Do allies earn CP?

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Exactly. "Cyber-leg? No worries . . . $300,000 please." "I don't have $300,000." Then you spend 20 points to buy off Missing Leg and the GM points out that at TL9, 20 points of Signature Gear is worth $300,000. "Fortunately, there's a slot open for an experimental model. You sign the waivers and it's yours."

That makes perfect sense. Random side note, you now have a leg as a Signature Gear in that scenario, which might totally be worth it.

[JMD]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Or if you prefer, they earn a fraction of CP, based on the fraction of the PCs point total. If the ally is 50% of the PCs point total, they earn 50% CP.

This is always what I've done. Everyone gets 4cp, ally (if 50%) get's 2cp. I spend the points. If they miss their ally roll for an adventure, and he is off doing his own thing, sometimes I'll just say that he got 1 cp from adventuring, or has studied 200 hours of hydroponics or some such thing.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Danukian

Plus burning points on success and other options that reduce your earned CP.

I would personally only count spent points and ignore unspent points.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Lamech

Yeah, thats one thing I never liked about default GURPS. Advantages and disadvantages shouldn't have a meta-game component. Also the way its written if you fix a disadvantage acquired in play, in-play you need to pay points for it. Character loses an eye. Mage fixes him up. Whoops! He is now 15+ points in debt.

It's always been my policy that starting disadvantages must be bought off with points and an in-game reaso. Disadvantages gained in normal play require neither points nor money to get rid of. Likewise, I'd give points back for an advantage lost in normal play.

OTOH, if the character was being run quite stupidly or badly out-of-charactrr, I would be much less sympathetic.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Danukian

Plus burning points on success and other options that reduce your earned CP.

This is true! Trading Points for Cash at character creation reduces your point total, RAW.

I have a house rule that these things do not reduce your point total (esp. for considering things like Allies/Enemies, but also in general for replacement PCs and etc). But I also give out "hero points" that you can spend on successes and etc as if they were CP, so it's usually just points-for-cash.

[benz72]

Next question,
Can allies have 'subordinate allies'?

Can Adam buy Beth as an ally if Beth already has Carl as an ally? If so what is Adam's relation to Carl? What if Beth acquires Carl as an ally during play?

[samd6]

Originally Posted by benz72

Next question,
Can allies have 'subordinate allies'?

Can Adam buy Beth as an ally if Beth already has Carl as an ally? If so what is Adam's relation to Carl? What if Beth acquires Carl as an ally during play?

I think the RAW solution from powers is that your ally only pays points for "supernatural" allies/contacts/patrons, and regular allies/contacts/patrons are handled via RP.

I've also used a house rule that you can only chain out to Ally's ally, or ally's Patron, but not more. This is to prevent munchkinism.

[Phil Masters]

Originally Posted by benz72

Can allies have 'subordinate allies'?

No. Only PCs can have Allies, and Allies are always NPCs.

There's a reason for that rule. The abuses are tiresomely obvious otherwise.

If you want to have help from friends of your PCs' friends, buy all of them as Allies for your PC. Anyway, if your Allies did have Allies of their own, you wouldn't be entitled to expect help from them. Friend of friends are perfectly entitled to regard you as an a******e who can go hang.

[benz72]

Originally Posted by Phil Masters

No. Only PCs can have Allies, and Allies are always NPCs.

There's a reason for that rule. The abuses are tiresomely obvious otherwise.

If you want to have help from friends of your PCs' friends, buy all of them as Allies for your PC. Anyway, if your Allies did have Allies of their own, you wouldn't be entitled to expect help from them. Friend of friends are perfectly entitled to regard you as an a******e who can go hang.

This was the answer I was expecting but failed to find it explicitly prohibited.
Thanks

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by benz72

Next question,
Can allies have 'subordinate allies'?

Can Adam buy Beth as an ally if Beth already has Carl as an ally? If so what is Adam's relation to Carl? What if Beth acquires Carl as an ally during play?

I like RPK's solution: Buy the subordinate Ally as an Ally, with the same or lower frequency of appearance and a -20% (-5% if the first ally is a minion) "Friend of a friend" limitation. Roll one appearance roll for both, with the possibility of the main ally appearing but the subordinate ally not, and keep in mind that the subordinate ally is loyal to the main ally, not to you.

I normally assume that if you paid points for it, is isn't going away easily, but if you didn't it lasts as long as it make sense in-character. So allies gained in play aren't added to your point total unless you decide to foster a permanent and resilient relationship with them. I suppose that puts me a bit looser with CP in play than the Basic RAW, but maybe not quite so loose as Mutable Point Totals allows for.