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best ways to decrease rep?

LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
It's been about 3 years since I played, memory is a bit dusty on finer points of the game, and I just have a week to knock out a quick BGEE game...

I have a TN Fighter, Imoen, Neera, Branwen, Shar-Teel, and Dynaheir. I haven't done the Bandit camp yet, and they're around levels 4-5 now. No one is or will be dual-classed.

I want to keep Shar-Teel but rep is now 17 and I recall that evil aligned characters take off when rep gets above 18.

Am I recalling correctly that when a thief gets "caught" stealing in a home rep automatically drops a couple points? I'm not looking to fight the Flaming Fist, just to whittle the rep down by about 2-3, or thereabouts. So you just steal in front of a resident of the home and then scoot before the FF arrive?

Comments

  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150

  • deltagodeltago Member Posts: 7,811
    Yes. However you have to wait for the flaming fist to initiate the dialog.

    You then have to escape and hope they do not follow you out.
  • KamigoroshiKamigoroshi Member Posts: 5,870
    BG1 NPC Project features the easiest way to lower ones reputation imho. Think the specific component is called Bardic Reputation Adjustment or something along those lines. Paying bards for spreading propaganda is always fun.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited October 2016
    Thanks guys. I'm playing on the iPad for this game, so no mods this time around. Yeah, if I was playing on the PC I have SCS installed with the feature that allows for NPCS to not leave due to rep.

    Not that I'm really worrying about RPing in this game, but in Nashkel I did have Shar-Teel punch out a commoner who baited her when she was tired. (One of the "yer a long-tongued lout, ain'tcha" dudes.) And the blow killed him, actually. But Rasaad witnessed it and felt compelled to fight her. So she killed him too. I just felt bad about it anyway. I still like Rasaad as a player. So I was looking for a way that felt better, lol.
  • RawgrimRawgrim Member Posts: 621
    Toss a fireball into a tavern and run away.
  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150
    You can also pick up some druid and kill the guy who dared to run away from a cave bear, and justify it as a tree-hugger animal activist rampage thingy.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    Rawgrim said:

    Toss a fireball into a tavern and run away.

    Well, I do have Neera. She could be practicing Nahal's Recklees Dweomer in an area where people are nearby.
  • SouthpawSouthpaw Member Posts: 2,026
    Wanton murder is your best friend then.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited October 2016
    Well, I tried having Imoen get caught stealing from the mansion in Nashkel. The guards were summoned and Imoen had dialogue with them. She fled and succeeded in going into stealth mode. But there was no corresponding loss of rep! I may have to go with the save of Shar-Teel having killed a commoner and Rasaad. That does get rep down to 9, actually. So I shouldn't have to worry about it again, I don't think. I know I won't be using Rasaad for this run, but it just bugged me a little that Shar-Teel had to kill him.
    Post edited by Lemernis on
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    Do you plan on having Dorn or either of the drow in your party? If not, you could temporarily remove Shar-Teel, then raise your rep to 20. Then you can have her rejoin with no issues. If your rep drops to 19 for some reason, she will leave, but otherwise there are no downsides. I plan on using this trick to run Shar-Teel for the first time in my current run.
  • namarienamarie Member Posts: 52
    edited October 2016
    God said:


    Nah, kill Shandalar instead. Murder him, sell his robe and use the money to buy a Robe of Good Archmagi for Dynaheir.
    The Hathrans might not be too impressed... until Dynaheir points out that there was literally an entire demoniac cult that nestled in this "Neutral" archmage's home. They even managed to free an ancient Tana'ri in his basement.
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    You don't have to kill too many people to drop your rep quickly. The slaves and workers in the mines are pretty expendable and easy to kill.
  • BillyYankBillyYank Member Posts: 2,768
    Have you freed the stoned lady on the basilisk map yet? If you demand payment, you lose a bit of rep.
  • DaevelonDaevelon Member Posts: 605
    BillyYank said:

    Have you freed the stoned lady on the basilisk map yet? If you demand payment, you lose a bit of rep.

    Really? That's a non-sense. I agree that you shouldn't gain reputation if you ask for money, but losing it?
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    thedamages said:

    Do you plan on having Dorn or either of the drow in your party? If not, you could temporarily remove Shar-Teel, then raise your rep to 20. Then you can have her rejoin with no issues. If your rep drops to 19 for some reason, she will leave, but otherwise there are no downsides. I plan on using this trick to run Shar-Teel for the first time in my current run.

