Creating Companions

The following rules can be used to create allies, familiars, Wards (as per the Flaw of that name in The Book of Secrets, p. 66),
retainers, spies, and other NPCs that might be vital to your character.

Please submit one complete write-up for dot of the above mentioned stats you are buying.

'Step One: Character Concept:'
• Concept: Who were they before encountering mages. What is your job?
• Motivation: Why’d they get involved with them? (We don't need a full background writeup. A good complete paragraph will do.)
• Affiliation: Traditions, Technocracy, Disparates, Marauders*, Nephandi*, or none? (No Marauder or Nephandi NPCs, those are left to staff)
• Type: Are you an acolyte, consor, hedge wizard, familiar, retainer, or what?
• Archetype (Nature and Demeanor): What’s your personality? Archetypes

'Step Two: Attributes & Abilities'
As per Mage 20, Chapter Six.
• Attributes: Primary 6, Secondary 4, Tertiary 3 (Physical, Social and Mental)
• Abilities: Primary 11, Secondary 7, Tertiary 4 (Talents, Skills, and Knowledges)


'Step Three: Advantages'
• Background Traits: 5 (consors must put at least one dot into Mentor.)
• Special Advantages: Base 0 (limited to certain types of characters; see Special Advantages)
• Willpower: Base 3
• Essence: Willpower x 5 (familiars only.)
• Merits and Flaws: Base 0 (as per below.)
• Charms: Base 0. (familiars only; as per Spirit Charms.)
• Freebie Points:
-- Acolytes and backup agents get 15 points.
-- Consors and other skilled allies get 21 points.
-- Familiars get 25 points.
Starting levels in Abilities and Backgrounds may not be higher than four dots.


'Companion Specific Merits and Flaws'
Merits: Alpha or My Master is my Slave (See: Merits)
Flaws: Alien Impression, Animal, Aura, Beta, Broken, Limbless, Power Source, No Dexterous Limbs, Omega, Ungainly Fingers, Weak Spot,
Thaumivore(bygone), Umbelief (bygone) (See Flaws)

'Companion-Suitable Merits and Flaws'
Aside from Traits that apply specifically to Awakened mages and their abilities (Avatar Companion, Cyclic Magick,
Manifest Avatar, and so forth), a companion-type character can have any Merit or Flaw that suits the character in
question. The Storyteller gets the final say as to what is and is not allowed in your game. Certain Merits and Flaws,
though, are especially appropriate for companion-type characters:

Merits

Name	Cost	Value Type
Alpha	2	Social
My Master is My Slave	2	Social
Other merits in regular chargen with staff approval

Flaws

Name	Cost	Value Type		Name	Cost	Value Type
Alien Impression	1/2/3/4/5	Physical		Animal	2	Social
Aura	3	Supernatural		Beta	1	Social
Broken	5	Mental		Limbless	5	Physical
Power Source	1/2/3/4/5	Physical		No Dexterous Limbs	4	Physical
Omega	4	Social		Ungainly Fingers	2	Physical
Weak Spot	3	Physical		Thaumivore	5	Supernatural
Unbelief	3/5/8	Supernatural

Special Advantages

Charms

Charm	Cost		Charm	Cost
Bad Luck Curse	5		Bargain	2
Create Water	5		Deflect Harm	5
Disorient	1		False Wealth	5
Good Luck Charm	5		Jack In	5
Mirage	5		Mislead	5
Plant Command	5		Rouse the Dead	N/A
Sand Storm	8		Sand Swallow /Sinkhole	5
Smoke Screen / Blinding Fog	2		Spirit Gossip	5
Teleport	10/20		Wish Fulfillment	N/A

'Freebie Points'

Trait	Cost
Attribute	5 per dot
Ability	2 per dot
Background	1 per dot
Willpower	2 per dot
Essence	1 per dot
Charms	1 pt. per Essence needed / 5 pts.
Merit	Cost as per Merit
Flaw	Bonus as per Flaw
Special Advantage	As per that Trait

Experience Chart
You may buy up your NPCs stats with your own XP. Must be submitted via +xpsubmit.

Traits	Cost
New Ability	3
Ability	current rating x2
Attribute	current rating x4
Background*	current rating x3 / x6
Willpower	current rating x1
Essence	current rating x2
Charms	1 pt. per Essence needed / 5 pts.

*If allowed; see “Raising and Buying Backgrounds with Experience Points,” Mage 20, p. 366
** Xp spends for NPC must be justified.