Notoriety inElite Dangerousis a critical mechanic that affects how authorities respond to your actions in the galaxy. Whether you’re a bounty hunter, pirate, or simply a trader caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, understanding your notoriety level is essential. It directly influences whether security forces attack you on sight and how long your bounties remain active. Knowing how to check notoriety is crucial to avoid unwanted confrontation and keep your ship and cargo safe during your journey across the Milky Way.
What Is Notoriety in Elite Dangerous?
The Role of Notoriety
Notoriety is a hidden stat inElite Dangerousthat increases when you commit certain crimes, especially murder. Unlike bounties or fines, notoriety doesn’t simply go away when you pay or wait. It reflects your recent behavior and determines how persistent the consequences of your actions are.
For example, if you destroy another commander’s ship or an NPC unlawfully, you gain notoriety. The higher your notoriety level, the longer it takes for your crimes to decay. It also prevents you from paying off Interstellar Bounties until the level returns to zero.
Why Notoriety Matters
Understanding how notoriety works can mean the difference between life and death in high-security systems. With a high notoriety score, authorities won’t hesitate to fire on you without warning. You may also be denied docking permission at stations, hunted by system security, or even flagged for PvP combat depending on the system’s rules.
How to Check Your Notoriety
In-Game Interface Method
To check your current notoriety level inElite Dangerous, follow these simple steps:
- Step 1: Open your ship’sright-hand panelby pressing the default key4′on your keyboard or controller equivalent.
- Step 2: Navigate to theStatustab. This is where your Commander information is stored, including reputation, ship info, and crimes.
- Step 3: Look under theCrime section. Here you’ll see yourNotoriety leveldisplayed clearly.
The notoriety level ranges from 0 to 10. A level of 0 means you’re clean, while a level of 10 indicates that you’ve recently committed multiple major offenses. Each level increases the severity of the response from law enforcement and determines how long it will take for the bounty timers to decay.
Important Notes When Checking Notoriety
- Notoriety does not increase for all crimes. Only unlawful killings (without justification or combat bonds) raise it.
- Your notoriety level only decreases if you spend real-time logged into the game without committing further crimes.
- Logging off pauses the cooldown. Staying idle at a station won’t help reduce your notoriety.
How to Reduce Notoriety
Waiting Out the Cooldown
The only way to reduce your notoriety level is by waiting. Each level of notoriety requires roughly2 real-time hoursof peaceful play (without committing new crimes) to decay by one point. That means reducing notoriety from 10 to 0 can take up to 20 hours if you’re not actively doing anything illegal.
During this time:
- You can perform legal missions or trade runs.
- Avoid entering high-security zones to prevent conflict.
- Do not kill or attack anyone unlawfully or your timer will reset.
Using Remote Systems for Hiding
Many players with high notoriety choose to hide in an anarchy system or deep-space exploration location while their level decays. These areas have minimal security and fewer patrols, reducing the risk of being scanned and attacked by law enforcement ships.
Consequences of High Notoriety
Immediate Law Enforcement Action
Once your notoriety reaches a certain level, authorities in lawful systems will treat you as a kill-on-sight target. You won’t get scanned or fined they’ll open fire the moment you’re detected. Even system authority vessels will prioritize you, making normal gameplay extremely dangerous.
Delayed Bounty Payments
If you try to pay off your bounties at an Interstellar Factor while your notoriety is above 0, you’ll receive a message saying that bounties tied to active notoriety cannot be cleared. You’ll need to wait until your level returns to 0 before those options become available again.
Impact on Powerplay and Factions
Notoriety may also influence your standing with certain factions, especially in Powerplay scenarios or community goal events. Commanders with a history of unlawful killings might be targeted by other players or denied missions by lawful factions.
Tips for Managing Notoriety
1. Avoid Killing Unlawfully
Use caution before engaging in combat in populated areas. If you’re bounty hunting, make sure your targets are marked with a ‘WANTED’ tag. Destroying ships without valid bounties will increase notoriety.
2. Use Anarchy Systems for Combat
In anarchy systems, there’s no jurisdiction crimes aren’t registered. You can engage targets here without risking notoriety, making these regions ideal for PvP or risky PvE content.
3. Dock Carefully When Wanted
When docking at a station while notorious, keep silent running active and approach undetected if possible. Some players use smuggling ships or stealth builds to avoid being scanned before landing.
4. Monitor Status Regularly
Get into the habit of checking your right panel often. Even if you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong, it’s easy to overlook an accidental kill or stray missile that triggered notoriety. Better to catch it early and plan accordingly.
Common Mistakes Players Make
Confusing Bounty and Notoriety
Many players think paying off their bounties will automatically reset their notoriety. This is not the case. Bounties can be cleared (when eligible), but notoriety must decay over time.
Leaving the Game Expecting Decay
Logging off does not lower notoriety. You must remain logged in and active in the game, even if you’re just flying around or docked at a remote outpost. Notoriety timers pause when you exit the game.
Engaging in Combat While Notorious
Each unlawful kill resets your notoriety decay timer and increases your level. Trying to squeeze in one last fight often results in extending the cooldown unnecessarily. If you’re trying to clear your record, avoid conflict entirely until it’s safe.
Notoriety inElite Dangerousplays a vital role in shaping your interactions with law enforcement and the broader galaxy. It’s not just a number it’s a reflection of your reputation across star systems. Knowing how to check your notoriety using the in-game status panel allows you to make informed decisions and avoid trouble in high-security zones. Keep your actions clean when necessary, and let your notoriety decay properly when it climbs too high. Managing it wisely ensures that you can continue your journey through the stars with confidence, whether you’re a lawful trader or a ruthless space pirate looking to fly under the radar.