Reputation

Reputation #

One kind of relation is the perception of a character by the setting as a whole, or some subset of it: this is a reputation. It’s pretty similar to a relationship, but “player in relation to everything” is distinct enough to merit its own section.

A given reputation is usually a single adjective: Honorable, Tricky, Dangerous, Stubborn, and so on.

As with relationships, you can use a metered or discrete representation. Metered means the player tracks a number for it: typically this means it’s between 10 and 20 because that’s a convenient range for various Total and Effect uses. Discrete means the player either has it or not.

Do I need this in my game? #

You’ll get something out of this if as a designer, you care about how player characters are perceived in the fiction, and specifically on an overarching level. Obviously this is not all games, or even most games.

If the game isn’t particularly about that, or if that’s really not supposed to be a thing that matters mechanically, probably skip it.

Valiant Horizon #

Valiant Horizon uses reputations to indicate how far heroes have come in fame.

Gaining a Reputation #

Depending on the game, you’ve got a few options for getting a reputation.

  • Characters could just start with them, if the core concept involves being Well Known.
  • Characters could “buy” them in some way: either through advancement or literally.
  • Characters could gain them based on advancement.
  • Characters could gain them diegetically.

Valiant Horizon #

One is gained at the second Tier: fledgling heroes aren’t famous yet, but getting to the point where you’re considered not fledgling involves necessarily doing something of serious note. Further Reputations can be gained by doing particular deeds.

Using Reputation #

Getting recognized #

The point of a Reputation is that people know it…which means they know you!

  • If you’re using metered Reputation, the Narrator might roll anytime someone knowing you might matter: if it’s lower than the value, they recognize you by your reputation.
  • If you’re using discrete Reputation, you can do the same without a roll, or maybe spend some kind of metacurrency to make it matter or not matter.

Positive or Negative Impressions #

In general, Reputations are supposed to be a “for better or worse” situation. An Honorable Reputation might mean someone takes your word, or maybe it means less-honorable people don’t want anything to do with you. A Tricky reputation might make someone respect a plan, or it might make them think you have ulterior motives. There are very few labels that don’t cut both ways.

Gating Certain Actions #

Depending on how much you want it to matter, it might make sense that reputations either provide or enable certain actions.

Treating Them Like Another Mechanic #

Sometimes, what you’re known for is what you are. You could use reputation directly for this: if you have other mechanics that work in a similar adjectival manner, you could employ them here.

This gets a little weird if you’re not careful.

Valiant Horizon #

Reputations are treated like Assets: once per session, a party can use one to accomplish a task with no drawback. They can also be treated like Burdens though: it could add a complication to something that wouldn’t otherwise get one.

NULL_SPACE #

If a game like this included reputation, you might be able to use it like a feature on a tool or such: it could enable certain actions, remove complications, ignore complications, or prevent certain risks.

Tracking and Changing Reputation #

Reputation Decay #

Every so often, someone rolls to see if the reputation still exists. An un-maintained reputation doesn’t last forever, usually.

  • For discrete, every so often, the player rolls to see if they’re still known for it. If it’s a low enough Total (like 8-) then the reputation is lost. You could modulate this via advantage/disadvantage or by changing the Total it needs to surpass depending on player actions: things that uphold the reputation keep it there.
  • For metered, every so often, the Narrator rolls and subtracts some amount from the value - higher if they did something to convince people otherwise, lower if they did something to demonstrate it. If it ever hits 0, it’s lost.

Valiant Horizon #

Reputations start at 10 and decay by Mid Die by default, modulated to High or Low as described above.

Reputation Maintenance and Advancement #

On the other hand, actively keeping a reputation going keeps it going strong.

  • For discrete, this likely just means you don’t have to roll for Decay for awhile, or maybe you add a tally to how many times this has happened.
  • For metered, reset the reputation to the starting amount plus some amount.

Valiant Horizon #

When a reputation is maintained, it resets to max + 2.

Permanent Reputation #

At some point, if a reputation has been upheld enough, it’s not going anywhere. You don’t have to check for decay.

  • For discrete, if you do something that the Narrator deems that nobody would ever forget or said tallies reach a certain point, it’s permanent.
  • For metered, set a maximum value: once it reaches that amount, it’s permanent.

Valiant Horizon #

When a reputation hits 20, it’s permanent.