allies are going to be on a 15 or less, which is still very reliable.

[Nemoricus]

Your understanding is correct. However, a Constantly Available 100% Ally isn't a clone. It's a 250 point character that may or may not have spent points on an Ally of its own.

Now, whether an Ally can be Constantly available is up to the GM, and Basic Set recommends that it be reserved for Allies that you can't be separated from, like an implanted AI.

Also, all Allies are subject to GM design and approval, and are controlled by the GM. They may have the same point value, will certainly act in your interest, but they're still a separate character that won't necessarily exactly as you want them to.

[Boge]

Originally Posted by Nemoricus

Your understanding is correct. However, a Constantly Available 100% Ally isn't a clone. It's a 250 point character that may or may not have spent points on an Ally of its own.

Now, whether an Ally can be Constantly available is up to the GM, and Basic Set recommends that it be reserved for Allies that you can't be separated from, like an implanted AI.

Also, all Allies are subject to GM design and approval, and are controlled by the GM. They may have the same point value, will certainly act in your interest, but they're still a separate character that won't necessarily exactly as you want them to.

If I have a high enough leadership they probably will.

[Sam Baughn]

The issue with that approach is that you don't get to play the allies, you get to play your character, who is near useless compared to them. So you ended up paying most of your points to watch other people achieve things and possibly give you some credit for it. It's telling the GM that it is fine if NPCs do most of the adventuring. From that perspective, it's a terrible deal.

Also:

If you earn a reward for your achievements, you now get about 1% of what you would otherwise.
If the mission you are given is one that requires a small team so as to not draw attention, you have to leave most of your allies behind (or indeed, stay behind yourself, since they will be much better suited to it than you).
Most adventures scale the challenge to the number of heroes and allies count towards that.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Boge

So if I'm a 250 point character, I could pay 20x12=240 points for one hundred 250 point allies following me around all the time?

You yourself would only be a 10-point character, which would be kinda dull.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Boge

Okay, so it's 5 points for a 100% point total ally x4 to have them with you at all times. That's 20 points for an always active ally at your point total.

Ally Groups says you can have 51-100 of that ally for a x12 cost.

So if I'm a 250 point character, I could pay 20x12=240 points for one hundred 250 point allies following me around all the time?
.

Yes you could. But why would you want to?

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

I'm always of the opinion -- in any point-based game -- that the main character must be worth more points than any secondaries. Even if the main character isn't supposed to be around all the time they must still be bought as if the main character in this meta-relationship. (Obviously I'd let the player control the ally when the main is not out.)

[mlangsdorf]

Originally Posted by Boge

Okay, so it's 5 points for a 100% point total ally x4 to have them with you at all times. That's 20 points for an always active ally at your point total.

Ally Groups says you can have 51-100 of that ally for a x12 cost.

So if I'm a 250 point character, I could pay 20x12=240 points for one hundred 250 point allies following me around all the time?

What am I missing? I mean even with one 100% ally, you spend 20 points and essentially clone yourself.

You could invite another player to the game, give him a copy of your character sheet, and clone your character without spending any points. Allies are expensive compared to just having more friends at the table.

[Anaraxes]

There's also character concept and the fiction. Yes, you can have an Ally Group of 100 others with a frequency of "always". But unless you're an ant in an ant colony, that doesn't mean that they literally surround you and work with you at all times. (It actually means only that they show up in the adventure session, as opposed to being unavailable or elsewhere.)

Also worth keeping in mind that the GM approves all character designs for each and every game. It's not a matter of designing something by the book, then insisting that they accept your character in the game "because it's legal". If the concept doesn't fit the intended type of fiction the group is going to create, then off it goes. Your Roman legionnaire centurion might command 100 soldiers, but that doesn't mean than a currently in-service military officer is an appropriate character for the team of con men, the heist, free traders, or even dungeon delving.