Why are Contacts so Expensive?

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Well, sort of. As an Ally he couldn't take any Contacts himself, or any Allies. He'd wouldn't get any special access to Mob resources that a similar Mob Boss PC wouldn't get.

A mob boss PC could have total access to mob resources.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

A mob boss PC could have total access to mob resources.

Sure if the GM wants you playing a mob boss and you want to play a mob boss. What if you are playing a cop, though?

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Sure if the GM wants you playing a mob boss and you want to play a mob boss. What if you are playing a cop, though?

...Yes, but you were using the access a PC would have to describe limits on the access an Ally would have, and there aren't any such limits.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

...Yes, but you were using the access a PC would have to describe limits on the access an Ally would have, and there aren't any such limits.

The Ally can't take any Allies or Contacts himself though. I'm saying that I think that Contacts are supposed to have special access beyond what is available to PCs directly in the campaign.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Ally can't take any Allies or Contacts himself though. I'm saying that I think that Contacts are supposed to have special access beyond what is available to PCs directly in the campaign.

There is no prohibition against Allies having their own social advantages that I am aware of... they just often are not required to pay for them.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

There is no prohibition against Allies having their own social advantages that I am aware of... they just often are not required to pay for them.

If the GM is going to give your Ally unlimited associated NPCs for free, then of course Contacts are overpriced.

[samd6]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Ally can't take any Allies or Contacts himself though. I'm saying that I think that Contacts are supposed to have special access beyond what is available to PCs directly in the campaign.

Point of Order: Sticking a power modifier on Ally or Contact so it goes from "dude I know" to "gribbly I summon" does cost your ally points by RAW, but at that point it is more of a magical/psychic/cyber/whaterver advantage than a social advantage.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

I've raised this point before in another thread. A contact is almost never a good deal points wise. Just use Allies.

That's bad, because allies are much harder to build. Either the player or - more likely - the GM has to build a complete individual, writing up the NPC in full. Whereas a Contact is just a few few traits, and we assume the rest is either normal, or is normal for what the character is, and is therefore very quick to write up.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Sure if the GM wants you playing a mob boss and you want to play a mob boss. What if you are playing a cop, though?

Playing a cop who's also a mob boss could be extremely interesting in the Chinese sense of that word. I don't see the problem.

[Danukian]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Ally can't take any Allies or Contacts himself though. I'm saying that I think that Contacts are supposed to have special access beyond what is available to PCs directly in the campaign.

Originally Posted by Warehouse 23 MH3 Blurb

Ten 200-point templates suitable as Allies or full-fledged heroic PCs -- and two 100-point templates so even the sidekicks can have sidekicks!

Most (If not all) of the templates in MH3 list Contacts and/or Allies in their standard advantage package. So at least 2 in DF15 off the top of my head (Shamanic Initiate for sure and I believe Agent), so I'm not sure where you are getting that rule.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

If the GM is going to give your Ally unlimited associated NPCs for free, then of course Contacts are overpriced.

They are not "free", they count as part of the cost of your ally. the 50 point stoolie that has 25 points in contacts costs as much the 75 point muscle to have as an ally.