Reputation

Fairmaiden · Post by **Fairmaiden** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:30 am

Just out of interest, what makes your character's reputation go up and what are the benefits of having higher or lower reputation? Does it even matter in this game like it does in Baldurs Gate, for example?

I was wondering coz my reputation was stuck at 2 for a long time then went up to 3 when I finished the Pilgrims Path quest. Does it have something to do with completing certain quests?

free_fall · Post by **free_fall** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 10:38 am

Yes, it increases with quest completions, though not all quests contribute to it. A lot of it comes from quests related to guild/House advancement, as you impress your superiors with your skill in accomplishing the varying tasks set before you.

It's my impression that the increase is most closely related to "do-gooder"-type quests - rescueing this guy's kidnapped wife, for example, or helping a pilgrim find a shrine. People will thank you profused and say they'll tell everyone of your good deed - that's usually good for a rep point.

I've seen people complain that reputation doesn't affect the game play in the same way that, say, Personality does. I think it's mainly there for you to feel good about your character - nothing worse than having your PC suffer from low self-esteem, you know

I ended up with a rep a 57.

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 11:48 am

Actually, reputation has a very real effect in the game mechanics. Several effects, actually.

First, there are several dialogue checks that are made against your reputation score. Things like convincing someone you're not lying, etc. If your rep is high enough, you succeed; if not, you fail. (These dialogue checks usually feature alternative methods, such as checks against a high speechcraft skill).

Second, being channeled onto one of the backpath methods of completing the game is based on your rep. A rep of over 50 who has not bothered with the main quest will get directed to Vivec by any of two dozen or so important NPCs.

Third, rep does indeed modify people's disposition towards you.

Loredweller · Post by **Loredweller** » Thu Jan 02, 2003 12:05 pm

As far as i have noticed the Imp. Cult is most lavish with reputation points. If you know where and how you may also collect a fair amount of reputation based on destroying 6th Could bases (somewhat about 15 in total, IIRC, and destroying isn't enough, there's someting else what must follow).
The other side of high reputation is that some NPC what are supposed to attack you on sight do not that (overhigh personality has the same effect). Sometimes it may make the game more difficult.
In fact reputation works much like the personality and together with it, at least with same personality and higher reputation you're more welcomed by NPC.

Fairmaiden · Post by **Fairmaiden** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 11:26 am

Thanks for the info. Is reputation affected if you kill lots of innocent people? Or is the only punishment for that a fine?

What I'm getting at is this: is Morrowind a game where you are geared towards being moral and good, like many RPGs, or can you finish the game properly, even though you've maybe behaved like a psycho?

cjdevito · Post by **cjdevito** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 12:19 pm

Is reputation affected if you kill lots of innocent people? Or is the only punishment for that a fine?

The only punishment is a fine -- well, more to the point, it's entirely possible to get your crime level high enough that paying a fine is no longer an option and all guards take a "kill on sight" approach to you, and most NPCs won't even talk to you.

What I'm getting at is this: is Morrowind a game where you are geared towards being moral and good, like many RPGs, or can you finish the game properly, even though you've maybe behaved like a psycho?

Depends on what you mean by "properly". There are three ways to get to the finish of the game, the principle one being by doing the main quest. However, one allows you to skip the main quest pretty much entirely if you've done a ton of other things in the game, and the third is open to psychopaths who've gone on killing sprees. For the third to work, there's only one single NPC who has to still be alive. But this route, too,makes following the main quest -at all- completely unimportant. So if you want to do the Nerevarine/Hortator stuff, you pretty much have to be a goody-goody. If you don't care about doing the main quest, you can behave as awfully as want and still accomplish the ultimate goals of the main quest, though.

Fairmaiden · Post by **Fairmaiden** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 9:56 am

Thanks for the interesting answers.

One of the reasons I was wondering about killing innocent people is that my sneak and security levels are still quite low, as I'm playing a fighter character. I often see fascinating locked doors/chests and property belonging to NPCs that I could only get hold of if I commit crimes openly and start fights.

But I rarely do that as I'm worried about killing someone important to the story or quests.

So I think when I'm nearing the end of the game I'll go on a rampage round the country, freeing all the slaves and pillaging whatever I fancy!

Then next time I'll play a character with a much higher sneak/security level because I think it's a pretty important skill in this game.

Loredweller · Post by **Loredweller** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 10:48 am

Being a fighter doesn't mean one cannot develop good sneaking and security. There's some good items enchanted with Chameleon what might help, and one can always create some of his own. From the other side, even the plain sneaky character has to develop the skills at the begining.