Karma

Karma is one of two variables in the Reputation Title System (the other is Fame). In general: - Bad acts (unjust PKs, thievery, poisoning) lower karma. - Good acts (killing evil creatures, completing quests, killing murderers) raise karma.

Karma ranges from −32,000 to +32,000 on an exponential scale (higher tiers take disproportionately more effort).

Simple Karma Formulae (approximate)

Slaying an evil creature

Use when the creature’s karma is negative: Karma_gained = max(0, (-K_creature - K_player) / 100)

K_creature = creature’s (negative) karma
K_player = your current karma

Example
Ice Fiend: K_creature = -18,000
You: K_player = 5,000
Karma_gained = max(0, (-(-18,000) - 5,000) / 100) = max(0, (18,000 - 5,000)/100) = 130
New karma: 5,000 + 130 = 5,130

Slaying a good creature

Use when the creature’s karma is positive (loss expressed as a positive amount): Karma_lost = max(0, (K_player + K_creature) / 100)

Example
Crane: K_creature = 150
You: K_player = 10,497
Karma_lost = max(0, (10,497 + 150)/100) = 106
New karma: 10,497 - 106 = 10,391

Notes - Paragon (gold-hued) creatures modify fame/karma by ±40% (except when base karma is 0). - New characters typically gain more karma than fame per kill; veterans often the reverse.

Karma & Skills

Chivalry (Paladin): Karma affects nearly every spell (except Sacred Journey): - More healing (Close Wounds, Noble Sacrifice) - Less self-fire-damage (Cleanse by Fire) - Higher success (Remove Curse, Dispel Evil) - Longer/stronger buffs (Consecrate Weapon, Divine Fury, Enemy of One) - More damage (Holy Light)

Necromancy: Negative karma can increase effectiveness of certain spells. - Summon Familiar → Shadow Wisp grants mana regen only to characters with negative karma (more negative = more mana). - Increased Karma Loss item property (e.g., Ossian Grimoire) raises karma loss from Necromancy spells.

Color & Morality (Allnames / Handles / Highlight)

Blue = positive karma & “good” alignment. Killing blues reduces karma.
Gray = may or may not affect karma.
Red = freely attackable without karma loss. Killing reds can increase karma.

If your karma exceeds a monster’s karma, you may receive no karma gain from killing it.

Karma Levels & Amounts

Karma Level	Amount
Positive Level 5	10,000 to 32,000
Positive Level 4	5,000 to 9,999
Positive Level 3	2,500 to 4,999
Positive Level 2	1,000 to 2,499
Positive Level 1	500 to 999
Neutral Level 0	499 to −499
Negative Level 1	−500 to −1,249
Negative Level 2	−1,250 to −2,499
Negative Level 3	−2,500 to −4,999
Negative Level 4	−5,000 to −9,999
Negative Level 5	−10,000 to −32,000

(Scale is slightly skewed toward the positive at early levels.)

Karma Consequences

In Ilshenar, some magical “blue” creatures (e.g., pixies, cu sidhes) will attack players with negative karma—even if the player is blue.
NPC behavior changes with karma; at very low karma, most NPCs won’t interact with you.

Karma Locking

When you drop from neutral into negative karma, your karma auto-locks. Visit an ankh to unlock it if you want to gain karma again.

Players who prefer staying “evil” can manually lock karma at most shrines (ankh context menu).
While locked: you won’t gain karma, but you can still lose it.
Fame is unaffected by karma lock.

Discerning Karma

Open the Paperdoll to see your title. If you have a Reputation Title, it overrides the normal fame/karma titles there.