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 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 (NPC familiars only., PC familiars start at Essence 1 and by more with freebies)
• Merits and Flaws: Base 0 (as per below.)
• Charms: Base 0. (familiars only; as per Spirit Charms.)
• Freebie Points: The following are HOUSE RULED for NPC Companions.
-- Acolytes and backup agents get 3 freebies per dot of background trait.
-- Consors and other skilled allies get 4 freebies for dot of related background trait.
-- Familiars - get 5 freebies per related background trait. These should not be spend on the powers listed in Additional Notes below. Those are a 'given' since you bought the Familiar background. You must include the correct level below in your writeup.
Starting levels in Abilities and Backgrounds may not be higher than four dots.
Additional Notes on Familiars
HOUSE RULE:
We find there is a discrepancy between what the background Familiar allows and what some of the 'Special Advantages allow. This is most important when stating NPC Familiars for Paradox Nullification. We are bringing back Thaumivore from the Bygone Beastiary. While a familiar can absorbs a certain 'dose' of paradox at once, it is nullified at a rate of 1 per week. Thus it would take 5 weeks for a level 1 Familiar to Nullify 5 paradox. They don't like doing this, it was formerly called "Feast of Nettles" for a reason.
Familiar 1 = Paradox Nullification 5, Thaumivore 1
Familiar 2 = Paradox Nullification 10, Thaumivore 2
Familiar 3 = Paradox Nullification 15, Thaumivore 3*
Familiar 4 = Paradox Nullification 20, Thaumivore 4*
Familiar 5 = Paradox Nullification 25, Thaumivore 5*
Familiar Background 3+ is currently restricted. To have a familiar of that level you must provide plan for how you are going to provide enough Quintessence for you familiar that fits within the theme of the game.
Companion Specific Merits and Flaws
Companions are not required to have a merit and flaw like PCs are.
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:
| Name | Cost | Value Type |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha | 2 | Social |
| My Master is My Slave | 2 | Social |
| Other merits in regular chargen with staff approval |
| 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 |
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.
