Reputation

Today's sneak preview covers the subject of Reputation, a mechanic that is meant to replace Knowledge checks, as well as to feed into things like "Lore" and social interactions. In addition, one goal is completely replacing the existing "Knowledge" checks system of Pathfinder. Here's what I mean...

Right now, the existing Knowledge system works such that a pc has to have multiple different Knowledge skills, and then, assuming he has one appropriate to a creature he encounters, he makes a check. A Knowledge check is basically an Intelligence check modified by his ranks in the appropriate Knowledge sub-specialty. Then, if he knows it, the GM is sort of up in the air as to what he tells the player. In some 3.x monster supplements, a "Lore" section is included, but not with core Paizo monsters. Even if it were though, and even in the cases where it does exist, the mechanic leaves a lot to be desired. The basic system says that the DC of a Knowledge check equals the CR of the creature, and then for each increment of 5 that the check exceeds the base DC, some amount of additional information is learned. Since d20 Open RPG uses the Threshold mechanic, this is simple to reproduce, but we can make it a bit more fine-grained, in that we can play with the actual increment amount, as well as completely change what information is provided with successful checks. The intent is to make it both easier for a GM, and more helpful for a player. It is easier for a GM because it specifies very clearly what sorts of information can be gained, at what DC's, and more helpful for a player because it might reveal specific information about an encountered creature that is critical to defeating or overcoming it.

With all of that said, here is the state of the Reputation rules as they stand at this time.

What is Reputation?

Reputation determines how much is known about something or someone, and the general type of information that is known. Usually the more powerful a creature is, the more well known it is, but that is certainly not always the case. Some creatures are incredibly powerful, yet so little known, that even though they possess world-altering abilities, virtually no one knows anything about them.

Reputation is used in two main ways:

1) To see if a player character knows something about someone or something it encounters (such as a monster, object or NPC) This helps a player character know the strengths, weaknesses, and notable facts about things (specifically, allowing the player character to guess the power level of the subject as well as actual, specific abilities the subject possesses.)

2) To see if a non-player character knows something about a player character it encounters (such as the characters recent exploits or famous habits) This impacts social interaction with the non-player character (see Social Interaction and Reputation, below.)

In the first case, any person, place, or thing can have a reputation from a little-known assassin who guards his reputation carefully, to a place like a popular tavern with a reputation for bawdy lasses and free-flowing ale, or even a lost artifact of legend. When a player character encounters (or even hears of) something, there is a chance they might know something about it. A player character can attempt to make use of this information to find weaknesses in enemies, to see if they know hidden information about a place, or even to see if they know of the history or secret abilities of an object.

In the second case, when a non-player character encounters (or hears of) a player character, the non-player characters starting attitude when interacting with the player character may be other than indifferent depending on what it thinks it knows about the player character.

Reputation Checks

When the GM decides that reputation can be a factor in an encounter, or if a player asks about somethings reputation, he makes a Reputation check. This may be done to see if the player characters know something about the subject matter (the encountered character, creature, place, or thing, etc), or to see if the non-player character/creature knows something about the player characters (and so may be predisposed to a certain attitude towards them.) If a creature has no possible way of recognizing or knowing something about the creature in question, then no check is necessary.

Creature's with a low Reputation score (10 or less) are considered well known and information about them is relatively common knowledge. A successful Reputation check simply indicates something is known about the character or creature, not whether or not that information is positive or negative.

Creature's with a medium Reputation score (11 to 15 or so) are less well known and creatures or characters with a high Reputation score (20 or greater) are much less known and accurate information about them is hard to come by.

Making a Reputation Check

A GM may make a Reputation check for a player to see if his character recognizes something or someone, or for a non-player character to see if they recognize a player character. In either case success indicates some amount of knowledge about the subject is known. For non-player characters, this may cause them to have an attitude other than indifferent when interacting with player characters.

Check 1d20 + Int modifier

DC The DC to recognize the name of a subject is 15 minus its challenge level. A creature can intentionally prevent its reputation growing by guarding its reputation (see Guarding Reputation below.)

Success Special (depends on result of DC.)

Name The name of the subject is recognized.

Threshold Unless otherwise stated, the default Reputation Threshold is 2, meaning, a Reputation check must exceed the DC by at least 2 to gain or know any information more than the name of the subject and vague, most likely incorrect rumors.

For each Threshold rolled, additional information may be gleaned, such as its secondary abilities or information it has attempted to guard. Alternatively, misinformation modifiers are overcome and true information is learned. If a creature making a Reputation check rolls at least one Threshold it must decide what it would like to know more about, the subjects power level, the most recent or notable exploits of the subject, or secondary traits of the subject. Note that choosing one does not specifically exclude basic knowledge of the others, it simply determines which area the creature making the roll knows the most about.

