> > There's no mention of the keyword being increased -
> > or of any
> > increases to keywords except in the advanced
> > experience rules.
> > Presumably you could increase the abilities within
> > the keyword, and
> > "increase" the keyword itself by increasing all the
> > abilities under it.
>
> Then how do you see the OiD NPCs sidekicks as getting
> their published skills? Like that? I'll assume a
> near-infinite number of HP have been spent on them, of
> course!
As the guy that created those stats from Greg's (sometimes cryptic) notes...
- These are not "Sidekicks". They were actually created before the Sidekick
rules had been written (or, at least, before I had seen them).
- These really more "character-level" heroes than "Retainers" or
"Sidekicks" - most of them can easily beat a beginning PC Hero!
- They were statted with no thought to how PC heroes and hero points
interact - if the "Sword" needs a high number on his "Devotee of Humakt",
then that's what he got.
- No, you can't raise a keyword rating using HP (only through Advanced
Experience). But if the average of all your keyword skills is, say, 20, then
you effectively have "Keyword 20", even if it isn't written so.
- The "followers" were used simply as AP batteries for the calculations of
ability ratings. If you want to use them as augmentors, it's easy enough to
start from scratch - you've got the relevant ability ratings. Note that the
Main character isn't always the one doing the task - the name in parenthesis
after the task name. Frex: '(Close Combat (The Lion)' means that the
follower is actually the primary actor in this task, (and his or hers, or
its) ability rating is the one used.
To get back to the otriginal question:
*If* you had "Devotee of Irrippi Ontor 20" listed, and no affinities listed
as seperate abilities, then yes, you'd get the affinities at 20. Going to
OiD again, Buther Dognoses's Sword follower, 'The Lion' can use his Initiate
of Durbadath 15w rating for any Durbadath magic or ability. Note that the
Durbadath "Scout" ability is rated even higher (at 8w2).
But, as previously noted, you don't get to spend you 15 "Sidekick points" on
the Keyword rating. (A nice narrator might allow you to use "advanced
experience" keyword advances on your Sidekick instead of yourself; a
*really* nice narrator might even give the sidekick his own advanced
experience keyword advances).
RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has
done what he has done.
- Richelieu