Disclaimer: I make no promise that anything will come of this; this is just an idea I've been kicking around again lately.

What would be some interesting criminal-based edges? That is to say, general edges that would have a requirement of number of times wanted or a certain amount of time wanted, and would be useful mainly to wanted characters?

Some guidelines from my current thinking; you're not required to follow them in suggesting ideas, but I'm more likely to do something with ideas that do:

1) Generally, I think there's already an expectation that Outlanders will be wanted a lot, and there's already a lot in their power set that helps them survive wanted. Therefore, I'd mostly like to see edge ideas that skew away from them in usefulness. In other words, I'm more wanting to offer options to a Kingpin of Galadon who wants to commit crimes and try to stay wanted than I am wanting to make a Nightreaver better at something they're already good at.

2) Generally, I don't want to impact Tribunal powers directly. The thought is that if it's somewhat more viable to be a career criminal as a non-Outlander without totally ignoring Tribunal, the game's more interesting for both the criminal and the Tribunal.

I have some ideas already, but I'm still interested in hearing what's out there.

(I'd also read interesting ideas for the opposite: edges that are interesting for characters who are very law-abiding or who hunt criminals but who aren't themselves Tribunal.)

I just think this is a great idea, these days it's like all the fun in being wanted is for outlander.

- Cityguard Slasher
Fight better against town cityguards
< After certain reputation have enough experience fighting guards that you know their moves well, so works even when not wanted. Give incentive to rank off them more, a different approach than just avoiding them... etc. >

- Minor Offender
Guards of significantly higher rank yell but don't attack you. Basically, lowbie avoids getting plastered by "hooded figure" cityguard mobs. Lowbie criminals need fun too!
< Honestly, this would be a better mechanics change >

- Intimidating Offender
Guards of significantly lower rank yell but don't attack you, because they don't want to get plastered.

- Criminal Insider
Can see who is part of Tribunal, even when they are off duty.

- Vigilante
Fight better against Wanted foes (but can't be in tribunal)

- Stealthy Suspect
In their hometown, rogues can even hide from Tribunals (not tribbies whose class can detect hidden already tho)

- Mercantile Intimidator
If getting flagged enough times in a town or committing enough pks in a given town, the wanted pc can do business with merchants there (assuming commerce xp met) with a bonus to haggle.

- Urban Terror
If getting flagged enough times in a town or committing enough pks in a given town you get a morale/parry/dodging/damage bonus when fighting in that town.

- Udgaard/Voralian Adept Intimidator
With a strong enough rep and enough commerce xp, a criminal can bully the town's healer into doing business, even if the opposite align.

- Slick Suspect
The longer you stay Wanted, the more lucky you get.

- Infamous Reputation
The more hours you log as Wanted, increasingly fun automated titles are appended to your class title. E.g., Grok the Barbarian, Terror of Hamsah Mutazz - then upgrade up to "Scourge of Hamsah Mutazz" -- then up to "Hated and Feared Bane of Hamsah"...

>- Stealthy Suspect
>In their hometown, rogues can even hide from Tribunals (not
>tribbies whose class can detect hidden already tho)


I like this idea. I'd probably tweak it so the Tribunal can still see the Thief via LOOK and SCAN. Only remove them from WHERE. That way the Tribunal won't be completely powerless to hunt down the Thief if they really wanted to engage in an active hunt, and the edge won't be as powerful (and expensive).

Could fit the theme of the game in the sense of how sneaking allows "WHERE Name" to not work, maybe this edge increases your sneaking prowess to a point where you don't show up in "WHERE" at all to Tribunals while sneaking in your hometown.

Throwing out some brainstorming.

Hutto, the Sleepy Nitpicker

Orderly people used to the business of cities keep a better eye on possessions and gold. It does not diminish the likelihood of being stolen from but will allow them to yell even after a successful steal.

Used to the busy flow of people in cities, orderly urbanites earn a bonus to evade while in the open streets.

Hardened Criminals have been known to get by more vigilant protectors from time to time without tipping off the Magistrates.

(The idea being to make it down eastern without being auto-attacked, or past Bladerunner...yada yada.)

Edge - Criminal Intent

Hardened Criminals are fast in action and will cover the mouth of an attacking protector before he can yell out against him.

(Has a chance to stop them from yelling when they attack)

An edge that grants you rewards for killing WANTED characters. The reward would be low amounts of money (scaling upwards) and large morale bonuses (that lasted for a significant time) and/or increased regen akin to the song requiem or somesuch.

