Bjarkmundur
2019-09-07, 11:22 AM
Alright, let's create a Renown system!
Design Goals:
Renown should matter to the player. It should encourage him to interact with the setting and go on adventures.
Increased Renown should come with increased rewards.
Renown should have a general mechanic and some specific mechanic for each faction. This adds transparency and consistancy while still making each faction unique. Renown with a cult might grant you access to forbidden spell scrolls while renown with a temple might offer a casting of a restoration spell free of cost.
These rewards need to be clear and made aware to the player beforehand, in order to encourage him to increases his Renown proactively.
A good renown mechanic can be applied to any campaign and any setting.
Overview
The players can do quests or individual missions for either Factions or independent benefactors. Whenever they do so their value increases in the eyes of that faction, meaning they will get increased rewards as they continue to rise through the ranks. As they do so their value also increases in the eyes of other factions, meaning they will pay more for their services even if it's the party's first mission for that faction.
Problem
I really need to find the best way to get this mechanic in writing, in order for me to show it to my players without it just confusing them. Can you please help me condense and clean up this next, and point out any potential problems with the mechanic that need to be fixed.
General Mechanic
Renown
When you complete a mission for a benefactor or a faction each character that participated gains Renown. The Renown you gain is decided by your DM and you have a separate Renown with each faction.
Rewards
Instead of rolling for treasure, pair the rows of the Treasure Hoard Table (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZG_06PvnpZEinvxy6Bh-q4ceDEvGWXfLE1eax54X0XY/edit?usp=sharing) from the Dungeon Master's Guide to Renown values of 1-17. The treasure you acquire for completing a mission for a faction is then determined by the highest Renown within the party for that faction.
Global Renown
Global Renown is equal to half your highest faction renown and is your starting renown for any new factions.
Rank
Your rank within a faction determines what faction-specific benefits are available to you. To increase in rank you both a certain level and a certain Renown with that faction.
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Example:
Kane0 and Greywander have been contacted by a group that calls themselves The Hand of of Grod. As they finish their first mission they get 1 Renown and a Leather Glove (see Glove of Grod in appendix A) as a recruitment gift. They are now Rank 1 Servants of Grod. This gives them access to the factions Rank 1 benefit.
Hand of Grod - Rank 1
A rank 1 initiate has access to various rare potions normally not sold on the market. The potions they have access to is based on their renown within the faction and can be bought at full market value:
Renown 1 - Potion of Sneezing Real Hard
Renown 5 - Potion of Balance Class
Renown 10 - Potion of Please Reply
The next time they do a mission for The Hand of Grod they gain 2 renown, to a total of 3 renown. They look up the Treasure Table and see that for 3 renown their reward is they get 2d5 25gp art objects for their troubles.
The next mission is a three session-long adventure. After the adventure they have reached level 4. They come back to The Hand of Grod and gain 9 Renown, and are told they are eligable for promotion if they keep up their good work. They're total Renown is now 12, which means they get 2d4 25gp art objects and 1d6 Items from Magic Item Table C. (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/rkuHmBtWB)
When they reach level 5 they are contacted again and told they have reached Rank 2, which gives them access to the faction's Rank 2 benefits and the Rank 2 Treasure Table (Treasure Hoard Table CR 5-10) .
Design Goals:
Renown should matter to the player. It should encourage him to interact with the setting and go on adventures.
Increased Renown should come with increased rewards.
Renown should have a general mechanic and some specific mechanic for each faction. This adds transparency and consistancy while still making each faction unique. Renown with a cult might grant you access to forbidden spell scrolls while renown with a temple might offer a casting of a restoration spell free of cost.
These rewards need to be clear and made aware to the player beforehand, in order to encourage him to increases his Renown proactively.
A good renown mechanic can be applied to any campaign and any setting.
Overview
The players can do quests or individual missions for either Factions or independent benefactors. Whenever they do so their value increases in the eyes of that faction, meaning they will get increased rewards as they continue to rise through the ranks. As they do so their value also increases in the eyes of other factions, meaning they will pay more for their services even if it's the party's first mission for that faction.
Problem
I really need to find the best way to get this mechanic in writing, in order for me to show it to my players without it just confusing them. Can you please help me condense and clean up this next, and point out any potential problems with the mechanic that need to be fixed.
General Mechanic
Renown
When you complete a mission for a benefactor or a faction each character that participated gains Renown. The Renown you gain is decided by your DM and you have a separate Renown with each faction.
Rewards
Instead of rolling for treasure, pair the rows of the Treasure Hoard Table (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZG_06PvnpZEinvxy6Bh-q4ceDEvGWXfLE1eax54X0XY/edit?usp=sharing) from the Dungeon Master's Guide to Renown values of 1-17. The treasure you acquire for completing a mission for a faction is then determined by the highest Renown within the party for that faction.
Global Renown
Global Renown is equal to half your highest faction renown and is your starting renown for any new factions.
Rank
Your rank within a faction determines what faction-specific benefits are available to you. To increase in rank you both a certain level and a certain Renown with that faction.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Example:
Kane0 and Greywander have been contacted by a group that calls themselves The Hand of of Grod. As they finish their first mission they get 1 Renown and a Leather Glove (see Glove of Grod in appendix A) as a recruitment gift. They are now Rank 1 Servants of Grod. This gives them access to the factions Rank 1 benefit.
Hand of Grod - Rank 1
A rank 1 initiate has access to various rare potions normally not sold on the market. The potions they have access to is based on their renown within the faction and can be bought at full market value:
Renown 1 - Potion of Sneezing Real Hard
Renown 5 - Potion of Balance Class
Renown 10 - Potion of Please Reply
The next time they do a mission for The Hand of Grod they gain 2 renown, to a total of 3 renown. They look up the Treasure Table and see that for 3 renown their reward is they get 2d5 25gp art objects for their troubles.
The next mission is a three session-long adventure. After the adventure they have reached level 4. They come back to The Hand of Grod and gain 9 Renown, and are told they are eligable for promotion if they keep up their good work. They're total Renown is now 12, which means they get 2d4 25gp art objects and 1d6 Items from Magic Item Table C. (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/rkuHmBtWB)
When they reach level 5 they are contacted again and told they have reached Rank 2, which gives them access to the faction's Rank 2 benefits and the Rank 2 Treasure Table (Treasure Hoard Table CR 5-10) .