Leveling a Conspiracy

Conspiracies increase in level by gaining Infamy, similar to how player characters accure experience points. However, it is much more reliant on the agency of the player characters, as Infamy is mainly gained by, well, being infamous villains and wreaking havoc upon the world. Going out of your way during adventures to build up your conspiracy, recruit henchmen, and spread your influence, as well as investing time and effort during conspiracy turns, will be rewarded with Infamy.

At each new level, a conspiracy improves attributes and focus areas beyond those determined at conspiracy creation. At the end of a Conspiracy turn, if the conspiracy has at least 1,000 Infamy and has not yet reached its maximum level (see below), increase the conspiracy’s level by 1 and deduct 1,000 from its current XP total. (The conspiracy’s level can’t increase by more than 1 on a single Conspiracy turn.) Note the conspiracy’s new level on the conspiracy sheet. If the conspiracy has any leftover XP, they are retained and count toward gaining the next level.

The conspiracy’s maximum level is equal to the party’s level; it can never exceed the level of the PCs themselves. So, for example, if the PCs are still 1st level when the conspiracy reaches 1,000 XP, the conspiracy cannot level up yet; it will level up at the end of the first Conspiracy turn after the PCs have reached 2nd level. (It’s possible for a conspiracy to accumulate a large reserve of Infamy, at which point the party’s level effectively determines when that conspiracy levels up rather than just Infamy accumulation. This is fine.)

When your conspiracy gains a level, each army you have gains a level as well. See the Warfare Subsystem for more information.

Control DC

The more powerful a conspiracy grows, the more difficult it becomes to control it. The base Control DC for your conspiracy is set by the conspiracy’s level—fortunately, as you increase in level, your ability to successfully utilize your skills grows as well.

Agenda Dice

How many actions a conspiracy can take and how far they can invest their influence is gated by their Agenda Points (AP), which are generated each turn using Agenda Dice during upkeep. While this might seem like a lot, remember that you don't have to spend all your AP in a turn and have them be wasted, as it is assumed that said resources get used in some diabolical way without your direction, translating as bonus Infamy points.

Minion Dice & Level

The Minion Dice indicates how many disposable minions the Summon Minions plot can put at the masterminds' disposal, while the level caps indicated are the maximum equivalent character levels that Minions and Henchmen accumulated by the conspiracy can have.

Level Progression

As the conspiracy advances, it gains the abilities described on the following table. Abilities gained at levels higher than first list the level at which they are gained next to their name.

Hierarchy, crop, and whip and initial proficiencies (1st)

Iron grip (1st)

Every conspiracy needs talented leaders to steer it. The grip of these masterminds increases with time and the development of its internal, infernal bureaucracy. Starting at 1st level, the conspiracy gains a +1 status bonus to either skill checks or savings throws involving the ability score tied to each leadership role that a player character (not a NPC) fills. At 8th level, this bonus increases to +2, and at 16th level to +3.

Signature plot (1st)

Your conspiracy is known for a particular brand of villainy that they specialize in, that speaks to their underlying tenets and nature. Select a plot (see Running a Conspiracy once per Conspiracy turn you may make two attempts at that plot simultaneously, and use the highest of the two results. At levels 7, 13, and 19, add an additional plot to your conspiracy's signatures.

Stronghold construction (1st)

You can establish lairs as a conspiracy immediately. At 3rd level, you can expand lairs into bastions. At 9th level, you can expand bastions into citadels. And at 15th level, you can expand citadels into demesnes. In addition to expanding how much Assets you can stockpile, as well as expanding the Dungeon Grid you can build in, each level of stronghold grants a status bonus to appropriate skill checks made during downtime for masterminds making use of them, representing alchemical laboratories, torture chambers, or other amenities at their disposal. This status bonus is +1 for lairs, +2 for bastions, +3 for citadels, and +4 for demesnes. You still need to supply the equipment, which costs coin or must be done with a plot. The status bonus simply comes from the amount of flunkies and space your conspiracy grants for your useage, and is in addition to any equipment bonuses you may get.