Look the other way -
Guildguards will ignore the guild thief **if he actively pays dues in that town*** allowing the thief to slip into any guild, works on a timer so it can't be abused often. Possibly auto deducts a certain amt of gold from your person as a bribe?

The Old Run Around -
Thief habitually slips out of manacles, forcing the Law to get more creative in its apprehension of lawbreakers.

Bigger than life -
a character achieving wanted status for a certain number of hours/times is infamous and consequently, shoppies and healers are frightened into giving even better deals.

Secret Passage -
(I know this one requires some coding- but) A criminal with this edge can essentially "escape" from one room in a city to another - possibly randomized the first time the criminal does this, but remains the same in subsequent uses. Maybe it leads out of town. That way, it can be discovered by dilligent lawmen over time. Maybe make this renewable for a cost to take you to a different place...just an idea to play around with.

You're Going Down With Me -
Criminal is cornered and down to a fraction of life goes down in a blaze of glory - doing a massive one time assault against the lawman but completely negating parry, dodge, etc. Can only target pcs.

The Enemy of my Enemy -
Wanted folks who take this edge are alerted any time combat starts between trib/criminal - and the sharks gather to fight on one side or the other. Simulates the string of contacts underworld folks use. Would give criminals an incentive to help eachother occasionally and form IC friendships. When two criminals with this edge target the same PC, bonus attacks happen or they get a bonus to dodge, etc.
Any or all of this...but the alerting would be cool.

Second Identity -
Allows a criminal with a long wanted time to "doppleganger" another PC or mob nearby - at random. Short duration, long timer, The PC would appear to anyone looking as that mob, allowing them to escape. Of course, if the criminal took action in this form that the typical mob normally wouldn't, they would be easily caught - this would encourage some in-city cat and mouse. Fun!

Here's what I think would be balanced.

1. An edge that gives you a chance to slip by guards without them attacking or reporting you on the Vindy channcel, but:
- only guards outside the city
- maybe only at night

It could either be by disguise, or by taking advantage of country bumpkin guards being less good at their job than those of the big cities.

2. An edge that makes sequester fail occasionally.

3. An edge that reduces the maladictions and movement cost of manacles.

4. An expensive edge that makes it harder to clap manacles and shackles on you.

5. An edge that lets you deal with shopkeepers whilst wanted (on the black market)... maybe at increased prices though.

6. An edge that lets you do "who tribunal" in the same way other people can do "who wanted", and identifies both off duty and on duty tribunals.

These could be mutually exclusive.

Favored Son
Guards in your hometown are slower to treat you like a criminal (the longer you're wanted*).

Family Ties
Shopkeepers in your hometown don't treat you like a criminal when you're wanted and you get better bonuses to your haggle and fence skills (the longer you're wanted*).

Notorious
Anti-gang code kicks in better against Orderly enemies in your hometown (the longer you're wanted*).

Slippery Criminal
Based on your dexterity, your Evade skill gets better bonuses against Orderly enemies in your hometown (the longer you're wanted*).

Infamous
Weak guards outside Protected cities are slower to treat you like a criminal (the longer you're wanted*).

The Hood
Beggars and poor citizens of your hometown will assist you in combat.


* Bonuses that increases based on length of time held onto current WANTED flag could be fun and encourage people to want to keep their WANTED flags. It also balances it a bit in the sense that there isn't a huge change immediately upon getting WANTED, although it rewards the player for playing as a criminal. If you wanted to make them a lot more versatile, you can remove the "in your hometown" part but that would end up favoring Outlanders quite a bit.


Hutto, the Sleepy Nitpicker

Manaic edge - Chaotic warrior criminals with this edge gain extra bonuses to their berserk ability when fighting tribunals and tribunal guards. EXTRA HPs, EXTRA HIT DAM, shorter duration.


Taunter - Criminals gain a boost to their regeneration rates the longer they have stayed a criminal and evaded capture from Tribunals.

(the longer duration ties in with the number of fights that took criminal below 50% hps) ---> increase regen rates after altercation.

Extortionist - A criminal can sell and barter with increased success in town where there is no active Tribunal.

Will think of more later.

"Valued Customer". Ability to buy/sell from shoppies while wanted. Maybe only in your hometown, if you think that's too powerful. Or maybe the merchants jack up the prices to justify the risk of selling to a criminal. Or maybe only evil merchants will do this. (Though, this sort of screws goodies out of using this edge.) This edge also has the advantage of not benefiting Outlanders at all.

