Stendhal FAQ: Difference between revisions

== Karma ==

; What is Karma?

: For a summary please ask <npc>Sarzina</npc> about Karma. One of her jobs is to explain it.

; What adds Karma?

: As <npc>Sarzina</npc> would tell you, doing good things (such as quests) adds to your Karma.

; What uses up Karma?

: Some tasks require skill alone. Some require skill and a bit of luck. Some require just luck. While skill is something that you keep, luck gets used up as you need it. This is reflected in the game's handling of Karma. If you need luck for something, your Karma is checked. If you have bad Karma (negative), you have a worse chance of success than if you had neutral Karma (0) or good Karma (positive). But, that piece of bad Karma which gave you a bad outcome in your task, has now been used up, and your Karma now isn't so bad as it was. Likewise: if you have good Karma, and you do a task needing luck, you have a better chance of success in the task. A small bit of your good Karma will be used to give you a good outcome. That little piece of Karma that was used for the task, is now deducted from your total.

; How much Karma is used up when I need luck for a task?

: That depends on the task. There is a maximum and minimum amount of Karma that can be used depending on the size of the task. Each time Karma is used, the amount used up is randomised, between those limits. If the randomised amount selected is quite small (close to the minimum), there is only a small effect on your luck and only a small amount of Karma is used.

; So, when I'm fighting creatures, am I getting bad Karma or am I using up my Karma?

: You're using Karma when you fight. You're getting a good outcome for it but your stocks of Karma are being depleted. It could never go negative if it was initially positive, just through Karma use.

; So, what makes Karma go negative?

: That's when you are unkind, e.g. refusing to help others.