After playing some Bioware games where you have a companion I thought it would be cool to suggest a system for SOT where you could hire an NPC.
Disclosure: Ideally the game is meant to be played with friends and other real players, that is great and this idea does not detract from that but simply enhances player experience by allowing crews to hire an NPC on a per voyage basis.
How this would work:
You find a new building at outposts at SoT, the Bounty Hunter and Mercenary Guild. Here you can hire between 1-3 NPCs to assist you based on crew and ship size. IE if you are playing Brig with your friend you can hire ONE NPC not THREE. As this system would respect current crew sizes (not allowing you to roll around with an army).
The NPC(s) work on a per voyage basis on a variable cost, the more you need to hire the more expensive it gets, they are paid via a "take" everything you sell they get a cut similar to an alliance of 10-20%.
The NPCs are unique as you can give them "Crew Orders" via the speech wheel. Things you can task them with:
- Guard your boat while you explore
- Accompany you while you explore and act as extra firepower/bodyguard
- Help carry loot/items back to ship
- Help you sail the ship by raising/lower sails and anchor
- Repair ship damage and fire cannons
- Etc
These commands work similar to in Star Wars Republic Commando if you ever played that. You assign a task and they carry it out until you give new orders.
They are not OP and if they die they have same respawn time as players or maybe they are gone for good and head back to outpost.
Things they will NOT do:
- Sail Ship
- Dig up loot/ do the quest for you
