TEXT: CHRISTOPHER GREY’S
  FACTIONS
  A DUNGEONS & DRAGONS VARIANT RULES SUPPLEMENT
  
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  Introducing Factions
  T
  he Factions supplement expands upon existing Dungeons & Dragons faction mechanics by setting up “faction 
  points.” These points enable players to accrue or lose standing with any particular factions based upon their in-
  game behavior. When deployed, faction mechanics can add meat to campaigns that have a lot of social aspects, 
  intrigue or politics. In theory, the game could be played entirely based upon faction points without ever enter-
  ing a combat scenario.
  The supplement is structured as follows:
  1 Faction.
  Expansion of core mechanics to include faction points that enable players to earn or lose standing with groups.
  2 Renown.
  Expanded mechanics for tracking and managing renown in addition to faction points.
  3 Influence.
  A point system that enables players to accrue servants, soldiers, workers, households, and even kingdoms.
  4 Property.
  Expanded mechanics that incorporates influence into existing downtime building activities.
  
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  Factions
  Factions Points are an overlay mechanic that en-
  able players turn earn or lose favor with specific groups 
  and organizations based upon their actions. Players will 
  have benefits for getting favor from factions, including 
  discounts on weapons, armor, or equipment, downtime 
  employment, and even renown. However, earning favor 
  with some factions may cause disfavor in others. Dif-
  ferent factions may offer discounts for different things 
  and there may be additional benefits not listed below, 
  as well.
  Faction Points are also a way to run non-combat 
  encounters that still have a measurable outcome and is 
  an avenue that can be used for a politics-focused adven-
  ture or campaign. 
  The mechanic works quite simply, in that an 
  equivalent number of Faction Points are awarded or 
  deducted for a particular faction as experience points 
  would be for encounters. 
  Characters gain or lose Faction Points for specific 
  factions by interacting with members from that faction. 
  Faction points are equivalent to experience points/
  challenge rating and faction levels are equivalent to ex-
  perience point levels. You cannot have a Faction Level 
  lower than -5 or higher than 5. 
  Faction points and levels can go up or down 
  depending upon a player’s actions. If it goes down, pre-
  viously awarded bonuses are revoked. Faction points 
  only apply if an NPC is specified to have a faction. 
  Faction points are adjusted as follows: 
  • Defeat someone who is the member of a 
  faction in combat: Subtract points equal to 
  challenge rating/experience
  • Save the life of someone who is the member 
  of a faction in combat: Add points equal to 
  challenge rating/experience
  • Successfully win any Charisma skill checks 
  against a member of a faction: Add points 
  equal to challenge rating/experience
  • Successfully complete a task assigned by a 
  member of a faction that has an associated 
  challenge rating: Add points equal to difficult-
  ly level/experience
  Many times affecting one faction can affect 
  another. For example, a character’s faction points will 
  increase for one faction if he or she does something to 
  hurt a rival faction. This is tracked via reputation and 
  is noted (if applicable) on NPCs or encounters. Repu-
  tation should be awarded or deducted realistically—in 
  other words, there would be no reduction if an oppos-
  ing faction could not know the players did what they 
  did. The allocation of Faction Points is up to the GM’s 
  discretion.
  Renown
  Having good favor with a faction does not nec-
  essarily mean a character works for a faction. To be 
  an actual member of the faction, characters must earn 
  “renown.” Renown is earned in game at the discretion 
  of the GM, based upon what makes sense within the 
  adventure or campaign and can also be rewarded along 
  with experience when completing tasks for a faction. 
  Mechanically, a character can only be awarded a level 
  of renown if they at least 300 Faction Points with that 
  Faction (or are considered friendly). If a character has 
  earned renown with a faction they do not lose it unless 
  they go into “suspicious” standing with the faction 
  (-300 Faction Points).
  Player characters can have up to 5 Renown with a 
  Faction, which signify specific ranks within the organi-
  zation (each organization may have different names and 
  responsibilities for the ranks).
  Generally the ranks are categorized as follows:
  • Rank 1 (0-1 Renown): Affiliated/Entry-Level
  • Rank 2 (2-3 Renown): Agent/Employed/
  Initiated
  • Rank 3 (4-10 Renown): Veteran/Manager/
  Acolyte
  • Rank 4 (11-25 Renown): Mentor/Sergeant/
  Priest
  • Rank 5: (26-50 Renown): Leader/Command-
  er/Deacon
  Influence
  Influence is a character’s ability to lead and con-
  trol others and is the foundation for gaining military 
  leadership, nobility or even kingship. It is entirely root-
  ed in how much you can make factions ally with you, 
  through your leadership and charisma. Statistically, 
  Influence is a game mechanic that enables player char-
  acters to lead groups of NPCs into doing tasks, whether 
  it be building, crafting, selling, spying, crusading, or 
  battling. This mechanic enables players to rise above 
  only individual play and enter a political or war arena. 
  If you reach “revered” or Level 5 with any faction, 
  you gain an Influence point. Influence points are never 
  deducted, even if you lose Revered standing with a par
  
