Thief: Deadly Shadows. Question about factions

Is anyone here playing this? I've just been told I can increase my standing with factions and was wondering if I could do so with both, or if it was only possible to ally myself with one.

You can be allied with both factions at once. It does make it easier for you.

For Hammerites, kill rust mites (small animals that look like spiders) and undead.

For Pagans, shoot moss arrows into cornerstones marked with their symbol and show elemental arrows into their coccoons.

Is there any special task to do for either faction? I haven't encountered anything, and am at the Cradle Mission.

Thanks, Pokey and Drizzt.

I think I shall try raising my standing with both, as I'm not particularly fond of either. Bit like a double agent, I suppose.

I'm not sure if there any special task once you've become an ally and/or raised your standing with the factions. I rather suspect not, but I'm sure that someone who's played more of the game will be able to answer your question, Drizzt.

I don't think I saw more than a couple of those cornerstones so I just kept blasting the rust mites (brown beetles the size of a cat). So now the hammerites are my pals and say hi to me on the streets.

There is one point at the game where it is rather helpful if the Hammerites like you. Otherwise, there are a couple of "quests" you can do for them.

The easiest way to get on the Pagans' good side is to shoot elemental arrows into the cocoons. And unless you steal from or attack either faction (and you REALLY don't need to) you're in for good.

Do you have to be caught stealing though? Or do they somehow assume it was you even if you weren't seen? I know I don't need the cash; I just enjoy it too much!

Just stealing from them seems to have a "bad Karma" effect. I stole from the Hammer box beside the Cathedral with no Hammers around and my standing went down.

I reckon they know that Garrett has been around and just assume that if something is missing, the sneaksie thief has been lightfingered again.

Oops.

Oh well, perhaps I shouldn't have been quite so eager to steal in the Pagan controlled area.

Is there some way to check your standing, Hagatha? I can't seem to find a gauge, or information on the goals screen.

One of the in-game menus has a "Faction" button on it which will give you your standing via a little bar. This is not available during missions - only when you are hanging around the City between missions.

Stealing a couple of times isn't a big deal in terms of faction reputation, and anyway you can regain lost points by firing a few more arrows into cocoons or cornerstones or mites. Whacking a Hammer on the head would lose you a hefty number of points, though. I got into a situation in which the Hammers came to my aid attacking some undead and one Hammer zapped the other, resulting in ME losing rep points!

The trick is to only just get your faction reputation to where you want it and not use up any more cornerstones and mites until you need them again.

Thanks, Hagatha. I really ought to have a looked a little more closely at the tabs; I tried doing it during a mission instead of in the city.

It appears that what you do during a mission doesn't affect your faction status while in the city (and vice versa, I assume). I expect that they're all hostile towards you during missions.

Yes - I worried about that during a mission where I was attacking Hammers and then lo and behold all was forgiven when I got back t the City.

And that stuff about not stealing from the Keepers? Never mind that, they need you too much. Just don't be too obvious. Not that they have all that much to steal.

No, the Keepers don't seem to have much at all; they probably spent it all on their books. Wish I could read more of them though.

I was too busy playing to keep track of how many mites and cornerstones I hit. Although I had full faction for both pagans and hammerites, I was hoping at the end to have stats that gave me the count. Did I miss a final stat section for the entire game? How I LOVE Deadly Shadows!!!!
Just wish there was more climbing available, like onto the rooftops and around corners, etc.

Hi JoanieS. I don't think there is a way in the game to keep track of the cornerstones you've hit (the mites, at least, seem to disappear). I tend to quicksave before I shoot an arrow at a cornerstone if I'm not certain if I've hit it already. I understand that there are 16 of each for either of the factions. Cheers.