"Name" level?

[alsih2o]

In your game at what level do characters and npcs achieve "Name" level. As in when do they change from "Bob" to "Bob the bare-midriffed!"?

Or "Aesculeus" to Aesculeus the wise" and such?

 

[diaglo]

most achieve name level at 9th. some higher than that.

 

[Henry]

I saw the words "Name" level, and Diaglo's Presence was immediately upon me.

In my games, "Name" level is usually "Fame" level - the level at which a character's deeds go noticed by locals beyond his immediate surroundings. Some characters get it as early as 5th to 7th level; some who always travel, and who often fail or rarely make a mark may not get it even into their low teen levels. Some darker assassin types don't get it even then, preferring to stay as anonymous as possible. But even these types have celebrity among the underworld - everyone knows to call Lassiviren the Dark if you have enough money and an "itch to scratch."

 

[alsih2o]

Some characters get it as early as 5th to 7th level;

this makes more sense ot me. When the orcs come to ravage the town and "Melmo" FLIES and flings LIGHTNING BOLTS I think he becomes "Melmo the CrapKicker" or some such...

 

[the Jester]

In my games, "Name" level is usually "Fame" level - the level at which a character's deeds go noticed by locals beyond his immediate surroundings. Some characters get it as early as 5th to 7th level; some who always travel, and who often fail or rarely make a mark may not get it even into their low teen levels. Some darker assassin types don't get it even then, preferring to stay as anonymous as possible. But even these types have celebrity among the underworld - everyone knows to call Lassiviren the Dark if you have enough money and an "itch to scratch."

Right. In my game, it really depends on what the pcs do and where they are. They become 'known' based on their actions- saving a town is much more likely to give a pc renown than killing a carrior crawler in a dungeon.

 

[Stormborn]

Depends on if they have a Bard and how well he does on his perform checks. In my campaign the PCs don't really have a "name" as such yet, but there are some popular ballads going around, one of which calls the Female Fighter 'the lightning rose'. This happened fairly early in their careers, but no one actually calls her "Ariadni the Lightning Rose" except the Bard. But when he sings about her people know who he means. Also they recently found out that some of their exploits had been collected in a dime novel format, with thinly vieled fictional versions of themselves as the heroes. They are all around 6th level now.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. Usually from level 1. I don't like unnamed NPCs. Makes the players ignore them.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

If the GM's the one giving the NPC (or the PC) an epithet, it happens when most people are supposed to find that character to be impressive and/or famous. For most GMs in most games I've seen, that doesn't tend to happen until at least 8th level. Something about trying to scale fame according to actual ability, relative to the general power level of the setting...or whatever.

But if it's the players who are handing out the epithet, it happens the instant that PC or NPC does something that really gets their attention. And it's practically never a good thing: "Bob the Whiner," for example. In a worst-case scenario, they drop the character's actual name entirely and just refer to them as "the snotty bastard" or "the freak" or "the four-phase f**knut."

Even NPCs who are supremely irrelevant to the plot and will never ever be seen again can't escape player-granted titles. Seriously, someone in our group can talk about "Captain Sharkbait" or "the jerk with the fancy hat" years after the games where those characters appeared (very very briefly, before being mowed down) and everyone remembers exactly who they're talking about.

So on that score, maybe GMs (including myself) are going about names all wrong. Obviously, it doesn't make much difference to most players how powerful or important a character is when it comes time to give them a colorful epithet; so really, why should it matter in the gameworld? You might as well give a nickname or title to just about anyone who seems even slightly interesting, without worrying about whether the character is particularly strong or significant.

--
of course, your players would probably be angry because you're stealing their fun
ryan

 

[BSF]

This is a theme in the current campaign. There is a goddess that handles Stories, Legends, Myths and Power. Lots of campaign backstory that the PC's may or may not figure out, but the Goddess is empowered by all other gods. She simply keeps track of everyone who is notable and divvies out little bits of power (represented as levels) as people learn and improve. If you do not make a "name" for yourself then you eventually start having a harder time improving.

Making a name for yourself could be a Gnoll warlord bent on carving an empire out of human lands, it could be a serial murderer, it could be a tyrannical wizard, a righteous paladin, charismatic cleric, working to be the best swordsman in the land (continent, world?), etc. So long as people start to know you and tell stories about you, the goddess is pleased. Most Bards already serve her in some fashion so it is harder to 'game the system', but it is possible. You still need to earn exp, but if you are making a name for yourself, you won't be held back.

This little system helps me explain spells like "Legend Lore". The PC's begin to get an idea that stories and legends will be told about them and they have less expectation that as they get a bigger name, they will run into opponents that might have heard of them. It is interesting so far, but the campaign is far from over.

 

[jerichothebard]

Also they recently found out that some of their exploits had been collected in a dime novel format, with thinly vieled fictional versions of themselves as the heroes.

*yoink!* that's great - so Billy the Kid...


jtb