The title system is used to provide advancements along a variety of lines, granting combat modifiers, improvements to Primary Skill mechanics, passive skills (often referred to as Title Skills) and additional Secondary Skill points. It is an independent and optional advancement system that is in addition to the ‘level-up’ advancement system, though some titles may have a minimum level requirement. Gaining a new title is often referred to as a ‘title-up’.
Class Based Titles
Every class uses a unique method to govern its related title system. The five basic title systems are Renown, Rites, Guilds, Colleges, Orders (listed from least to most formal/organizer). Outlaw Titles stand apart from these five systems, as alternative for advancement.
Renown
The Realm of Strife is a vast land with a menagerie of cultures and peoples. Many of the people of this realm follow paths all their own and it is their deeds, not an affiliation with any given organization, that defines who they are. This is referred to as Renown and is a combination of recognition, Reputation, and noteworthy achievements.
As a character becomes more and more recognized, they also build a reputation for good or ill. Classes that use Renown to gain titles typically need a reputation that sticks out. If they are very neutral, it doesn’t matter how many people know who they are, most people will still be indifferent towards them. However if they are advancing towards revered or hated reputation lines, they can couple that with a threshold of recognition to gain new titles as they level up.
Classes that rely upon on Renown for advancement do not typically have any Outlaw Titles, as there are not governed by a specific organization of governing body, and in fact being an outlaw int he truest sense of the word can often lead to a high degree of Renown. However the exception to this is Zealot and Cleric classes, both of which do have Outlaw Titles because of their use of the Faith class mechanic.
The Renown title system is used by the following classes:
Barbarian | Soldier | Vigilante | Warrior | Zealot | Pit-Fighter | Guardian | Swashbuckler | Cleric | Weapon Master
Rites
Rites are solemn and often sacred ceremonies or rituals that govern title advancement for certain classes. Classes that use Rites tend to be more solitary or exist in fringe or tribal communities. These classes can operate with a high degree of independence, but usually still come together with others of the same class when it is time to perform a Rite. Ignoring a particular Rite is choice to instead diverge into an Outlaw Title.
The Rite title system is used by the following classes:
Shaman | Druid | Runeweaver | Berserker
Guilds
Guilds come in all shapes and sizes, from a local group of merchants, to a nation wide organization of adventurers. Any group of individuals with a common goal and the will to manage it can form a guild. However for some Stealth classes Guilds (sometimes also referred to as Clans) are directly related to Title advancements and carry significant rewards but also insist upon certain regulations. Like any guild, they can vary drastically in size and influence, some hiding in the shadows while others are well known and available for hire. Every Guild provides a series of ranks for its members in good standing, typically exacting some toll or member fee in exchange for access to the guilds resources, information networks, and tools of their trade. Not every Stealth character will belong to a Guild. Some may insist upon going alone, unwilling to share their profits and therefore choosing an Outlaw Title. However in the long wrong this is a much more difficult path and guild membership usually proves its worth.
The Guild title system is used by the following classes:
Thief | Ranger | Assassin | Ninja
Colleges
Colleges are self governing institutions of learning, typically devoted to academic knowledge but also in the case of some classes, devoted to the study, training and development of Primary Skills associated with that class. Every college has its own set of rules and guidelines that students and teachers alike must follow, though some colleges are stricter than others. The College title system outlines a path of progression from the most basic entry level student to revered teachers and instructors whom are masters of their craft. Entry into a college is often by invitation only, or at the very least will require that the applicant pass some sort of entry exam. While the demands of College studies can be grueling, it also provides students with an immense pool of knowledge and resources from which them may freely draw. Refusal to join a College, or being kicked out of a College forces a character to pursue an Outlaw Title if they wish to advance.
The College title system is used by the following classes:
Mage | Battlemage | Wizard | Martial Artist
Orders
Orders tend to be highly structured organizations with a strict set of rules, doctrines, or tenets, that must be adhered to. They also tend to have a very hierarchical structure of titles and ranks. Classes that use Orders for Title advancement must submit to the rules and leadership structure of their Order or risk being punished. Depending on the severity of the offence, it is possible to be ousted from the Order or sent into exiled, forcing a character into the route of Outlaw Titles. To gain titles through an Order, you typically must be in good standing with your Order and the leadership over you as well as being required to complete some kind of task, mission, or quest given to you by your superiors.
The size, structure and influence of an Order can vary greatly, from a small close knit community, to a massive organization that spans entire nations. Regardless, for all its rules and regulations belonging to an Order typically has many beneficial rewards.
The Orders title system is used by the following classes:
Knight | Priest | Paladin | Samurai | Monk | Shaolin
Outlaw Titles
Outlaw Tiles can apply to any class that is operating outside of the standard title system for that class. Not all Classes have Outlaw Titles, and not all Outlaw Titles are necessarily unlawful. See the Outlaw Titles for your Class Codex for details.
Other Titles
The class based title system is not the only title system in Realm of Strife. Titles are often used as affixes to increase the difficulty of enemy encounters and in some cases can be applied to characters, their mounts, and their companions. GMs are free to apply or develop other titles at as they see fit.