This question relates to my previous ramblings about a druid/ranger party. It also is more general.


I feel like you always gain reputation points for doing quests. Therefore, as a neutral character, it is difficult to do something to right the balance fo forces in teh world. No one ever says, thanks for making things more balanced, here is 45,000 xp, a nice sword, and I am going to take away a reputation point. Do they?!?!? This seems like a real flaw in the concept.
So, to play my neutral party, I will have to do quests like Umar Hills, Trademeet, Windspear Hills, freeing Slaves (something a neutral would definitely do in my opinion- wage labor only, no slave labor!) and then figure out a way to reduce my reputation by very small increments. The only reputation reducing I have noticed is in chunks of ten for killing random people.

Any ideas on how to micromanage reputation to keep it in the 12-16 range?

yeah the game does seem to be tailored toward good characters. there are probebly some evil quests which will bring your reputation down though.

A neutral can live with 20 reputation, but the problem you suggest is real. I mean, even if you're neutral, you will agree to help people in need, but it doesn't necessarily mean you upset balance, right? (Well, that's why I usually play neutral good characters.)

Another way of looking at it would be to do quests, but not necessarily be a goody-2-shoes about it. After all, most of the people who need quests done ask for help because some outsider has come into their setting and mucked with the balance of life and forces in teh area.

Hmmm, Good point. I could also do teh quest, but not necessarily go get patted on the head about it by returning to whoever asked me to do it. But then I miss out on xp, and that hardly seems fair.

I like the idea of doing evil quests. Where do you find those? I only know of Korgan. He might be a little too evil for the party. Plus, I wonder if Minsc and Korgan can get along.

My idea of neutrality is doing things what you think are right are balanced, not always siding with good and doing some evil things. You do what you think will balance things out. e.g freeing slaves or helping Nalia out.

A determined pursuit of Good will not upset the Balance. The whole game is about your "heritage" and by being good you balance out the evil within.

Plus, from a Universal point of view, characters like the PC, Jaheira, Cernd and others strive for balance, but they are heroes, and heroes battle evil.

One of the more Druid oriented quests is in the Umar Hills. SPOILER!


The one where you help out the party of humanoids who are being blamed for the killings. By helping them with trade, you help out the town, avoid bloodshed, yet this is considered the "good" route, yet you just kept the balance! So there really is no conflict between having a 20 reputation and being Neutral. In fact, A Chaotic Evil party could still do the quests, gain the experience, get the rep point, then kill the quest-giver. Depending on how the game codes it, you may keep the reputation. Think of it as "infamy", you are well known.

I personally think the whole reputation system is flawed, and that your Charisma and Alignment should determine interaction more than some nebulous reputation concept.

Look at it this way, if you donate enough money to a temple, you can raise your reputation to 17. Now in that temple's eyes you would be good and grand, but why would the Thief Fence in the sewer give you lower prices because you gave money to Ilmater's temple?

Very thoughtful answers. Yes, I see now that a neutral party can have a high reputation. I just wish tehre were more non-linear quests, or quests where you go kill something or someone just to level the playing field instead of heroic quests.

SPOLIER

Umar is a nifty solution, but is still heroic in terms of meeting the cry for help.

I think a paladins powers should partially be based on his rep. that would be cool.
End of game SPOILER
*
*
*
*
*
Maintaning the balance in this game isnt that hard. You just have to stop Irenicus before he becomes some allmighty demi-god, what would that do to the balance huh? A true neutral char would stop him at any cost so if any inocents die along the way or you do some good stuff thats all in pursuit of the greater balance.

Yeah, I usually enjoy playing neutrals or evils (especially Drow, hehe) more than good characters - they just seem more interesting I guess. However, I realized long ago that when playing single player RPGs, you almost have to play good. Most single player RPGs are just designed around you being a good guy and doing The Right Thing. In the Baldur's Gate series, I've been playing a NG Ranger. In Icewind Dale I tried playing an all Drow party, and it just didn't work. Half the time I wanted to ask the person who was giving me a quest: "So what about your village? I really don't care if you humans freeze to death or not. Waela rivvin..."

Dig the Drow proverb Dreamer128, here it is in Drow:

"Nindyn vel'uss kyorl nind ratha thalra elghinn dal lil alust!"

Mourn Yauntyyr
Elderboy, Qu'ellar Yauntyyr
The City of Maladuir
www.geocities.com/maladuir