Why rules apply to using
Contacts?
What guidelines should a GC
follow when using Contacts?
How are the sample Contacts
in this document generated?
Put simply, contacts are NPC agents that have the following characteristics:
· They are neither allied nor opposed to the goals of the player agents initially.
· They have their own agenda that is not normally revealed to the player agents initially.
· They have either knowledge or specialized skills that are not commonly available to the general population, which can be occasionally useful to the player agents.
· They are prepared to trade with one of the player agents on a regular basis in return for anything of similar value (include past or future favors) that assists the contact in achieving his agenda.
There are existing rules in Spycraft where it may be more fun (for both the GC and the players) to use a fully detailed NPC to provide a similar mechanism to either compliment or replace the approach outline in the rulebook. These are listed below:
· The class feature Backup (SEH pg 23) available to the Faceman and Pointman classes. The friend could ideally be a contact rather then a person with one specific skill or item.
· The class feature Procure (SEH pg 24) available to the Fixer and Pointman classes. When not able to make contact with the agency HQ the fixer could have to deal with a particular contact depending either where the fixer is located or what type of gear is required.
· The class feature Serendipity (SEH pg 28) available to the Pointman classes. An additional contact could be introduced that provides just what the team needs, based on a trade of something the team already posses but has no use for.
· The class feature Comb the Streets (SEH pg 30) available to the Snoop classes. The agent may have to meet with several well-connected contacts; hoping one of them can provide the information he is after.
· The Bureaucracy skill (SEH pg 42). When the agent tries to bypass procedures or bribe a bureaucrat it may be appropriate to involve a contact for the less mundane (but commonly occurring) requests.
· The Gather Information skill (SEH pg 53). The agent may either meet with knowledgeable contacts he has already established previously, or in the course of inquiries be introduced to potential new contacts who are prepared to trade the information required.
· The Handler style feat (SEH pg 92). The agent may gain access to contacts that are involved with the enemy organization but are more interested in discretely following their own agenda.
· The Personal Staff style feat (SEH pg 94). The agent may have access to several specialized contacts that provide non-combat services on a professional basis.
· The Political Favors style feat (SEH pg 94). The agent may known a particular politician contact who can assist the agent but in return requires certain favors of his own to be performed.
· The Backgrounds (SEH pg 96-99) provide several different opportunities to incorporate contacts into the lives of the agents.
· The Obstacles in the chase rules (SEH pg 190-191) can occasionally be people. You can then define a random probability to the chance of that person being a contact. When players start to view everyone around them as potentially useful, they are more likely to start viewing collateral damage as undesirable.
· The section on Sources of Information (SHE 211-213) provides several useful roles for contacts. In particular the descriptions for ‘Government Intelligence – the Trade’ and ‘Human Intelligence – Handling’.
· The Favor Checks rules (SEH pg 217-219). Introducing a contact to help provide what is requested can add some color to the favor check, in particular when ‘Specialist Support’ is requested. The fact that the contact is not under the complete control of the agency adds an element of uncertainty to the favor check.
· Using Foils as described under the Mastermind design rules (SEH pgs 243, 247). There’s nothing wrong with using femme fatales, but for variety the foils can be contacts with either knowledge or specialized skills required by both the player agents and the mastermind.
· The Seduction rules (SEH pg 271). While the target may start opposed to the player agents but ideally end up supporting them, using a contact provides the GC with sufficient room to maneuver (and role-play) based on the contact’s own agenda.
Players may sometimes feel that the Contact is something owned by them or their character. While the GC may occasionally let the player direct the actions of the contact, the contact is always subject to the control of the GC. For this reason there is really only one rule that applies to contacts – The GC has final say over the behavior, actions and game results of the contact.
The guidelines listed below are only a suggestion for GCs who need them:
· Using contacts should be fun. If this is not the case for the GCs or any players then either review how you are using them or stop using them as required.
· Using contacts should provide additional opportunities for role-playing. Interaction between characters provides plenty of opportunity for role-playing dialog and the subsequent reactions that may occur. They are not intended to be used as a device for players to override or ignore problems without role-playing.
· A contact’s skills and abilities should compliment the abilities of the player agents. Characters should not be able to use a contact to make the abilities of other agents redundant. Likewise a GC should not make a player character’s specialty focus redundant through the use of any contacts.
· Contacts should never provide a player agent with something for nothing. Contacts generally have specialized skills and thrive on trade to achieve their agenda. If they do something for a player agent, then the agent should offer something in return (field expenses, loan of agency equipment, information, specialized services, perform a task or favor, promise future assistance, etc).
· Contacts are generally professional and require their contacts (the player agents) to behave likewise. Contacts do not want their cover compromised by having other player agents introduced to them uninvited. If threatened, lied to, deliberately harm, treated inconsiderately, or frequently annoyed they will react accordingly. If a promise is not kept to a Contact, the contact will probably be unhelpful until such time as that promise is met.
· It is strongly recommended you use the Disposition System rules (SEH pgs 269-271) with all contacts. Introduce the contact with the appropriate initial disposition. Then gradually change and track the contact’s disposition from meeting to meeting, reflecting how professional and useful (or not) the player agent is to the contact.
· The GC is encouraged to use contacts to generate additional plot hooks and twists. Contacts have their own agenda that may cross paths with player agents (sometimes in a useful way other times as a hindrance). Contacts may approach the agents to perform tasks and occasionally may need rescuing. You may have contacts turn against the player agents and betray them, if so try not to over do this option (provide at least five useful contacts for every bad contact) – otherwise the players may distrust everyone and go back to killing everyone they meet.
The sample contacts presented here are constructed using the same rules that apply to player character agents. This does not mean that they are (or were) agents, only that have similar abilities to agents. They have their ability scores determined using the point buy system from the DMG (of the d20 D&D system) for a total of 32 points. They are described at third level but can be adapted to other levels as the GC sees appropriate.
[Sorry but I haven’t had time to fully detail the contacts, I’ve presented two outlines and will expand them and add others as time permits – promise]
Forgery can be a highly specialized skill that the player agents may not have time to learn or use while on a mission. This talented forger can assist, but due to the risk involved his help does not come cheap (money talks, but so do original landscape paintings from the 19th century and overseas holidays). If special materials are involved he may need the player agent to provide them, otherwise he can procure them himself (at an increased cost of course).
Slightly less expensive to utilize, is his expertise with a variety of languages. While very talented in this area he has been unable to come to terms with any of the Asian languages). He has on rare occasions kept the original of a writing he was translating and returned a forgery, for reasons know only to himself.
Snoop level 1, Faceman level 1, Fixer level 1: Basement
Class abilities: Astute, Flawless Search, Linguist and Procure
Feats: Talented (Forgery), Master Fence, [Unlocked Potential (Forgery) or False Start]
Skills: Forgery, Languages, Appraise, Cultures, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Art – Paintings).
This most unordinary taxi driver can be a useful backup when the group’s wheelman (or his vehicle) is busted up and out of action. Alternatively he can be hired to tail someone while the player agents engage in other activities (there are so many taxi cabs on the roads they don’t attract a lot of attention).
He is also an excellent source of choice local information, acquired when chatting to passengers (Charmer/Gather Information) or discretely overheard from unsuspecting operatives (Innuendo).
Wheelman level 3: D-0
Feats: Charmer, Lane Dancer, Firm Hand, Oversteer
Skills: (D-0: Gather Information, Innuendo), Driver, Spot, Surveillance, Profession (Taxi Driver)
[You know how it is, so much to do – so little time. I’ll add more gradually over time so check back once every few weeks to see what’s happened]