Event occurs (player action).
→ Q1: Was the action PUBLICLY KNOWN?
No → No immediate bounty change. Mark the event in your notes for later (hidden/delayed update if discovered). END.
Yes → go to Q2.
Q2: Was it VIOLENT?
No (non-violent but notable: smuggling, flag-burning, libel, theft of Govt property)
→ Base addition: +5,000 → +15,000 depending on scale.
→ apply Publicity Modifier (Step 5). Then END.
Yes → go to Q3.
Q3: Who/what was targeted?
Marine / Government asset → go to Step 4A.
Civilians / Town / Merchants → go to Step 4B.
Rival pirate / Famous figure / Warlord/Item of legend → go to Step 4C.
4A. If Marine / Govt target — choose rank and base add:
Sailor / Ensign / Petty officer: +5,000 → +12,000
Marine Captain: +15,000 → +30,000
Commander / Commodore: +30,000 → +75,000
Vice Admiral: +100,000 → +250,000 (or use percentage scaling if existing bounty high)
Admiral / Major plot figure: +300,000 → +1,000,000+ (treat as a legendary spike)
After selecting base, apply Ship/Destruction and Publicity modifiers (Steps 5–6). END.
4B. If Civilians / Town / Merchants — use cruelty & scale:
Minor brawl, no deaths: +5,000 → +10,000
Significant damage / several injured: +15,000 → +50,000
Mass casualties / destroying an island facility: +50,000 → +200,000
Apply Publicity modifier. END.
4C. If Rival Pirate / Famous Figure / Treasure/Artifact:
Low-rank pirate defeat: +10,000 → +25,000
Famous pirate captain: +30,000 → +100,000
Killing/stealing from a Warlord / Yonko asset / legendary item: +100,000 → +500,000+
Apply Publicity modifier. END.
Ship / Symbolic / Special modifiers (additive):
Sunk a small merchant ship: +10,000
Sunk a warship / destroyed a Marine ship: +50,000
Burned national symbol / freed prisoners / mass rescue that embarrasses WG: +10,000 → +50,000 (can be negative if heroic—WG might raise bounty regardless)
Devil Fruit or unusual menace (e.g., mass teleportation, atomic-level damage): add +20k → +100k depending on scale.
Publicity Modifier — multiply the addition
No witnesses / secrecy: × 0.5 (delayed update or no update)
Local witnesses (island taverns, harbor): × 1.0
Regional press / multiple islands: × 1.5
National / World Economy Newspapers / viral / live witnesses: × 2.0 (posters printed widely; immediate attention)
Example calculation method: Final addition = (Base addition + Ship/Special adds) × Publicity modifier.
High-bounty scaling (if CURRENT BOUNTY ≥ 100,000):
Instead of flat additions, use percentage increases to keep numbers meaningful:
Moderate event: +10% of current bounty
Major event: +25% of current bounty
Cataclysmic / Admiral-level event: +50% or more
(You may still add a small flat amount if it helps narrative.)
Apply World Government discretion / propaganda (optional):
WG may inflate or deflate numbers for political reasons. Option: roll 1d6: on 6 → increase by an extra 10–30% (WG exaggerates), on 1 → no change; otherwise proceed.
Publish & Trigger checks (after bounty updated):
Posters printed: At ≥5,000 print local posters; ≥15,000 regionally; ≥30,000 widely. Hand players physical posters or show a prop.
Bounty hunters begin active pursuit at ≥30,000 (30k).
Professional / guild hunters show up ≥50,000–100,000.
Vice Admirals / CP surveillance gets interested ≥100,000.
Admirals / national fleets may mobilize ≥300,000–500,000.
Mark any special consequences (trade bans, merchant refusals, NPC fear).
Record & Roleplay
Give players the poster/rumor. Use it for roleplay: recognition, fear, opportunists, alliances. Log long-term consequences (reputation, shops closed, new quests).
Current bounty: 10,000 Berries.
Action: The crew defeats a Marine Captain and sinks a small warship; many witnesses; region-wide newspapers pick it up.
Base for Captain defeat: 20,000 (choose within 15k–30k).
Ship destruction add: +50,000.
Sum additions = 20,000 + 50,000 = 70,000.
Publicity modifier (regional → ×1.5): 70,000 × 1.5 = 105,000.
New bounty = 10,000 + 105,000 = 115,000.
Because new bounty ≥ 100,000, expect Vice Admiral / CP interest and wide poster distribution.
(Arithmetic check: 20,000 + 50,000 = 70,000; 70,000×1.5 = 105,000; 10,000 + 105,000 = 115,000 — correct.)
No witnesses → no update.
Minor act: +5k–15k.
Defeat sailor/petty → +5k–12k; Captain → +15k–30k; Commander → +30k–75k; Vice Admiral → +100k+.
Sunk warship → +50k; sunk flagship → +100k+.
Publicity: local ×1, regional ×1.5, global ×2.
≥30k → bounty hunters show up. ≥100k → Vice Admirals / CP interest. ≥300k → Admirals / national response.
Keep some updates secret (players find out through posters, rumors). It’s more dramatic.
Use posters as props — handouts are great for player reaction and roleplay.
Scale to your table: If you prefer canonical One Piece millions, multiply all numbers by 1,000 (e.g., 30k → 30,000,000).
Balance fun vs. consequence: High bounties should open stories (rivalries, hunts), not just lock players out of travel.