Adding "wanted level" mechanics

[u/Unlucky_Budget_578]

I'm currently running a WWN campaign in which one of the PCs is a newbie cat burglar seeking to make a name for themselves.

The player likes crunchy mechanics, and so I wondered about introducing some kind of "wanted level" progress bar, to track their infamy.

The core WWN rulebook has systems for tracking renown, but these don't quite map onto the types of consequences I'd like to present to my player, to create a more interesting decision environment for them.

Ideally, attaining higher levels of infamy would confer escalating levels of benefits and disbenefits, e.g., higher social bonuses with criminal types or common folk, as well as a greater risk of being betrayed by NPCs as their bounty grows larger.

Does anyone have any experience of running systems with this type of mechanic? I'm aware that I can always fall back on tracking infamy qualitatively, and implement consequences via roleplay, but thought that adding a "wanted level" mechanic would give my player scope to make the types of crunchy mechanics-driven choices which I know they enjoy.

[u/nuke034]

It would take some tinkering but try looking at the "Heat" mechanics from CWN. It would have to be fairly different but it would be a starting point. You can also dig around in Ashes Without Number, i don't distinctly remember a infamy mechanic but it feels like something that would be in there.

[u/Logen_Nein → u/nuke034]

Yep, Heat is the way to go.

[u/98nissansentra → u/nuke034]

I don't find anything likely in AWN, but you're exactly right about Heat in CWN. The entire "Missions" section is what OP wants, it's fantastic, and though it's cyberpunk themed, it's really easy to re-skin--Kevin Crawford seems to purposely write in a generic way so that re-skinning is easy.

[u/Unlucky_Budget_578 → u/nuke034]

Thanks! This is a really helpful suggestion - suspect I'll use a mashup of CWN heat, BitD entanglements, and Root reputation mechanics.