After the Confidence thread this seems related, somehow.
Reputation is also an element not all people use or understand. If you play in Rhine it is important, for proving yourself enough to be a Master e.g.
What do people do?
We've tried in our Loch Leglean saga to make it count as well. To encourage players to have their characters do something to be noticed, produce things and distribute their work, to great deeds, socialize with other magi.
Two players play Mercere who lend out vis and we've ruled that the interest they gain is the nominal 20% but limited to a number of pawns equal to Reputation among the magi. Effectively using their Rep as a measurement of how many actually use the service.
We also intend to have the Reputation affect certain social rolls, requests for aid, buying or selling things - in cases of near-misses on rolls. E.g. the SG decides the EF for a Charm roll is 12 to convince a maga to share her work, but the player rolls only 8, and even with Conf it is not enough. But he has a Rep among magi for something she respects and she obliges.
Or tip the scales for a roll to see if a lab text sought is available. Or to see how fast a message arrives by Redcap. and so on.
ArM rules that a single, great deed starts Rep at score 1, and subsequent significant deeds are worth 1 exp, using ability scale. We award Rep Exp for visiting other covenants (first visit), for spending time (seasons) at other covenants, for creating devices or writing books to be sold of given away (like the Mercere to the Redcaps). For Grogs and Companions a single great die roll with multiple 1s may spark this first level of Rep. For magi I prefer they actively seek it out. My magus Mercere visited every single covenant in Scotland and the north of England in a single season, traveling in the shape of a raven to start it off.
As we're still a fairly new saga I ahve yet to see the impact. But I think things have started well. We have Tribunal soon, it may come in to play here.
In my Provence-Saga, reputation is a matter of collective consciousness.
When a story is finished, we take a "reputation round". That means, we call the names of the characters one after another. For every character the group has two minutes. In this two minutes, it is possible, that the previous reputation of a character changes. This occurs only, if all participating players agree. Usually we discuss a rise or loss of an existing reputation about 1. (If a character has no reputation, sometimes we discuss about a new one.) So, if you have a reputation of "troubadour+1" and all players wish you to have "troubadour+2", they have to come to this conclusion in 2 minutes. If the group isn´t able to decide about this unanimously, the previous reputation is still in effect.
We have a much duller "reputation XP" system. When you perform well above what is expected as regular behaviour (for good or bad) you get 1XP. Reputations increase and decrease as usual. Geting a +1 reputation is fairly easy if you centre on it. You can practice a reputation in our saga. 5XP per season + 2 exposure points.
Wow, that's fabulous, chiarina! Should I run a table top game in the future, which is looking more and more possible, I'm stealing this. I might even extend this to Confidence, as well, as I'm not a fan of SG fiat deciding how to allocate these. I might retain some veto power over the process, though. I wouldn't go for unanimous, but I think there needs to be consensus. If someone doesn't care, I don't want to force them into a "yes" rather than an "I don't care."
Fascinating. Our Reputations may change at the Troupe's decision (as may Personality Traits) however we have no formalized method for this, Troupe members just pitch in. Mostly the same people do this every time, the more experienced players one might say, with the rest, less-experienced players convinced it is very difficult thing to do
In our saga (for PCs) it is what NPCs know you for (which may not be accurate). So, if you have a reputation for (say) "making incredible Longevity Rituals", then NPCs start to show up wanting to commission you to make Longevity rituals (and possibly other jobs that require CrCo). Similarly, if you have a reputation for being a pest about the Code, then NPCs act accordingly when you show up at their covenant.
It's the first impression that NPCs have, before they meet you (it's the zeroth impression).
Ok so what everyone assumes you are? That seems in sync with the RAW. But loosely used for determining who seeks your attention and why.
We coupled this with (or rather: are trying to, we have yet to see any impact) some noticeable effect on social life, social skills. So if you seek out a magus or covenant and want something then your Rep may help or even tip the scales. Unless the magi in question are actually negatively influenced. Just to try and fix Rep to some mechanics to make it easier visible.
Impact in folk ken made by others on you (good predisposition, bad predisposition) and with other social abilities. if you are supposed to be the best speaker in town you will gather a crowd, and people will be well predisposed to your speech. However, if you botch the roll you can see your reputation seriously diminished.
If you are supposed to be a fair dealer you will get a bonus equal to your reputation to your Bargain roll or your charm roll when talking to previous clients.
If you are supposed to be a bloodthirsty maniac and your opponent in the tavern brawl knows it, he will have to make a bravery roll with a penalty equal to your reputation before he decides to engage in melee with you.
Etc etc.
Bonus or malus equal to reputation to personality rolls and social interactions.
I'm stealing Charina's Reputation Rounds for my own Saga. The 2-minute time limit is what makes them so great; it keeps the conversation from lingering into boredom, and if everyone can't agree on a rep in two minutes, it means the rep isn't clear enough to be on the sheet anyway.