RE: Sidekick minimaxing

From: Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_...>
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 00:06:07 -0000

> >So they get their keyword at 17.
> >They *also* get their species keyword, with skills at the
> given values
> >(ouch! I haven't looked them up, but "far too high" no doubt covers
> >it.)
>
> No, they don't. This is where it gets really hard for some
> people to wrap their heads around this. They get what the
> rule says they get.

And that's what the rule says they get. Page 84. The example given is a shell deer, which is rather more reasonable, but it's quite explicit: "Nonhuman sidekicks always gain the benefits and disadvantages of their natural abilities, including a species keyword for intelligent nonhumans. They can have a keyword if the hero wishes, but more likely use only their natural abilities."

It might be reasonable to limit how the abilities are used by the Follower Reluctance table, it might be reasonable to say that it isn't a Sidekick in the first place, it's a Patron, but those species abilities are there to stay.