Conspiracy feats (2nd)

At 2nd level, and then every 2 levels thereafter, the conspiracy gains a Conspiracy feat (see Conspiracy Feats).

Skill increase (3rd)

At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, your conspiracy gains a skill increase. You can use this to increase your rank to trained in one skill in which your conspiracy is untrained, or to increase your rank to expert in one skill in which your conspiracy is trained.

Starting at 7th level, you can use your skill increases to increase your conspiracy’s proficiency to master in a skill in which your conspiracy is already an expert.

Beginning at 15th level, you can use them to increase your conspiracy's proficiency to legendary in a skill in which your conspiracy is already a master.

Pervasive conspiracy (4th)

Your conspiracy is better at expanding its influence. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to skill checks made to Spread Influence.

At 9th level, you gain an additional Dominion Plot per Conspiracy turn. At 13th level, your circumstance bonus increases to +4. Finally, at 17th level, you gain an additional Dominion Plot per Conspiracy turn, making the total seven.

Life of luxury (4th)

Evil has its perks. Due to the resources at your disposal, all masterminds enjoy a Fine standard of living so long as they are in an area under the Conspiracy's Influence. Additionally, characters enjoy a +1 circumstance bonus to Craft or Earn Income activites. Embarking out on exploration of the wilderness or passing into unfamiliar territory will require the PCs to use their own resources to maintain this standard of living.

At 10th level, this standard of living increases to Extravagant, and the circumstance bonus to +2.

Ability boost (5th)

At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you boost three different conspiracy ability scores. You can use these ability boosts to increase your conspiracy’s ability scores above 18. Boosting an ability score increases it by 2 if it starts out below 18, or by 1 if it’s already 18 or above.

Ruin resistance (5th)

At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, your conspiracy becomes more resistant to Ruin. Choose one of the six Ruin categories and increase its threshold by 2. When you do so, reset that Ruin’s penalty to 0.

Wheels within wheels (12th)

The conspiracy's machinations are interconnected and complex, tying together in remarkable ways. During the Influence Plots step of the Agenda Phase, you can hatch two plots surrounding one of your marks of influence, strongholds, or agents, though both take a -2 circumstantial penalty to their checks.

Enemy of the world (20th)

You have surpassed simply being an existential threat to the Holy Lawful Empire, but instead are feared and reviled across the entirety of Uskara. The first time the conspiracy would gain Dissent or Ruin, ignore that increase. The masterminds can spend Villain Points (each must spend 1 together, for a toal of 5) to ignore further increases.

Gaining Infamy

A conspiracy gains Infamy by spreading their influence, reaching milestones, enduring the wheel of fortune, or by committing acts of villainy. [DM's Note: These may be adjusted over play as it turns out Paizo did not playtest the Kingmaker rules.]

Influence Awards

Each time a conspiracy spreads its influence (i.e., lays Eyes, Claws, or Boots in an area), recruits a disciple or agent, or builds a stronghold, it earns 40 Infamy. This Infamy is not lost if the influence, agent or stronghold is later lost.

Milestone Awards

As the conspiracy accomplishes certain objectives and milestones, they accumulate Infamy. Consult the table below. Each of these awards can only be gained once.

Event Awards

A conspiracy earns 40 Infamy for experience a random event, or more for certain Story events, regarldess of its outcome. When an event is resolved, the conspiracy earns another 40 Infamy.

Villainy Awards

Each time one of the masterminds commits an Act of Villainy, the conspiracy gains 30 Infamy.

Surplus Awards

Any unspent AP during Step 3 of the Fortune Phase is converted into Infamy. This doesn't mean the conspiracy is idle, rather it is to make sure players don't stress about not spending it, as it's assumed that the conspiracy is doing something villainous and this will often involve some improvised flavor by the Dungeon Master.