Companion+Rules

Stunts can grant the assistance of other characters. These characters are NPCs that are under the partial control of the character who purchased them. They can't be controlled directly, but barring compels they obey all semi-reasonable orders/requests. They each have two aspects and a high concept. Their High Concepts always reference the character who purchased them.

Some of these characters have Quirks. A Quirk is an Aspect that controls the character's behaviour. If a Quirk conflicts with an order/request given by the character's purchaser, the Quirk dictates the character's behaviour.

These stunts can belong to any thematically appropriate ability. Resources could give a player a butler, while Survival could grant a pack of hunting dogs.

Dead or otherwise incapacitated characters can be replaced at milestones.

Stunts that give characters the assistance of other characters come in two types.

The first type grants the help of a single companion character with a skill pyramid which has a height 1 less than the associated skill of the stunt. Characters may spend Refresh to buy Powers and stunts for their companions. Each point of Refresh spent this way gives a companion approximately two points worth of abilities. Abilities that are equally good for a companion as for the primary character may cost as much as 1 Refresh for each points worth, while abilities which are clearly suboptimal may cost as little as 1 Refresh for every three points worth.

It is also possible to adjust the height of a companion's skill pyramid. Reducing the height of a companion's pyramid by one allows the free purchase of abilities that would normally cost the primary character 1 Refresh. Increasing the height of a companion's pyramid costs 1 Refresh for each point of height and is only possible if an amount of Refresh equal to the square of the desired number of pyramid height increases has already been invested in the companion's abilities.

If a companion has a Quirk, then it receives a number of extra Refresh points worth of abilities equal to the amount of Refresh spent on it.

The second type grants the help of a group of minion characters. One stunt gives a group of three identical minions, each with two skills and no Refresh. Additional minions may be added to the group, at a cost of one Refresh for every three minions. Characters may spend Refresh to improve their minions, at a cost of 1 Refresh for each points worth of Powers and stunts or each additional skill. Refresh spent to improve minions improves each minion equally. All minion skills have a rating equal three less than the associated skill of the stunt. Minions have no stress tracks and they never take consequences. If a minion would get extra stress boxes from Toughness or Endurance or some other effect, give them an equal amount of armour instead.

If a group of minions has a Quirk, then it receives three additional members or one points worth of Powers and stunts.

Examples:
__[-1] Jeeves (Resources):__ Your faithful butler Jeeves is always there for you. Jeeves is a companion with the High Concept "(Character)'s Butler". He possesses a skill pyramid with a height one less than your Resources skill, with a focus on social skills and self-control. __[-1] Tweetie Bird (Survival):__ Your pet bird Tweetie comes in handy from time to time. Tweetie is a companion with the High Concept "(Character)'s Pet Bird". Tweetie has a Quirk: he is a bird, and his ability to understand and obey you is limited by his animal mind. He possesses a skill pyramid with a height two less than your Survival skill, and has the following Powers: Diminutive Size, Wings, Echoes Of The Beast. His skills are largely physical or perception-based. __[-5] Super Robot (Scholarship):__ You once built a killer robot, which serves and protects you loyally. The killer robot is a companion with the High Concept "(Character)'s Greatest Creation". The robot has a Quirk: it wants to kill anyone who harms you, and will try to do so no matter what you tell it to do. It possesses a skill pyramid with a height equal to your Scholarship skill, and has the following Powers: Hulking Size, Supernatural Strength, Supernatural Toughness, Potent Ranged Natural Weaponry, Semi-Animate, The Catch (Magnetism). Its skills have to do with combat and physical work.

__[-2] Thug Squad (Contacts):__ You've got a few legbreakers to back you up when things get ugly. There are six thugs who each have the High Concept "(Character)'s Minion" who will do whatever you tell them. They each have Fists and Intimidation skills three less than your Contacts. They have no stress tracks. __[-3] Apprentices (Lore):__ Like most powerful wizards, you have students to teach. There are three teenagers who each have the High Concept "(Character)'s Apprentice" who will do almost anything you say. However, they have a Quirk: they will occasionally go out on their own to acquire knowledge or fight monsters...which rarely will end well for them. They each have Conviction, Discipline, and Lore skills three less than your Lore. They have no stress tracks, but they do receive mental armour from their Conviction. They all possess the Ritual Power for the same field.