Making a new character

Hi all.

When I make another character as improvement, it has to be a brand new character, or can I also "upgrade" any NPC to PC?

There is nothing stopping you, and it is verified fun. Or at least, I did it and liked it when I did.

When we started, we had a town doctor named Smiddy. Our Hardholder got an improvement and turned Smiddy into an Angel PC. Then the Hardholder's player left the game and Smiddy was demoted back to NPC town doctor.
Aaaand then my Faceless murdered him.

And if the character is a threat? In my game, one of angel's assistant is a threat (grotesque: pain addict); what if a player asks to upgrade him to PC? If it's possible, I just lose a threat?

And if the character is a threat? In my game, one of angel's assistant is a threat (grotesque: pain addict); what if a player asks to upgrade him to PC? If it's possible, I just lose a threat?

Every NPC is a threat, says so in the book! Go right ahead and PC it.
It would belong to the player then, so nope, no threat anymore.

Not every one:

As you play, you’ll leap forward with all kinds of named NPCs, right? Many of them won’t amount to anything, they’ll be just names, quick characterizations, simple motivations. That’s fine.
Whenever an NPC develops agency, though, list her as a threat

In my game some NPC isn't a threat (yet?), so I was also wondering if this makes any difference.

Not every one:

Quote

As you play, you’ll leap forward with all kinds of named NPCs, right? Many of them won’t amount to anything, they’ll be just names, quick characterizations, simple motivations. That’s fine.
Whenever an NPC develops agency, though, list her as a threat

In my game some NPC isn't a threat (yet?), so I was also wondering if this makes any difference.

Oh, my mistake then. I confused agency with fundamental scarcity, I suppose.

Well, doesn't really matter. Either the threat side of the NPC hasn't really surfaced yet, in which case who cares? Or the player is interested in the NPC precisely because it is such a cool threat, in which case you can bet that the new PC will be a better threat for the other ones than your NPC ever was.

If there is some specific, weird, unknown nature that the NPC had before PC-ification, feel free to give the new PC a special move. Doesn't need to be anything too fancy.

Cannibal - when you see blood or exposed human meat, you're under fire from your hunger - lose it and you can't do anything but pursue this tasty morsel in your sights.


As a general rule, say yes as often as you can, and think of how to resolve it afterwards.