They are meant as placeholders until a fun NPC joins the party. You can then take that NPC as your character. This is the only way to get things like Krogan characters. All such NPCs are suitable for the quest and have fitting back stories.

You have 2 options to build the character:

• Sidekick: Build as normal character with 200 point Basic character package, except you get no Special background[300], no Special power[-25] and 2 less Additional training packages and 25 points less for the suggested background/background for a total of 400 point character.
• Random Cannon fodder: As above, but you roll the basic training(200) and get a -25 point Random power balance and one more 25 point training package.

You play the character normally and gain points normally, but never put more than 1 point/session into the store as you will not get the big drain in points from the store at the end of act 2 as you are considered support.

If your low point character dies you start again at 400+FULL earned points on the character sheet, but have to play the 400 point character as such as the previous earned points go to a special store named “Previous character earned” that is not usable in any way until you do the switching to a NPC.

When a NPC that you want to play is in the party you can take it as your character in a one time operation. You will then at that point get 800 points+FULL earned points from your temporary character instead of the normal 800+2/3 earned.

After this switch the new character advances normally and any further deaths and changes cause normal point loss.