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  Faction 
  Points
  Employment
  Faction 
  Level
  Charisma 
  Advantages
  Behavior
  Trade
  -6,500
  Will Not Employ
  -5
  Disadvantage
  Hostile
  Will Not Trade
  -2,700
  Will Not Employ
  -4
  Disadvantage
  Wary
  Will Not Trade
  -900
  Will Not Employ
  -3
  Disadvantage-
  Cautious
  25% Mark-Up
  -300
  Will Not Employ
  -2
  Disadvantage
  Suspicious
  20% Mark-Up
  -1
  1 GP/Day
  -1
  None
  Uncomfortable
  10% Mark-Up
  0
  5 GP/Day
  0
  None
  Neutral
  No Change
  1
  10 GP/Day
  1
  None
  Nice
  5% Discount
  300
  15 GP/Day
  2
  Advantage
  Friendly
  10% Discount
  900
  20 GP/Day
  3
  Advantage
  Ally
  15% Discount
  2,700
  25 GP/Day
  4
  Advantage
  Loyal
  20% Discount
  6,500
  50 GP/Day
  5
  Advantage
  Revered
  25% Discount
  ticular faction. If you regain revered standing with 
  the same faction, you still earn an Influence points. 
  Property can also provide additional influence points.
  Every time a player character gains an influence 
  point, they receive 1d10 loyalists. The player can 
  choose what type of loyalist they acquire and in so do-
  ing can build the resources needed to create infrastruc-
  ture. Loyalists are not controllable by players and do 
  not operate like NPCs. They operate in the background 
  of the game, usually in downtime (though can enter live 
  game sessions) and if they accompany characters they 
  are present, but acting as a unit under instruction. GMs 
  may allow certain loyalists to be transformed into NPCs 
  for the purposes of a particular adventure.
  The Loyalists are as follows:
  • Servants (1 GP/day/servant, they handle the 
  day to day needs of the house)
  • Bannermen (5 GP/day/bannerman, they are 
  the foot soldiers of the house)
  • Knight (10 GP/day/knight, they are the com-
  manders and protectors of the house)
  • Advisor (20 GP/day/advisor, they are the 
  politicians and ambassadors of the house)
  • Merchant (50 GP/day/merchant, they are the 
  financiers of the house)
  • Spies (75 GP/day/spy, they are the spies and 
  assassins of the house)
  Property
  Characters can use downtime and gold to build 
  and manage property which yields many in game 
  benefits. Property requires a lot of time and money, so 
  is really only for more accomplished adventurers and 
  can be used readily in higher-level games. Characters 
  can co-own property as well, to pool their resources. 
  The accessibility and specifics of the property must be 
  worked out with the Game Master as they have impact 
  on the game.
  Each property has a set-up cost and set-up time 
  that must be spent before it is available. Following that, 
  each property will have a daily cost. These costs can 
  be deducted by day or by month. If they are not paid 
  within 60 days, then the property is lost. Some proper-
  ties generate revenue which can be collected by day or 
  month. The revenue is variable and can also be adjusted 
  by the GM for in-game reasons. In addition to costs, 
  some properties have requirements—usually a certain 
  amount of loyalists that make-up the property. Some 
  properties also have actions that yield specific benefits 
  or in-game activities.
  
