NPCs and Fate Points

[The Dread Polack]

Okay, so I feel like I've completely missed something. I'm not sure how many Fate points NPCs are supposed to have in this game. The book doesn't seem to be explicit about it. It sounds like NPCs might not get any Fate points except for when they have their Aspects compelled by PCs.

The "Total Refresh Cost" listed for NPCs seems to be a good measure of the character's overall effectiveness, but any NPC with free will should have at least 1 unspent refresh, so should they get Fate points for it?

What about their spent refresh? Is it assumed that an NPC that has "free will" has theoretically earned enough refresh through Milestones to have refresh remaining?

If you can explain this to me, that would be great. Also, if you can point me to the part of the book(s) that explains it, that would also be awesome.

[mostlyawake]

I'm pretty sure that this is never, ever, clarified in the books. 
Measuring it by refresh seems okay, but which refresh would you use? The PCs level?  Well now if you are submerged every bloke on the street gets 12 fate points?  Man that's a lot of lucky people.  The NPC's refresh rate? Now you've got to know it for every NPC... and honestly I don't.  A subway crashes, and I've got 50 mortals at 2 refresh, 3 guys at 4 refresh, maybe one old guy at 6 refresh.... gurg..

So I just give people fate points according to story.  I give every NPC a single fate point, just in case. If they are above goon level, then I give them two per session.  Then I assign more points as the PCs give them fate points. 

[Nyarlathotep5150]

  I run it that minor NPC's (nameless goons or character that have only minor effect on the story) get none. They have to rely on tags and whatever they get from PC compels.
  Notable, but non-crucial NPCs (anyone that has story effect, or is simply memorable for some reason), get 1-2.
  Major NPCs get statted out as standard characters and get what they get.
  And the biggest NPCs, the ones meant to drive the story over multiple Cases, get the plot device power, and can do whatever the story needs them to be able to do to drive it forward. 

[Becq]

What’s the Base?
Base refresh for powered NPCs is largely irrelevant, especially
when you get into Challenging and Overwhelming categories.
Assume that any main NPC is going to have a base refresh
equal to a PC (accounting for milestones and the like). If you
spend over that, they have no fate points when they start play. If
you don't, they do, just like a PC would.

In addition, read through YS351-352, which talks about this in more detail.  But basically, here's a summary:
* Main characters have Fate based on their net Refresh, just like characters.  Note, though, that their base Refresh can be higher than the character's base Refresh.  They also can gather Fate based on compels, including 'off-camera' compels.
* Supporting NPCs start with no Fate, but get a point per scene they are in (and from compels against their aspects)
* Nameless grunts generally don't have Fate.  If you look at that sentence fairly literally and think in terms of Star Trek red-shirts, it kind of makes sense.

Enjoy!

[mostlyawake]

I like the idea of everyone having a little Fate... even a goon. So i go with +1.  It really doesn't change much.  Then again, I have seven -11 refresh PCs... the goons need it!

[Falar]

Step 1: Give yourself as many starting refresh as your PCs have in aggregate.
Step 2: Add 1 to your pool each time a PC spends a Fate Point
Step 3: Spend your Fate Points on any NPC, regardless of power
Step 4:
Step 5: PROFIT!!!!

[Becq]

Step 2: Add 1 to your pool each time a PC spends a Fate Point

I recommend against this, as it would make invoking Aspects largely pointless.  Ex:

Player: I spends a Fate to invoke my "Trained by D'Artagnon" aspect for a +2 on my Weapons roll.
GM, taking that Fate point and adding it to his pile: Ok, then the guy you're hitting is going to spend this Fate point to invoke his "Trained Thug" High Concept to get a +2 on his attempt to bat your sword aside in defense.

NPCs should only get Fate when their Aspects are being used against them, same as PCs.  If you want to pool Fate, though, that seems reasonable.  Alternatively, the rules suggest that the main villain could use his Fate to aid his minion; this works out similarly.

[WillH]

I don't have my books on hand so ATM so I can't give you a reference, but there is an option where the GM has one pool of fate for the NPCs equal to one fate point for each PC. I just use that, plus a modification where I replenish one point at the start of each scene.