eve-chatsubo

This is something that I have been wondering for some time. I know that there is a scriptural doctrine (of the Sacred Flesh) that dictates that no royal heir may be cloned because their flesh is supposedly sacred.

To my knowledge it is not specifically stated anywhere, but what are your opinions about the same doctrine possibly applying to Holders as well? I know that there is a heavy stigma attached to clones in Amarr society, but is having been cloned enough to being forcibly excluded from the Holder caste?

I've seen capsuleer holders being roleplayed so I assume it is possible then. If there is no proof that states it is not possible it is possible until officially stated otherwise as well, imo.

One of the background options during character creation for True Amarr is "Liberal Holder". I think that's a direct acknowledgement that it's possible.

How right you are! I completely forgot about that. I guess that answers it for me.

I would have felt kind of silly changing my whole back story after several years into the game, but that won't be necessary at all it seems. Thanks!

Well, there are several things both for and against.

First, the ancestry. However, if your old folks are Holders, it doesn't necessarily mean you're one - at least a ruling one. There's a whole lot of things going on with younger sons etc. However, it may be assumed that at least a few people are both Holders and capsuleers.

For the second part, we may look for examples in the Prime Fiction. While the current Empress isn't the best example, she is a capsuleer. (In the matter of fact, Tibus Heth is the only non-capsuleer head of state. If they got Reppola to lead the State, they all would be capsuleers.) TEA does also mention a few Sarumite Theology Council justices who are capsuleers. At least Lord Victor seems to be a Holder, too. In Falek Grange's case this seems likely, as well.

Against: There is at least some mission texts (which I think are written by someone who clearly doesn't understand the thing) which state that ANY Holder class member could theoreticaly become the Emperor. Emperors cannot be cloned, thus no Holders are allowed to be cloned. I believe this is a mistake on the nature of Godflesh and/or getting Royals and Holders mixed. (All Royals are Holders but not all Holders are Royals.) Furthermore, at least Fait Accompli does mention a Holder getting cloned, so clearly the mission text is wrong. Of course, being cloned doesn't exactly matter as long as the clone is never activated, which could lead into interesting RP on the Holder getting "killed" and to continue acting behind the scenes with some younger relative keeping up the facade of legitimacy.

Minor derail. I gather you mean he's not a linkable character in-game. However, I'd assumed Heth was a capsuleer based on this chronicle:
http://www.eveonline.com/background/pot ... d=22-02-10

Or can non-podders clone if they are sufficiently wealthy?

Yes.

Yes, as noted anyone can get cloned. Anyone can get implants of some type. However, not everyone can mindlink to a ship, control it, detach the mindlink and not be a vegetable. In Heth's case, there is no indication that he'd have implants of any type, so he more or less cannot be a capsuleer. (As a note, you can be a capsuleer even if you cannot be cloned, but you just won't obviously benefit from the flash cloning happening when your capsule goes pop.)