"Stealth mode". Whatever prog aggro-to-criminal mobs use to attack criminals doesn't work as well against characters with this edge. The idea being: its easier for a guy with this edge to blast down eastern road and not get attacked by the patrols.

"Master of disguise". When a aggro-to-criminal mob attacks a player with this edge and the player subsequently flees, the mob doesn't stay "normal aggro" to him. It might still attack him via the usual "attack criminal" prog, but it will no longer be in the "normal aggro" state wherein it *automatically* starts combat whenever the player enters the room.

Police Protection: Orderly characters who have a reputation for obeying the laws may be rescued (the skill) by city guards in the same room when attacked by hardened criminals in protected cities. (Rather situational, but a nice perk.)

Law Abiding Citizen: Characters with this edge may enter their guild 1-2 ticks sooner when affected by adrenaline.

Cautious Urbanite: Rightly distrusting of those who break the laws, these cautious citizens pay close attention to the felons around them and are less easily surprised by attacks. Perhaps gives the victim a weaker avoidance / counter attack type ability against criminals. (Never been wanted, only works in cities.)


--


Infamous Villain: The most hardened, sinister criminals carry an especially infamous reputation, such that good-aligned city guards (of lower level) will be too afraid to attack them. Special guards are never affected. (Evil only.)

Fugitive: Accustomed to life on the run, these hardened criminals are able to go longer without food and water and suffer less severely from any potential emotional stress (morale) while pursued by the law.

Evading Arrest (or "Getaway Sticks"): Upon being WANTED, this hardened criminal will suffer from reduced movement lag and drain for the duration of the tick.

Savvy Provocateur: Criminals with this edge are able to taunt and demoralize both their opponents and any peace keepers while fighting in protected cities as a criminal. (Scales with # of times wanted.)

Conventional Tactics: Something akin to a significantly watered down version of STSF against Tribunals, city guards, etc., for hardened criminals who are used to fighting the police.

I'd like to see good aligned PC's get a warning from a good aligned NPC guard that auto attacks for being wanted. Similar to how the Duke (dagger of betrayal?) will warn you to leave before actually attacking. I haven't played a single good aligned character (except Tribunal) that has gotten wanted and not killed a good aligned guard. It really sucks.

Affluent Bribery - Characters with decent charisma and X amount of coins carried can regularly bribe guards into disregarding their duties (not attack). The higher level the guard mob, the more amount of coins are needed (on hand). Also, the more coins (thinking 100K+) the more reliable the bribe is.

Watchful Eye - Stealthy classes have a keen understanding of observation, and therefore, better understand the routines of guards. They can oftentimes slip by a guard unnoticed, simply because the guard has their back turned at just the right (wrong) moment. Does not work against Tribunal guards.

Intimidator - Giants, Orcs and Minotaurs have such an intimidating presence, that most guards tend to eschew their duties when they see these criminals coming their way. The guards often make up excuses: they have a family, a loved one, they don't want to die, etc.. Only works on NPC guards who are naturally smaller than the PC.

Masked Criminal - These criminals wear a mask or full faced helmet to conceal their identity. It takes guards longer than usual to make a correct identification--usually by the time they have, the criminal is already gone.


This last one is a bit of a stretch:

Signet Ring - Bards can be exceptional at mimicry and deceit. When wearing the signet ring in front of other guards wearing the same signet ring, they convince the guard that they are simply an off-duty guardsman. This can get them off the hook when wanted, or it can inspire the guards to jump in an help their "comrade", even against non-criminals.

RESPECTED GUILDSMAN
A criminal with this edge can potentially visit and utilize guilds that would normally not be receptive to a criminal.


RACKETEER
A criminal with this edge receives a substantial bonus to his haggle skill when dealing with shopkeepers who will do business with him.


AGGRESSIVE PACIFIER
Some lawmen are reluctant to attack those engaged in criminal activity. Criminals with this edge capitalize on this reluctance, enjoying an increased delay between when they enter a room and when a guard attacks. The benefits of this edge are diminished if an on-duty magistrate or vindicator is in the area, and they are completely nullified by the presence of an on-duty law man in the room.


INTIMIDATING BUSINESSMAN
A character with a substantial criminal record (or perfect record of law-abiding behavior in a protected city) may intimidate shopkeepers and healers who would not normally do business with him, though they may be charged an additional premium. The former characters are dealt with out of fear, and the latter out of grudging respect.


