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For the GM, having an NPC entity in a group of
adventuring PCs is no more hassle than a wizard having
a familiar or a Beastmaster with a troupe of Bonded
animals. The player is largely responsible for organizing
the entity’s life with occasional role-playing (or adjudication)
by the GM. The situation becomes problematic
if an alchemist creates an entire retinue of artificial
bodyguards and servants and insists on taking them
everywhere. GMs should emphasize the practical difficulties,
whether it is innkeepers refusing to “serve their
kind” or the local authorities considering a score of
Warrior Constructs marching down the road as an invasion
force. Large numbers of entities are much better for
garrison duties – in one of the author’s earliest Rolemaster
campaigns, his PCs gained possession of a castle with a
variety of Beast Constructs. It gave them a secure base,
which could be maintained by one, or two retired characters
while the others went adventuring.
At the GM’s discretion, artificial entities may be PCs
and, in some cases, normal PCs may become artificial
entities. Such PCs may have an uphill struggle to gain
tolerance and acceptance of their different nature from
potential comrades and others. Ensuring that they have
adequate means for repairs and healing will be another
problem.
For Changeling PCs, the GM need only decide upon
the game mechanic effects of the mutation(s). Likewise
Living Amalgam PCs require no special treatment, although
players should be warned that their characters
are very vulnerable to mind control by Reanimators and
some Entity Hunters.
True Amalgams can make interesting PCs, but will be
under-skilled compared to normal characters. Whereas
a 7th-level human character will have benefited from
seven levels of full DP expenditure, adolescence skill
ranks, etc., a 7th-level Amalgam (created at 7th-level)
will only have 7 skill ranks in a handful of skills. Once
created, an Amalgam can gain experience points, advance
levels, and expend Development Points just like
any other character. For that 7th-level Amalgam to
become an 8th-level character requires the same number
of experience points as would be required by a normal
7th-level adventurer, not the number of XPs required to
go from 1st to 2nd level. Players who wish to play
Amalgams should start them at 1st-level to minimize the
skill discrepancy. Escaping permanently from the control
of its Reanimator will be a seminal time in the “life”
of the Amalgam PC.
The blood-bond of a Simulacrum with its donor
determines its mental stats and personality. Consequently
no player can be expected to role-play a Simulacrum
whose personality has been donated by another PC; such
Simulacra should normally be run as NPCs by the blood
donor PC. Players who like a role-playing challenge may
wish to have a Simulacrum character who was created by
an NPC – the Simulacrum PC’s independence will depend
on how active that NPC is (assuming he or she is
still alive). Simulacra who have had all their skills etc.,
triggered by Awaken spells may gain experience and
advance levels normally, with the same caveat that their
starting level is their creation level, not necessarily 1st
level. (Compared to the original blood donor, such
Simulacra will only have half the number of skill ranks in
each awakened skill and spell list.) A PC who transfers his
soul into a Simulacrum may gain experience normally –
however if the Simulacrum is not a homunculus soulclone,
Agility, Constitution, Quickness, and Strength
stats will likely be different (and probably change the
number of DPs gained at future levels.) Eye Entities,
Shards, Solaars, and Viles are not acceptable as Simulacra
PCs.
Golems and Constructs whose intelligence and personalities
are supplied by the Sentience spell list are not
PC material as the spells are essentially temporary fragments
of the creator’s mind. Golems and Constructs
animated by Spirits, Demons, or Elementals are also
unsuitable as PCs. The animating essences have worldviews
and “life experiences” which require too much
special “insider” knowledge of the campaign setting.
They are simply too alien.
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