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Any Hackmaster's Honor system conversions?
- Thread starter Aaron2
- Start date
cptg1481
First Post
Here's mine
Reputation is used to determine whether another character (an NPC) recognizes the player character. Those who recognize the hero are more likely to help the hero or do what he or she asks, provided the reputation is fame and not infamy. A high Reputation bonus also makes it difficult for the hero to mask his or her identity resulting in a penalty to disguise and a few other skills. Most of the time, a hero doesn’t decide to use his or her reputation. The GM decides when a hero’s reputation can be relevant to a scene or encounter. At the moment it becomes relevant, the GM makes a Reputation check for a NPC who might be influenced in some fashion due to the hero’s fame or notoriety, as detailed below.
Fame and Infamy
Most characters with a high Reputation bonus (+4 or higher) are considered well known within their profession or social circle. Whether this has a positive or negative connotation depends on the point of view of the person who recognizes the hero. When a character has a positive opinion of a hero’s reputation, the hero is considered to be famous by that character. Fame, when recognized, provides a bonus to certain Charisma-based skill checks.
When a character has a negative opinion of a hero’s reputation, the hero is considered to be infamous by that NPC. Also, at the GM’s option, a hero might be considered infamous in certain situations due to events that have transpired in the campaign. Infamy, when recognized, usually provides a penalty to certain Charisma-based skill checks. However, when operating in criminal circles those who are infamous use the score in a positive manner to gain an advantage on certain Charisma-based skill checks.
Using the Reputation Bonus
Whenever the GM decides that a character’s reputation can be a factor in an encounter, the GM makes a Reputation check (DC 25) for the NPC involved. A Reputation check is 1d20 + the hero’s Reputation bonus + the NPC’s Int modifier. (Some Knowledge skill modifiers might apply instead of the Int modifier, if the hero would be well known in the field covered by the Knowledge skill.) Modifiers to the Reputation check depend on the hero and the NPC in question, as shown below. Note that if the NPC has no possible way of recognizing a hero, then the Reputation check automatically fails. If the NPC succeeds at the Reputation check, he or she recognizes the hero. This provides a +4 bonus or a –4 penalty on checks involving the following skills for the duration of the encounter: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform.
Situation Reputation Check Modifier
The hero is famous, known far and wide with either a positive or negative way. +10
NPC is part of the hero’s professional or social circle. +5
The hero has some small amount of fame or notoriety in a specific location. +2
The hero is well known in a certain place. This bonus is only awarded when in that specific location or situation. +2
The NPC is a member of the same race. +1
The NPC is a member of a government body on duty. +1/-1*
PC hires a bard(s) and criers to sing his praises in the city streets and Taverns at a cost of 50 gp PER day. +1 Per day
Known alignment or associations of the NPC/PC are diametrically opposed. -2
* This can be a penalty if the government is considered oppressive or unfavorable to the group or NPC in question, and vice versa for the government being viewed positively.
The GM must decide that a character’s fame or infamy can come into play in a given situation to make a Reputation check necessary. An NPC who doesn’t know, or know of, the hero can’t be influenced by his or her reputation.
When a game session is about negotiation and investigation as much as shooting bad guys. This is an area that is normally dominated by skill use - Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Knowledge checks in particular. Nobles, Merchants, military, clerical, and other community leaders shine in such encounters because they have spent a good portion of their skill points in these skills. To a lesser extent rogues may excel at the social skills as well but Bards for obvious reasons always excel in this area because they have the unique ability to spread their own deeds in song or story from. The addition of reputation can and will allow even fighters, wizards and other classes with limited skill points to shine in social encounters.
A successful Reputation check can provide a character with a total of +22 in skill check bonuses (+2 for Intimidate, and +5 for Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Perform) or +10 in total bonuses if Infamous (+5 for Bluff, Gather Information and Intimidate but -5 for Diplomacy). By 11th level, a typical aristocrat has a Reputation of 8/9, meaning a roll of 12 is enough to be recognized in his homeland. That's not bad, and a player should try to use the advantage whenever possible. If I don’t seem to be thinking about a character's Reputation during a negotiation, the hero can always pipe up with "Do you know who I am?"
Another useful side effect of a high Reputation is the possibility of attracting followers. This doesn't come into play until a character is 6th level, but most of the lower-level characters have little need for followers, anyway. By the time you reach the upper levels, though, it can be helpful to have a few people you can trust.
For lower-level characters it seem that the chance of someone recognizing you may seem so low that there's no point worrying about it. There are ways to boost Reputation, of course, the most obvious being the Fame feat (3 Reputation points).
A character can also earn a better Reputation through bold play. Any action that earns the character a hero point should also boost his Reputation (assuming someone saw it). Similarly, anything that gets the character a hero e point is likely to increase his total Reputation, both fame and infamy, which may be more of a hindrance than a help to them.
Looking at our 11th-level Aristocrat again, let's see how high his Reputation could reasonably grow. Assume he has played as heroically as possible and earned a Reputation point at every odd level. Tack on the Fame feat at any point along the way and the character's Reputation score is now 9. He has a basic 45% chance of being recognized regularly in his homelands and by those in his race/class but a good many people have heard of him and his deeds in major cities
The easiest way to use Reputation is to have it come up more often. Whenever you do anything noteworthy in public use the rules for making Charisma checks to increase Reputation. Whenever the characters meet an important NPC, be sure to remind me to check his Reputation to see if the PC’s have heard of him before (this is also a good way to give you guys basic information).
NOTES:
This is a bastardized version of the one used in the STAR Wars Game.