Power Level If one Threshold is rolled, the subjects challenge level is guessed within plus or minus 2. The GM should roll 1d4. A result of 1-2 underestimates the actual challenge level by the result of the roll, and a result of 3-4 overestimates the actual challenge level by the result of the roll. For each Threshold rolled, reduce the difference between the rolled (guessed) challenge level and the actual challenge level by 1. Effectively this means that if one Threshold is scored, and the guess was off by 2, then it is now only off by 1. It may still be over or under, depending on what the d4 result was. If two Thresholds were rolled, then the exact challenge level is guessed, even if it was off by 2. The character or creature obviously has no knowledge of terms such as "challenge level" but this is simply a method for a player to be able to estimate the power level of the subject.

History or Exploits If one Threshold is rolled, the most recent or most notable exploits or activities are known. The exact specifics are not known, just an overall idea of the activities, such as "has spent the last 2 months exploring the dungeon of doom in the northern province" or for a place, "has been the abode of a noted necromancer known to have repeatedly attacked the nearby duke" etc. For each additional Threshold, more in-depth information is known, or, information from further back in time is known (normally only the most recent events are known.)

Secondary Traits Unless the subject has taken steps to guard its reputation, one Threshold reveals a secondary trait. Additional Thresholds either reveal additional secondary traits, or reveal additional information regarding one trait. Secondary traits include the creatures special abilities, strengths, or weaknesses. Anything with a Reputation score will always include a Reputation modifier for each of its secondary traits.

Fail Nothing immediately springs to mind about the subject. A check can be attempted again in 1 minute. If one negative Threshold (the check fails by 2 or more) is rolled, then the check fails and may not be attempted again. The creature simply does not know anything about the subject and continuing to think about it does not help. If more than one negative Threshold is rolled, then misinformation is recalled instead of actual information (even if the subject had not intentionally attempted to spread misinformation.)

Modifiers

The GM may apply various circumstance modifiers depending on the characters and creatures in question. An intelligent creature or subject with a Reputation score can take specific proactive actions to manage its Reputation score. It can attempt to increase its fame, it can attempt to decrease its fame, or it can attempt to spread false information about itself.

Open / Guarded Reputation

A subject can take steps to make its reputation more or less well known, so that it is easier or harder for others to know information about them. At the time of gaining a level (or once per point of challenge level for non-player subjects with a reputation score such as objects or places) a creature can attempt a Charisma check vs. its current Reputation score. If it succeeds, it may choose to do one of the following:

• Increase or decrease its base Reputation score by an amount equal to its Charisma modifier. This either basically makes the creature generally more or less famous.
• Increase or decrease the Threshold number required to know about its power level, about one secondary trait it possesses, or about one recent exploit by 1. Meaning, the default Threshold of 2 increases to 3 and so on.
• Note that in any of the cases above, the creature simply makes true information easier or harder to determine, but it does not seek to change information about itself, that is covered by Misinformation below.

Misinformation

A creature can deliberately attempt to spread false or misleading information, causing others to believe things that are not entirely true. At the time of gaining a level a creature can attempt a Charisma check vs. its current Reputation score. If it succeeds, it may choose to do one of the following:

• Increase or decrease its perceived power level. If successful, the subjects challenge level appears to be 1 greater or less than it is, depending on what is preferred.
• Spread false information about its secondary traits. The creature may attempt to spread rumors that it possesses abilities it doesn't. If successful, if another creature makes a Reputation check and believes it knows something about its secondary traits, this false trait is included as if it were true.
• Spread false rumors of its exploits or accomplishments. The subject seeks to create tall tales about its accomplishments, causing others to believe it has done things it hasn't. If successful, when another creature makes a Reputation check pertaining to the subject, this false exploit is included as if it were true.

Social Interaction and Reputation

When a player character interacts with non-player characters, the non-player characters initial attitude towards the player character might be affected if it knows anything about the player character. Whenever appropriate, the GM should have a non-player character make a Reputation check to see if it knows (or thinks it knows) anything about a player character it is interacting with. Unless the non-player character rolls a high enough result to have knowledge of the player characters recent exploits, then its starting attitude is unchanged, meaning, whatever its default attitude is, is what it remains. However, if the result of the non-player characters check is high enough to have some amount of knowledge of the player characters recent activities, and this knowledge might sway its attitude, then the GM should increase or decrease the non-player characters attitude by one step, the direction depending on its perspective of these exploits.

Full Rules: http://www.d20openrpg.com/characters/reputation