Reputation... a needed component for good roleplaying


General Discussion (Prerelease)


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The one thing that has been missing from the WOC DND is some way to track reputation. Reputation should have a bearing on the characters as they gain renown for either being famous or infamous thus impacting bluff, intimidate, and diplomacy checks. Other systems include simple version that just increase per character level such as Star Wars Revised Core rules. Others have detailed systems such as the Game of Thrones d20 RPG that allow a lot of options but are a bit more cumbersome. Other games incorporate it much more integrally, such as 7th Sea.

Personally I like the idea of event based reputation. “Rather than determining reputation increases purely by class levels, the DM can enhance characters' reputations based on the characters' actual adventures. At an adventure's conclusion, he can hand out awards to the characters who were known to have participated, representing how much more famous (or infamous) their recent actions have made them.
This variant doesn't change much about the game (beyond what the reputation variant does in general). Characters have a slight incentive to choose adventures that will earn them more fame, because their later social interactions will be more likely to succeed. But reputation is a double-edged sword in the D&D game, because it can turn into notoriety with a simple twist of the plot.

The same peasants who buy the PCs drinks at the tavern one night might try to turn them in for a reward later after the sheriff frames the PCs for murder.

If the characters earned public acclaim for ending a threat to the community's safety, aware each PC a 1-point increase in his or her reputation score at the adventure's conclusion. If the accolades came from a narrower circle of people, then each character gets a 1/2-point increase. A single 1/2-point increase has no effect on reputation-related skill checks, but two such increases combine to provide a fill 1-point increase. Of what the characters accomplishes in the adventure directly affected, or came to the attention of, only a few (or no) other people, the PCs don't get a reputation boost. This determination is obviously a judgment call.“

No matter the final version, I think this type of system is a necessity of the game to add more ‘roleplaying’ in lieu of just more combat abilities. These make for great plot and story devices.

Sound off and let me know what you think and how it would work best in the Pathfinder mechanics.

Dark Archive

I disagree. I don't think there's a need to track this quantitatively since it will already be done qualitatively by the GM and players.

Adding crunchy bits rarely (in my opinion) improves roleplaying potential -- there are a few cases where a mechanic is needed to resolve fluffy/social interactions (eg diplomacy checks), but unless characters are getting into who's-the-more-famous contests I think reputation is best managed more loosely.


There's a reputation system in Unearthed Arcana; if Pathfinder were to publish a similar book of variant rules (with a spell point system, vitality wound points, etc.), that'd be the perfect place to put it.

Dark Archive

I agree, if you feel you need a mechanically crunchy method to track player's reputation, thats fine, but its far from a "needed" component.


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CrackedOzy wrote:
I agree, if you feel you need a mechanically crunchy method to track player's reputation, thats fine, but its far from a "needed" component.

There does not have to have a mechanic, but in Star Wars as well as the Game of Thrones, it is a nice feature to have...even if an optional rule. It helps on the Role-playing aspect in situations.

Liberty's Edge

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i gree that is is somewhat helpful
as a GM i do arbitrarily decide who likes who and why
a simple sistem would keep things more objetive

the society scenarios has an interesting emchanic of getting reputation for obtaining certian objetives... i stillneed to check what is earned with those reputation points... but it sounded interesting so i am thinking in using something similar.

still i needot see how does it affect the "gaming world"

Scarab Sages

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Reputation is a great component to add to a game, it gives the players a visual tracking device as a reward or consequence for their actions...evil characters beware...your actions gain you infamy unless you're careful.

Theives world has a good rep system also.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder X wrote:

Reputation is a great component to add to a game, it gives the players a visual tracking device as a reward or consequence for their actions...evil characters beware...your actions gain you infamy unless you're careful.

Theives world has a good rep system also.

or reputation in the right circles

i am sure villains earn reputation in places where infamy is well seen and the herous wouldget infamy against them :P


The problem with a reputation system, in my opinion, is that in many fantasy worlds there is no internet, no multimedia, and very few printing presses spreading anything resembling even a broadsheet (newspaper). Whilst word may spread within a community (village, town, or city) regarding individuals who carry out deeds that impact it, or within an organisation for which services are carried out (armed forces of nation x, church of faith y, secret society of z), the spread of word is otherwise going to be dependent upon official proclamations and the tales of wandering bards or gossip of travelling merchants. (If you happen to be a head of state or senior member of an administration, it can probably be assumed that official proclamations will carry word of noteworthy items regarding you to the ears of the loyal and hard-working citizens of your kingdom.)

Even if you do a king a big enough favour that he orders word of your great deeds be proclaimed in every corner of his realm, reputation is still going to be very much limited on a regional basis, although high-ups in adjacent nations may start to take notice of you.

And bards, ummm.... well bards like stories featuring larger-than-life characters which will interest people. If you seduce both the wealthy Duke of Bremerthan's daughters, and are forced to flee the bedchamber of one of them, naked, with no equipment but a letter-knife, pursued by the outraged Duke and his personal bodyguards, on a market day when the streets are crowded and all sorts of hilarity ensues, then you might find your name spreading across national boundaries, but what reaction you will get from those who hear about it will vary very much depending upon the listener.


Reputation has always been problematic for me as well. I tried using it in a campaign, but I also had a hard time figuring out, for example, how the PCs actions in the Dalelands or Cormyr would actually make it to Silverymoon or Waterdeep.

On top of that, sure the PCs did some pretty amazing things, but even if others have heard that someone did those deeds, how do you prove that you are that someone? And on the other side of that coin, with a reputation system, what about someone like Olive Ruskettle in the Realms that impersonates someone else with higher reputation?

I think its possible to come up with answers, but in the end, the implementation is likely to be a lot more complicated than anyone wants it to be. Somethings are great ideas on paper, but unless someone in the group wants to memorize the rules backwards and forwards, its only going to slow things down.

Liberty's Edge

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*sight*

ok again

well sometimes i like complicated, but i know not every one thinks like me.

its true, reputation and fame depend on manyfactos, not everyone of them must be measured... but for example if a character earns a few reputation points with lets say the hellknights he willbe renowned by this organization within that region, more or less but he will... while if he gets reputation with the Pathfinder Society itssure his explouits would be in every corner of the world.

also i understand that reputation doesn't work the same in every place... for example in Sandpoint my Cleric and the Wizard were made an enormous weding, but theya re the heroes the people would have nothing less than that... even when they asked specificaally for nothing of the like... a full day was lost.... in Korvosa it would have not even mattered to their neighboors... or maybe only to them.

also remember reputation and fame while not moving so fast in the world prior to internet... works the same fro infamy

while in a town people hate and fear the character, a few miles northe htey might be loved and considered heroes... and poor of the feella who says otherwise... he might bein th other side of fork&torch of a mob

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