IQ 5 Wolf - Pet, Ally, or Familiar?

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I assume you mean comic detection as in walk over there, and if there's a trap you will explode. Rather than realistic mine detectors as war dogs have been legitimately used for since WWII.

Yes, sorry - was referring to the old D&D joke about using pets and hirelings as trap detectors.

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Losing the CPs spent on the ally only, and likely not getting any for the session for poor roleplaying.

The loss of that CP you otherwise would have earned, yes - it's more than "likely", it's part of the advantage description. It's not even generic "poor roleplaying", it's in the text and it's worded pretty strongly.

The GM will not award you bonus
character points for any play session
in which you betray, attack, or unnec-
essarily endanger your Ally.

I can't think how "Orders Ally to walk down death-trap filled hallway" wouldn't count as betrayal and/or unnecessarily endangerment :D More prosaically, "sending them callously into danger" in ways like sending them to attack an armed and armoured foe while you stand safely back is really pushing up against that "unnecessarily endangering".

Police dogs probably are equipment, not Allies. As much as their handlers are fond of them, one of the dogs main roles is to risk physical combat instead of having an officer do it. Of course, the dog is often a more effective choice because people usually have no clue what to do when threatened by a dog, where your average gang member can handle human threatening behaviour without completely going to pieces. Not many people with phobias about knives or guns get into violent conflict with cops. Some people with phobias of dogs do.

[Flyndaran]

There's also the disturbing issue that even criminals know that if a human cop abuses you violently, they might be able to sue. But if a dog cop bites thier genitals off, there isn't going to be a darn thing they can do about it.
That makes for some legitimate fear.

[roguebfl]

For it comes down to this Will the wolf just do animal handling trick like come when called, or will it fetch ma and pa when Timmy down the well, or come into a burning build to drag your unconscious ass out of the building.

If it's the former then it's a pet. If it's the latter then it's an ally. (It can call also as been pointed out be a depended at the same time)

Note I would call Diefenbaker from Due South Constable Benton Fraser's ally

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I can't think how "Orders Ally to walk down death-trap filled hallway" wouldn't count as betrayal and/or unnecessarily endangerment :D More prosaically, "sending them callously into danger" in ways like sending them to attack an armed and armoured foe while you stand safely back is really pushing up against that "unnecessarily endangering".

...I presume this doesn't apply to expendable summonable ally types...

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

...I presume this doesn't apply to expendable summonable ally types...

Minion specifically exempts you from that. "You are
free of the usual obligation to treat
your Ally well."