CITIZEN SHERIFF
Exceptionally law-abiding characters who are attacked/stolen from within a protected city may find themselves assisted by any guards in the room, whether the aggressor is wanted or not. Guards throughout that city will continue to act as if the aggressor is wanted until he leaves town or his combat timer expires. While the victim has a combat flag and is in town he will be labeled SHERIFF, although this label confers no powers. This edge works for off duty magistrates.

(Sheriffs are not empowered to attack in town, but must scream like little girls for a magistrate with jurisdiction to come deal with the bad guy.)

I didnt specify any restrictions / requirements, just the general idea for the edge.

Beloved Outlaw:
There is a possibility that mobs with a chaotic or neutral ethos will autoassist against law enforcement mobs fighting hero. Chance is much higher if the mob is chaotic.

Ruthless criminal:
Significant chance that law enforcement mobs of much lower level wont attack hero.

Slippery wrists:
Harder to manacle, shorter duration on manacles. Better chance to cast spells when manacled.

Vengeful Criminal:
Damage bonus against law enforcement mobs. Also a small chance that hero will autoattack law-enforcement if he walks into the room with one. When hero kills a law enforcement mob, get a temporary +morale effect. Double hp bonus from eating the heart of a law enforcement mob.

Hated in Hamsah:
Hamsah guards hates you so badly that they will try to kill you like a normal mob instead of putting you in jail naked.

Pillager of the Blood Tribunal:
Hero can go beyond his normal carry capacity when looting the corpses of tribunals.

Outlaw Assassin:
Hero can stalk and try to assassinate tribunals on duty despite them being able to see him, but with reduced efficiency. Being spotted on where resets the stalk count as usual.

Flag Fan:
Whenever hero gets flagged, he gets a big and lasting morale bonus.

There can only be one:
When flagged, hero gets a damage bonus against other flagged characters.

Heroic Freedom Fighter:
Chaotic good hero gets a bonus when requesting from CG mobs. No -XP when CG hero kills good aligned law enforcement mobs. XP bonus for killing neutral and evil law enforcement mobs.

Urban Killer:
Non outlander. Reduced chance of causing a yell when attacking stuff in protected areas.

And some of them are just borderline overpowered ideas.

I never specified any figures. Depending on how good/bad you make them, the price should be set accordingly. For 90% or so of the edges there is nothing that indicates whether it should be cheap or expensive.

That being said, some of them are sort of stupid. I was bored at work.

edit: meant as reply to magus.

I was referring to these specifically:

Slippery Wrists... It costs 50 mana to use manacles, plus, the Tribunal cannot be fighting, so it has a limited use for Tribunal's in the PK of the criminal.

Outlaw Assassin - Giving a higher chance to assassinate someone under conditions where normally assassinate would fail 100% of the time is kinda...eh?

Pillager of the Blood Tribunal - Just encourages more looting for Outlanders--or wanted people in general, whereas the Tribunal has gone in the other direction with the confiscate skill and whatever the other one is that returns everything.

An uncaballed thief/ranger with high charisma might have an effect similar to nature Aegis with guards.

Works even better if guard is same alignment.

If ever caballed the edge fails (Maybe still keep it though and it works if uninducted?)

Force of Will. Neutral or evil only. Non-Outlander. Medium to high charisma. Wanted people can force protected city merchants to deal with wanted PCs and sell inventory items at the usual cost. Can also make them buy items but at reduced cost.

Kind Reputation. Good or neutral only. Non-Outlander. Buy protected city items at a reduced cost (like extra haggle). NPC good healers will also commune at a reduced cost for everything but 'heal heal'.

All align with some restrictions. Non-Outlander. Non-chaotic. Uses charisma. Can bribe city guards to let you pass if wanted. Good cannot bribe evil guards and evil cannot bribe good guards. Instead of the guards yelling and attacking, a certain amount of coin (1 gold?) is deducted from your inventory with a short player echo. If you have the edge but not enough coin, guards act as usual. Edge doesn't always work - 75% chance if same align, 50% chance if different. Some mobs can't be bribed like Hamsah gate guards, Enforcer, higher ranking Seantryn guards, etc.

Neutral or evil only. Any ethos. PK count oriented. I think murderous reputation is already taken so. Lower level guards cower in fear instead of yelling when a criminal is near. Slower to attack wanted characters when alone (less chance of edge working when guards are in groups). Requires 4th or 5th echelon of pk kills.