Retainers
From FFa2Wiki
Retainers are allies of the character that they can call on regularly. They may be friends, workers under the character’s employ, informants, or family members. The important thing is that these individuals are loyal to the character and will act on the character’s behalf. During character creation, a character may begin with a number of Retainers equal to the character’s starting Resources. Each of these Retainers begins with a single Exceptional Quality. If a Retainer is lost, the character does not gain a replacement. If the character loses Resources, they do not suddenly lose their Retainers.
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Designing a Retainer
Retainers have three important aspects which must be determined when the Retainer is being designed:
Role
The Retainer must have some connection to either the character or to the role they play in society. This can be the Retainer’s occupation, or it can explain what their connection to the character is.
Attribute
Each Retainer begins with one Attribute at 2. All other Attributes begin at 1.
Skills
Each Retainer begins with either two Skills at 2 or one Skill at 3. These must be bought if the retainer is not one that is the result of the Allies talent or given from the point of character generation.
Exceptional Qualities
Retainers gained during character creation, or with the Allies talent, gain one Exceptional Trait to spend.
Cost
Each Retainer begins with a Base Cost of 1 and Difficulty of 0 to hire. Hiring a Retainer is a Social roll, and may use the Presence Skill or another Skill appropriate to the type of Retainer being hired (such as Profession or Subterfuge). The Cost of a Retainer is modified by the following:
Attribute
If the Retainer has Mental or Social as their primary Attribute, increase the Cost by +2. If the Retainer has Spiritual as their primary Attribute, increase the Cost by +4.
Specialties
If the Retainer has any Specialties due to Skills chosen, increase the Cost of the Retainer by +2 for each Specialty the Retainer possesses.
A character can make only one roll to gain Retainers per day. As is normal with purchases, each additional Retainer the character wishes to hire increases the Cost and Difficulty by one. If the character is hiring different types of Retainers, the highest Cost is used to determine the Base Cost of the Resource Roll.
Example Retainers
| Name | Attribute | Skill |
| Alchemist | Mental | Craft (Alchemy) |
| Animal Handler | Social | Animal Ken |
| Apothecary | Mental | Medicine, Herbalist |
| Appraiser | Mental | Business |
| Architect | Mental | Profession (Architect) |
| Armourer | Physical | Craft (Armour Smith) |
| Assassin | Mental | Stealth, Herbalist |
| Barrister | Social | Diplomacy |
| Blacksmith | Physical | Craft (Blacksmith) |
| Body Guard | Physical | <Weapon>, Search |
| Book Binder | Mental | Profession (Book Making) |
| Bowyer | Mental | Craft (Bow Making) |
| Brazier | Mental | Artistry (Brazier), Profession (Brazier) |
| Brewer | Mental | Profession (Brewing) |
| Butler | Social | Diplomacy, Integrity |
| Carpenter | Mental | Craft (Wood Working) |
| Cartographer | Mental | Profession (Cartographer), Survival (<Region>) |
| Cartwright | Mental | Profession (Cartwright) |
| Chandler | Mental | Profession (Chandler) |
| Clerk | Mental | Profession (Clerk) |
| Cobbler | Mental | Profession (Cobbler) |
| Coiffeur | Social | Artistry (Hairdressing), Profession (Hairdresser) |
| Coffin Maker | Mental | Profession (Coffin Maker) |
| Composer | Social | Artistry (Composition) |
| Cook | Mental | Profession (Cook) |
| Cooper | Mental | Profession (Cooper) |
| Courier (In Town) | Mental | Lore (<Region>), Streetwise |
| Courier (Out of Town) | Mental | Ride, Survival (<Region>) |
| Copper Smith | Physical | Artistry (Copper), Craft (Copper) |
| Cutpurse | Physical | Larceny, Stealth |
| Dowser | Spiritual | Awareness |
| Dyer | Mental | Profession (Dyer) |
| Embalmer | Mental | Artistry (Embalming) |
| Engineer | Mental | Craft (Construction), Profession (Engineer) |
| Entertainer | Social | Perform (<any>) |
| Fletcher | Mental | Craft (Bow Making) |
| Footman | Social | Diplomacy, Lore (Nobility) |
| Gem Cutter | Mental | Artistry (Gems) |
| Gold Smith | Mental | Artistry (Gold), Craft (Gold) |
| Governess | Social | Diplomacy, Socialise |
| Guide (City) | Social | Lore (<Region>), Streetwise |
| Guide (Wilderness) | Mental | Lore (Navigation), Survival (<Region>) |
| Haberdasher | Mental | Artistry (Hats), Profession (Hat Maker) |
| Healer | Spiritual | Herbalist, Medicine |
| Horner | Mental | Artistry (Horn Working) |
| Interpreter | Mental | Linguistics, Diplomacy |
| Jeweller | Mental | Artistry (Jewellery), Craft (Jewellery) |
| Labourer | Physical | Craft (<job>), Profession (<job>) |
| Launderer | Physical | Profession (Launderer) |
| Limner / Painter | Social | Artistry (Illumination), Linguistics |
| Locksmith | Mental | Craft (Lock Smithing) |
| Maid | Social | Profession (Maid) |
| Masseuse | Physical | Perform (Massage), Profession (Masseuse) |