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  Property
  Set-Up 
  Cost
  Set-Up 
  Time
  Daily 
  Cost
  Daily 
  Revenue
  Require-
  ments
  Actions
  Abbey
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  2d100GP
  5 servants
  1 advisor
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Army
  10,000 GP
  75 days
  100 GP
  None
  5 knights
  10 squads
  10 units for mass 
  combat
  Bazaar
  5,000 GP
  60 days
  84 GP
  2d100+50 GP
  5 merchants
  Revered discount on 
  adventuring gear, 
  tools, trade goods, 
  and common magic 
  items.
  Caravan
  500 GP
  15 days
  33 GP
  1d100+30 GP
  3 merchants
  Revered discount on 
  adventuring gear and 
  trade goods
  Castle
  250,000 GP
  600 days
  417 GP
  None
  20 servants
  5 merchants
  10 bannermen
  2 advisors
  1 knight
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  City
  500,000
  1,200 days
  4167 GP
  4d100x10 GP
  20 advisors
  4 knights
  40 bannermen
  20 merchants
  Additional 3 Influ-
  ence accrued every 
  month in operation
  Culture Hall
  25,000 GP
  150 days
  167 GP
  3d100 GP
  10 advisors
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Estate
  25,000 GP
  150 days
  167 GP
  None
  10 servants
  1 advisor
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Farm
  10,000 GP
  75 days
  100 GP
  2d100+20 GP
  5 servants
  2d10 Rations avail-
  able daily
  Guildhall
  5,000 GP
  60 days
  84 GP
  84 GP Dues
  2 servants 
  1 advisor
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Hospital
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  2d100 GP
  10 advisors
  20 servants
  2d10 potions of 
  healing available each 
  day, recuperation 
  time cut by half, free 
  resurrection service
  Keep
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  None
  10 servants
  10 bannermen
  2 advisors
  1 knight
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  
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  Property
  Set-Up 
  Cost
  Set-Up 
  Time
  Daily 
  Cost
  Daily 
  Revenue
  Require-
  ments
  Actions
  Legion
  25,000 GP
  150 days
  167 GP
  None
  100 armies
  100 units for mass 
  combat
  Navy
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  None
  5 warships or 
  10 longships
  1 naval unit for mass 
  combat
  Outpost
  15,000 GP
  100 days
  150 GP
  None
  10 bannermen 
  1 knight
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Palace
  500,000 GP
  1,200 days
  4,167 GP
  None
  50 servants
  5 merchants
  10 bannermen
  2 advisors
  1 knight
  Additional 2 Influ-
  ence accrued every 
  month in operation
  Shipyard
  25,000 GP
  150 days
  167 GP
  3d100+50 GP
  10 merchants
  2 advisors
  Revered discount on 
  water vehicles.
  Shop
  1,000 GP
  30 days
  33 GP
  1d100+30 GP
  1 merchant
  Revered discount on 
  adventuring gear and 
  tools
  Squad
  1,000 GP
  30 days
  33 GP
  None
  10 bannermen
  1 unit for mass 
  combat
  Temple
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  2d100 GP
  10 servants
  5 advisors
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Tower
  15,000 GP
  100 days
  150 GP
  None
  5 servents
  5 bannermen
  1 knight
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  Town
  50,000 GP
  400 days
  125 GP
  4d100+50 GP
  10 advisors
  2 knights
  20 bannermen
  10 merchants
  Additional 2 Influ-
  ence accrued every 
  month in operation
  Trading Post
  5,000 GP
  60 days
  84 GP
  2d100+50 GP
  5 merchants
  Revered discount 
  on weapons, armor, 
  shields, and adven-
  turing gear
  Training/
  Armory
  15,000 GP
  100 days
  150 GP
  None
  1 advisor
  1 knight
  5 bannermen
  10% discount on all 
  ongoing bannermen 
  costs
  Village
  25,000 GP
  150 days
  167 GP
  3d100+50 GP
  5 advisors
  1 knight
  10 bannermen
  5 merchants
  Additional Influence 
  accrued every month 
  in operation
  
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  Thanks for reading and incorporating these mechanics in your game. Please let me know how it goes!
  http://christopher.world
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/Non-Publisher Titles/Christopher Greys Factions.pdf