The Power of Reputation

Throughout the game, my reputation constantly fluctuates. Not only does it determine my victory points at the end, but it also holds sway over my actions in the present. You see, adventurers like dealing with alchemists who have earned a good name.

The Green Zone: 14 To 17 Points

If your reputation marker is in the green zone, you’ll earn an additional smiley face for your bid. Let me give you an example – if you offer a discount of 0, instead of just 1 smiley face, you’ll have 2. It’s like a little bonus for having a good reputation!

But let me tell you, my friend, there is a lot at stake here. When your reputation takes a hit, you feel it even more. And let me tell you, it’s not a small loss either. In fact, whenever you lose reputation, you lose an extra point. Yes, that’s right – it’s a double whammy!

To give you an example, picture this: you sell a potion that doesn’t have the right sign, and you end up losing not just 1 point, but 2 points of reputation! Ouch, right? And here’s the kicker – if you happen to lose 2 points of reputation at a conference, you lose one more point on top of that, bringing your total loss to a whopping -3 points.

Now, here’s something you might not have considered – this penalty doesn’t discriminate. Even if you were comfortably cruising in the green zone, a regular loss of reputation can knock you right out of it. Let’s say you have a decent 14 points of reputation, and you sell a harmless, neutral potion – poof! Just like that, you’re down to 12 points.

It’s tough, isn’t it? When you’re at the top of your game, everyone expects nothing but the best from you. The pressure is real, my friend. But hey, don’t let it deter you. Keep pushing forward and exceeding expectations.

The Blue Zone: 18 or More Points

If your reputation is in the blue zone, things can get even more intense. You’ll get one extra smiley face and charge an additional gold piece for any guarantee you provide. This means that if you offer a -3 discount, you can also offer a 3-gold-piece guarantee. Ultimately, the resulting price would come out to 1.

When I lose reputation, I lose even more points – 2 points, to be exact. It’s a bit frustrating, but that’s how it goes. This penalty only kicks in when I start in the blue zone, though. Let’s say I have 18 points and I lose 5 all at once, that means I’ll be left with just 11 points. It’s a situation that can happen, and honestly, it’s kind of funny when it happens to someone else.

The higher up I go, the harder I can fall. It’s a risky game.

Red Zone: 6 Points Or Less

When I have such a terrible reputation, I have to give a discount of one gold piece for any guarantee I offer. Don’t think of it as a discount; it’s actually a penalty that gets applied after determining the selling order. Let’s say I offered a discount of -2; that means I have to provide an exact match guarantee. Normally, it would cost 4 gold pieces, but because of the discount, I have to charge only 3. So, the final price becomes just 1 gold piece. Unfortunately, I can no longer offer a discount of -3.

The good news is that when you lose reputation, you only lose 1 point less. Let me give you an example: if you sell a potion that goes against your reputation, it won’t have as much of an impact now. If a conference makes you lose 2 points, you’ll only lose 1. Your reputation can never go below 1. Even if something happens that would make it drop below 1, you’ll still have 1 point of reputation.

When everyone thinks you’re a terrible alchemist, it’s hard to change their opinion of you.