Reputation change on recruitment of characters
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- Reputation change on recruitment of characters104 votes
- Yes. Reputation change should apply to all evil characters.5.77%
- No. Leave it as it is.50.00%
- Reputation system needs further discussion.44.23%
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Montaron for instance isn't as visually "evil" as either of those two though, so you wouldn't get a rep loss just for being seen with him.
Viconia and Baeloth are drow. On a scale, Baeloth is probably "more evil" in this case - she refused to sacrifice a baby, he had a habit to kidnap random people and let them fight to death. (I'm glad his rep drop was added.) People don't know that, so in their eyes, both are equally evil simply because they are drow.
I also can't see reasons why other evil NPCs would decrease rep. Kagain's only "sin" is his greed, he isn't a mass murderer like Dorn. Eldoth as a charismatic guy is basically like Sarevok; villain with good PR. He seems to be into the blackmailing business, and that's nothing the victims would talk about. Tiax and Xzar are crazy. Neither seems very threatening from the distance, and at least Xzar can act somewhat normal (like he does when you first meet him). Same for Monty. They all make no bad first impression. Drow and mass murdering blackguards do.
Forgot: Shar-Teel, same thing, no bad first impression, and in general, she doesn't even seem to be chaotic evil. She follows through with the deal she makes with charname and remains loyal. If charname chose to maintain a good public image, she'd certainly obey that, too.
You would still get a reduced repuation if a good aligned drow joined your party.
CHARNAME half orcs should start with a lower reputation however.
Hypothetically, you could assign a reputation hit to Edwin, since he openly belongs to a group that is widely hated in the region (although, it's fair to say that at least some of them are working on PR), but there is no reason why any of the other NPCs should affect reputation. Remember, "evil" in DnD is not used soley for baby-eating mass murderers, a significant proportion of "ordinary" people are of evil alignment.
I like that rep lowers with Vicky and Dorn however in that it makes sense.
Of course, that's a pointless change until reputation is rebalanced and it becomes as easy (and worthwhile beyond RP) to drop it as it is to raise it.
Or as the NPC Project mod implemented bards in taverns that can be paid to sing songs of how evil you are to lower rep.
I'd rather it apply to "obviously evil" characters like Viccy and Dorn. Edwin is sneaky-evil, for example.
Eldoth is sneaky; he likes to manipulate people, pays much attention to appearances and chose a criminal activity the victims won't tell anyone about.
Who knows Edwin, Xzar, or Monty are 'evil' before you accept them? They're all 'under the radar' in their activities, and that suits their masters' methods perfectly. So why would you get a rep hit for them? Now a certain evil dwarf might deserve a similar hit, if he could be bothered to act evilly.
in fact i hate it when i see my reputation decreasing for things i've done somewhere in the woods with no living thing(except squirrels) in 10 km radius
also characters do not have an alignment tabard above their armor,so no unless the character you recruit is a hero or maybe a paladin of some reknown,there is no point in increasing your rep for recruiting good characters
also viconia and baeloth decrease your rep for being drow,not for being evil,as for Dorn i do not know...
rep is what others(who hardly know you in person) think of you,not some divine moral sum of your actions
However, as far as Edwin is concerned, he wears the robes of a Red Wizard of Thay. He will tell anyone who will listen (and some that won't) that he is a member of that illustrious order and expect you to bow down on the spot before him. Considering the reputation that the Red Wizards have, I'd say he should have a rep hit associated with him just as much as the others, and for a like reason (affiliation, not race).
And if you think that Xzar and Monty are "flying under the radar", they don't do a very good job at it. I am sure that every town they have entered has experienced mysterious deaths and have a very short list of who they suspect is behind it. But I will give you that they probably don't leave an obvious trail behind (no actual PROOF). All IMHO.
It's like this. Not many people would walk into a bank claiming to have a gun. If someone did, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt.
Also, someone could claim to be a Red Wizard not to make friends, but to be seen as more powerful. Fear makes a great ally, and to a commoner, the threat "I'll fireball your house to ashes" can be enough to rather not take chances - if it comes from a wizard of a certain reputation. It can be enough to just make an impression, and you'd never have to prove you can actually do what you threaten to do. Someone who just looks "foreign" might pass as a Red Wizard. Or some other group that is known only by name and reputation on the Sword Coast. There is no internet, no phones, newspapers or easy ways to travel. Most commoners will not be able to tell who is truly Thayan or Rashemi or whatever, as long as the person is foreign enough, they'll be believed more often than not. Because, as you say, why take a chance and potentially offend a powerful mage by doubting he is what he says he is? That even works if you're actually a charismatic Swashbuckler or Jester or something - if you're convincing enough, you never have to prove you can fireball houses to ashes.