    No, I intend to keep the current party all the way to the end:

    TN Fighter
    Imoen
    Neera
    Branwen
    Shar-Teel
    Dynaheir

    I don't recall this trick that you're describing, but it sounds neat. I just assumed that evil aligned NPCs would refuse to join if rep is above 18. But I don't recall ever actually testing it out. Thanks for sharing this tip.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    BillyYank said:

    Have you freed the stoned lady on the basilisk map yet? If you demand payment, you lose a bit of rep.

    I did not know that, thanks! (Or if I once knew it, I had forgotten it entirely.)
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    thedamages said:

    Do you plan on having Dorn or either of the drow in your party? If not, you could temporarily remove Shar-Teel, then raise your rep to 20. Then you can have her rejoin with no issues. If your rep drops to 19 for some reason, she will leave, but otherwise there are no downsides. I plan on using this trick to run Shar-Teel for the first time in my current run.

    Thanks, I had forgotten there is a loss of rep for taking a drow into the party. Does the same thing happen with Dorn, what with him being a half-orc? Again, three years away from this game, so details like this are still a bit hazy for me yet.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    These are great suggestions for the future, please share any more that you can think of. I decided to just go ahead with the save after which Shar-Teel, grumpy and weary after days of travel, killed a commoner who verbally baited her and then Rasaad as well when he attacked in response.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    It sure does, he comes with -2 rep
  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150
    namarie said:

    God said:


    Nah, kill Shandalar instead. Murder him, sell his robe and use the money to buy a Robe of Good Archmagi for Dynaheir.
    The Hathrans might not be too impressed... until Dynaheir points out that there was literally an entire demoniac cult that nestled in this "Neutral" archmage's home. They even managed to free an ancient Tana'ri in his basement.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIKxVe4_Xw
    :smirk:
  • redlineredline Member Posts: 296
    I believe there are a few places where being greedy results in minor quest-related reputation loss. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if these are mod-related or not:

    -Returning a bloodstone amulet to the Colquetle estate in Beregost, then demanding payment
    -Telling Oublek that you're Greywolf
    -Taking Prism's emeralds

    There's also killing the dudes that Silke asks you to, but I'm guessing you're well past that already.
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,320
    Lemernis said:

    Well, I tried having Imoen get caught stealing from the mansion in Nashkel. The guards were summoned and Imoen had dialogue with them. She fled and succeeded in going into stealth mode. But there was no corresponding loss of rep! I may have to go with the save of Shar-Teel having killed a commoner and Rasaad. That does get rep down to 9, actually. So I shouldn't have to worry about it again, I don't think. I know I won't be using Rasaad for this run, but it just bugged me a little that Shar-Teel had to kill him.

    Thieving to reduce reputation does work in most areas, but not Nashkel - I vaguely remember this is because Nashkel is a different political unit from other locations. There are a number of houses in Beregost that you can burgle to reduce reputation (although there are also some where the residents seem to be happy for you to take the goods and walk out ...).

    I regularly manipulate reputation in order to get the Bhaal powers I want. I normally play solo and for most solo characters horror is exceedingly useful - whereas slow poison is virtually useless.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Lemernis So I realized something today. Playing a good aligned charname and took Shar-Teel into my party at 20 rep. She immediately complained and left after a day. I have never had this happen before. I've kept Korgan, Sarevok, and Edwin in my party at 20 rep before with zero problems. I don't if its a bug, a mod issue. or a change for the EE's; but you may wanna be aware its possible.
  • lroumenlroumen Member Posts: 2,508
    Seems like your previous experiences should not have happened. The reputation table is supposed to have evil npcs complain and leave at above 18 regardless of when they joined.

    I guess ee might have improved that.

    Otherwise there would be no point to the good neutral evil axis.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    lroumen said:

    Seems like your previous experiences should not have happened. The reputation table is supposed to have evil npcs complain and leave at above 18 regardless of when they joined.

    I guess ee might have improved that.

    Otherwise there would be no point to the good neutral evil axis.

    The weird thing is, I've done it many many times, and Shar-Teel is the only character that has done this. In BG1 or 2.
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