Enjoy, pick apart, whatever....
Reputation is used to determine whether another character (an NPC) recognizes the player character. Those who recognize the hero are more likely to help the hero or do what he or she asks, provided the reputation is fame and not infamy. A high Reputation bonus also makes it difficult for the hero to mask his or her identity resulting in a penalty to disguise and a few other skills. Most of the time, a hero doesn’t decide to use his or her reputation. The GM decides when a hero’s reputation can be relevant to a scene or encounter. At the moment it becomes relevant, the GM makes a Reputation check for a NPC who might be influenced in some fashion due to the hero’s fame or notoriety, as detailed below.
Fame and Infamy
Most characters with a high Reputation bonus (+4 or higher) are considered well known within their profession or social circle. Whether this has a positive or negative connotation depends on the point of view of the person who recognizes the hero. When a character has a positive opinion of a hero’s reputation, the hero is considered to be famous by that character. Fame, when recognized, provides a bonus to certain Charisma-based skill checks.
When a character has a negative opinion of a hero’s reputation, the hero is considered to be infamous by that NPC. Also, at the GM’s option, a hero might be considered infamous in certain situations due to events that have transpired in the campaign. Infamy, when recognized, usually provides a penalty to certain Charisma-based skill checks. However, when operating in criminal circles those who are infamous use the score in a positive manner to gain an advantage on certain Charisma-based skill checks.
Using the Reputation Bonus
Whenever the GM decides that a character’s reputation can be a factor in an encounter, the GM makes a Reputation check (DC 25) for the NPC involved. A Reputation check is 1d20 + the hero’s Reputation bonus + the NPC’s Int modifier. (Some Knowledge skill modifiers might apply instead of the Int modifier, if the hero would be well known in the field covered by the Knowledge skill.) Modifiers to the Reputation check depend on the hero and the NPC in question, as shown below. Note that if the NPC has no possible way of recognizing a hero, then the Reputation check automatically fails. If the NPC succeeds at the Reputation check, he or she recognizes the hero. This provides a +4 bonus or a –4 penalty on checks involving the following skills for the duration of the encounter: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Perform.
Situation Reputation Check Modifier
The hero is famous, known far and wide with either a positive or negative way. +10
NPC is part of the hero’s professional or social circle. +5
The hero has some small amount of fame or notoriety in a specific location. +2
The hero is well known in a certain place. This bonus is only awarded when in that specific location or situation. +2
The NPC is a member of the same race. +1
The NPC is a member of a government body on duty. +1/-1*
PC hires a bard(s) and criers to sing his praises in the city streets and Taverns at a cost of 50 gp PER day. +1 Per day
Known alignment or associations of the NPC/PC are diametrically opposed. -2
* This can be a penalty if the government is considered oppressive or unfavorable to the group or NPC in question, and vice versa for the government being viewed positively.
The GM must decide that a character’s fame or infamy can come into play in a given situation to make a Reputation check necessary. An NPC who doesn’t know, or know of, the hero can’t be influenced by his or her reputation.
When a game session is about negotiation and investigation as much as shooting bad guys. This is an area that is normally dominated by skill use - Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Knowledge checks in particular. Nobles, Merchants, military, clerical, and other community leaders shine in such encounters because they have spent a good portion of their skill points in these skills. To a lesser extent rogues may excel at the social skills as well but Bards for obvious reasons always excel in this area because they have the unique ability to spread their own deeds in song or story from. The addition of reputation can and will allow even fighters, wizards and other classes with limited skill points to shine in social encounters.
A successful Reputation check can provide a character with a total of +22 in skill check bonuses (+2 for Intimidate, and +5 for Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Perform) or +10 in total bonuses if Infamous (+5 for Bluff, Gather Information and Intimidate but -5 for Diplomacy). By 11th level, a typical aristocrat has a Reputation of 8/9, meaning a roll of 12 is enough to be recognized in his homeland. That's not bad, and a player should try to use the advantage whenever possible. If I don’t seem to be thinking about a character's Reputation during a negotiation, the hero can always pipe up with "Do you know who I am?"
Another useful side effect of a high Reputation is the possibility of attracting followers. This doesn't come into play until a character is 6th level, but most of the lower-level characters have little need for followers, anyway. By the time you reach the upper levels, though, it can be helpful to have a few people you can trust.
For lower-level characters it seem that the chance of someone recognizing you may seem so low that there's no point worrying about it. There are ways to boost Reputation, of course, the most obvious being the Fame feat (3 Reputation points).
A character can also earn a better Reputation through bold play. Any action that earns the character a hero point should also boost his Reputation (assuming someone saw it). Similarly, anything that gets the character a hero e point is likely to increase his total Reputation, both fame and infamy, which may be more of a hindrance than a help to them.
Looking at our 11th-level Aristocrat again, let's see how high his Reputation could reasonably grow. Assume he has played as heroically as possible and earned a Reputation point at every odd level. Tack on the Fame feat at any point along the way and the character's Reputation score is now 9. He has a basic 45% chance of being recognized regularly in his homelands and by those in his race/class but a good many people have heard of him and his deeds in major cities
The easiest way to use Reputation is to have it come up more often. Whenever you do anything noteworthy in public use the rules for making Charisma checks to increase Reputation. Whenever the characters meet an important NPC, be sure to remind me to check his Reputation to see if the PC’s have heard of him before (this is also a good way to give you guys basic information).
NOTES:
This is a bastardized version of the one used in the STAR Wars Game.
Enjoy, pick apart, whatever....
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