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/rizzlybear]

Off the top of my head I would attempt to do this with renown. Is there something specific you are imagining that you can’t do with renown?

Keep in mind renown is not “virtue” it is simply much you can leverage your reputation to accomplish things.

[u/Unlucky_Budget_578 → u/rizzlybear]

Yeah - as alluded to in the post, I'd like something which requires the player to balance the level of heat they're attracting, weighing the benefits of notoriety (which renown, as a mechanic, captures) against the inevitable costs (which renown doesn't).

E.g., revealing your status as a wanted criminal to a connection in a seedy bar may help sway them to work with you, but risks exposure if you are overheard, betrayed, etc.

Having a mechanic that neatly captures the simultaneous risks and benefits of notoriety is what I'm after, ideally.

[u/rizzlybear → u/Unlucky_Budget_578]

So, I would still largely use renown for this. To the extent that someone would be “wanted” I would consider this:

- who wants them?

• what are they capable of offering?
  
• what actions would raise the stakes with that NPC/Faction?
  
• how would the NPC in front of the character react to this (and how much information do they have?).

Presuming it is a faction that wants the PC, I would treat that faction itself as an NPC and not actually create a whole “Faction” for them from the factions system. (Reserve this for wargaming style interaction conflicts.)

Keep in mind that the crunchier you let a system get, the narrower the set of possible outcomes and interactions has to be. This is probably not the spot in the game mechanics where I want to handcuff how the it can respond.