| Matchmaker | Social | Diplomacy, Integrity |
| Midwife | Mental | Herbalist, Medicine |
| Miller | Physical | Profession (Miller) |
| Navigator | Mental | Lore (Navigation), Sail |
| Nursemaid | Social | Profession (Nursemaid) |
| Painter (Portrait) | Mental | Artistry (Painting) |
| Parchment Maker | Mental | Profession (Parchment Maker) |
| Pewterer | Mental | Craft (Pewter) |
| Polisher / Cleaner | Mental | Profession (Cleaner) |
| Porter | Physical | Profession (Porter) |
| Potter | Mental | Craft (Pottery) |
| Sage | Mental | Lore (<specialties>) |
| Sailor (Crewman) | Physical | Sail, Profession (Sailor) |
| Sailor (Mate) | Mental | Presence, Profession (Sailor) |
| Scribe | Mental | Literacy, Artistry (Scribing) |
| Sculptor | Social | Artistry (Sculpting) |
| Shepherd | Physical | Animal Ken |
| Shipwright | Physical | Artistry (Design), Craft (Shipwright) |
| Silver Smith | Mental | Artistry (Silver), Craft (Silver) |
| Skinner | Physical | Craft (Hide) |
| Soap Maker | Mental | Profession (Soap Making) |
| Soldier | Physical | <Weapon>, War Craft |
| Sooth Sayer | Spiritual | Occultism |
| Tanner | Mental | Craft (Tanning) |
| Teamster | Social | Animal Ken, Ride |
| Valet | Social | Diplomacy |
| Vintner | Social | Craft (Wine) |
| Weapon Smith | Physical | Craft (Weapon Smithing) |
| Weaver | Mental | Artistry (Weaving), Profession (Weaving) |
| Wheelwright | Physical | Craft (Wheel Making) |
Using a Retainer
A Retainer acts as Equipment for when the character wishes to make a roll. If the Retainer is present, and has the Skill being used by the character, the character gains a bonus to their die roll just as if using appropriate equipment. The maximum number of Retainers which can be used for assisting in a roll is equal to the rank of the Skill the character is using. Alternatively, the character may have their Retainers perform tasks on the character’s behalf, using their own Attributes and Skills.
Exceptional Qualities
Like equipment, Retainers can be Exceptional. When hiring a Retainer, the Cost and Difficulty is increased by +1 each for each Exceptional Trait that the Retainer has. When taking Exceptional Qualities, the Retainer must obey the rules for Growth and character creation. The number of Exceptional Qualities a Retainer has must be recorded, as improving a Retainer later is dependant on the number of Exceptional Qualities the Retainer has. A Retainer can only begin with a number of Exceptional Qualities equal to the rank of the Skill being used to hire the Retainer.
Exceptional Traits
- Gain Nationality and Attribute Bonus for Nationality
- +2 to Skill
- +1 Talent
- Gain Order, and also gains the Bonus Skill from the Order.
- +1 Ability from Order Retainer is a member of.
- Gain a Race preferred by Nation of Retainer
- Gain Sorcery preferred by Nation or Race of Retainer
- Gain Psionics preferred by Nation of Retainer
- Gain a School (requires Sorcery)
- Gain a Gift (requires Psionics)
- Gain a Power preferred by Race of Retainer
The following require two Exceptional Traits
- +1 to Attribute
- Gain a Race not preferred by Nation of Retainer
- Gain Sorcery not preferred by Nation or Race of Retainer
- Gain Psionics not preferred by Nation of Retainer
- Gain a Power not preferred by Race of Retainer
The following requires three Exceptional Traits
- Gain a Power if Retainer does not possess Race
- Gain +1 Growth (see below)
Improving Growth
It is possible to attempt to hire an Exceptional Retainer with a higher Growth than normal. Each +1 Growth requires 3 Exceptional Qualities, but also increases the Resource Cost and Difficulty of gaining the Retainer by the level of Growth the Retainer is gaining. These costs are cumulative. A Retainer gains a +1 bonus to each Attribute and +5 Skill Points to split among the Retainer’s Skills. The Retainer is still restricted by Growth for maximum values, as normal.
Example: Hiring a Growth 2 Retainer costs +5 Resources and +5 Difficulty (3 Exceptional Qualities and +2 for Growth 2). Hiring a Growth 3 Retainer costs +9 Resources and +9 Difficulty (6 Exceptional Qualities, and +3 for Growth 3).
Improving Retainers
Once a Retainer has been hired, the character may try to improve them. Besides using Profession (Teacher), the character can pay to improve the Retainer normally, by spending Resources. The maximum number of Exceptional Qualities a Retainer can have is equal to the character’s Might.
Cost
The Cost of improving a Retainer is equal to the number of Exceptional Traits the Retainer already has, plus the number of Exceptional Traits the character is trying to give the Retainer. If the character is attempting to increase the Retainer’s Growth, the increased Cost for such is added.
Difficulty
The Difficulty of improving the Retainer is equal to the number of Exceptional Traits the character is trying to give the Retainer. If the character is attempting to increase the Retainer’s Growth, the increased Difficulty for such is added.
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