Water ritual

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This information is reliable as of patch 2.0.201.59. If this is no longer the current patch, you can help by updating it.
As of Patch This information is reliable as of patch 2.0.201.59.

The water ritual is a game mechanic that can be initiated with most non-hostile legendary creatures via the dialogue box. It is the primary method of manipulating the player character's reputation with the numerous factions in game. Creatures that the player has performed the water ritual with will have "You are water-bonded with [them]". During a ritual, both characters treat the other as family, referring to each other as water-siblings.

The Ritual

How the ritual is performed is not described, but is initiated with the saying "Your thirst is mine, my water is yours". If the player has Socially Repugnant, they start the ritual in a socially repugnant fashion instead, such as by saying "Swap spittle?" or licking their lips. The player character then gives the other creature a dram of fresh water (or another liquid that the creature or the creature's faction prefers).

Upon this, the player character's reputation with factions will change depending on the opinion of that creature.

Relationship to faction Reputation change
Admired/Loved by +100
Liked by +50
Disliked by -50
Despised/Hated by -100

The ritual can be performed multiple times, but the reputation gain will only happen once. If the player character learns Tactful after the initial reputation gain, the next water ritual will add an additional +25 reputation to their main faction.

Choices

After the initial water sharing, the player may choose to trade reputation with the other creature's main faction in exchange for information, items, or to even assist the player in combat. The player can gain a maximum of 150 reputation from that creature, excluding the reputation gained from the initial water sharing. Depending on the faction or creature, the player may be able to choose additional options.

This article has information that is missing or not up to par.
Reason: Find the costs for fungal infection and skill points.

For ease of use, the creature will be referred to as "water-sib". In game, this term changes depending on the liquid used and what the sibling term of the creature is.

Main Choices

Option Cost Result
I have a secret to share with you. +50 Give any secret that the faction is interested in finding.
I have some gossip that may interest you. +100 Give any gossip that the faction is interested in hearing.
Share a secret with me, water-sib. -50 The creature shares a secret that their faction is interested in sharing.
I would ask you to join me, water-sib. -(12 * (Creature's Level - Player's Level) + 200) or 50, whichever is higher Recruits that creature to be your follower. Unlike Beguiling or Proselytize, the player character can have an infinite number of concurrent followers through this method.
Live and drink, water-sib. 0 Ends the water ritual.

Additional Choices

Option Cost Result Exclusions
Would you teach me your ways? -skill point cost Teaches the player the specified skill. The player does not need to meet the stat requirement nor have the base skill tree/prerequisite skills. Limited to rituals with factions or individuals that teach skills.
Would you share the favorite dish of your people? -50 Teaches the player character the village's signature recipe to cook later if the player has Cooking and Gathering. Reserved only for characters that reside within villages.
Would you gift me your <item>? -Commerce/4 or 5, whichever is higher Gifts the player the creature's most valuable item in their inventory. Reserved for members of the Consortium of Phyta and Merchants' Guild.
Gifts a cybernetics credit wedge, which only appears after initiating the ritual. Reserved for Putus Templar, Robots (as in the faction), and robotic members of the Naphtaali tribe.
Teach me a secret of the aggregate mind. -50*mutation cost Grants the player character a mental mutation. These mutations cannot be gained if the player is a Chimera or True Kin. Limited only to Seekers of the Sightless Way.
Would you teach me to craft (tinkerable item or item mod recipe)?} -50*Recipe Tier/3 Teaches the player character a tinkerable recipe. Reserved only for rituals with the Daughters of Exile and the Barathrumites, with a chance of being able to teach 1-3 recipes. (Full Item List) (Full Mod List)
I am a friend to fungi. Colonize me. -30 Infects a chosen limb with the specified fungal infection. Reserved only for rituals with fungi.
Teach me to think like a child again. -200 Grants the player 200 skill points. Reserved only for rituals with newly sentient beings.
I promise not to bother you again, hermit. +100 Make a promise to never speak with that hermit again. The player will lose 200 reputation the next time they speak to the hermit. Reserved only for legendary hermits.
Teach me to cook one of your signature dishes. -50 Teaches the recipe from the chef's oven. Reserved only for legendary chefs.

Skills That Can Be Learned Through Water Ritual

Factions — and rarely, individuals — can teach skills. Skills learned this way do not require having their base skill tree or prerequisites. The reputation cost is the same as the normal skill point cost, unless specified otherwise.

By Faction

Faction Skill Unique Faction Representatives Who Teach
apes Conk
arachnids Lunge  
Barathrumites Tinkering
cannibals Butchery  
cats Acrobatics  
Chavvah Tomorrowful
Consortium of Phyta Snake Oiler
crabs Calloused  
Cult of the Coiled Lamb First Aid
Daughters of Exile Repair
denizens of the Yd Freehold Spicer
equines Longstrider  
Fellowship of Wardens Shield
fish Swimming  
flowers Persuasion  
frogs Jump  
goatfolk Butchery  
hermits Berate  
Issachari tribe Weathered  
Mechanimists Proselytize
mysterious strangers Akimbo  
pariahs Trash Divining  
robots Iron Mind  
roots Wilderness Lore: Jungles  
Seekers of the Sightless Way Self-discipline
succulents Fasting Way  
svardym Jump  
villagers of Ezra Customs and Folklore
villagers of Joppa Harvestry
villagers of Kyakukya Cooking and Gathering
vines Multiweapon Expertise  
water barons Snake Oiler  

By Individuals

Character Skill
Eskhind Multiweapon Fighting
Hindriarch Keh Berate
Warden Neelahind Shield
Wardens Esther Shield
Warden Indrix, Goatfolk Pariah Intimidate

Water Ritual Liquid Types

LiquidFactions
bloodcannibals • Children of Mamon • Glow-Wights
cloning draughtGirsh
oilrobots
slimemollusks
warm statichighly entropic beings
waterapes • arachnids • baetyls • bears • birds • cats • Consortium of Phyta • crabs • Cult of the Coiled Lamb • Daughters of Exile • dogs • equines • Fellowship of Wardens • fish • flowers • fungi • goatfolk • hindren of Bey Lah • insects • Issachari tribe • Merchants' Guild • mysterious strangers • newly sentient beings • oozes • roots • Seekers of the Sightless Way • snapjaws • swine • urchins • villagers of Ezra • villagers of Joppa • winged mammals • worms • trees • antelopes • Sultan cult • hermits • cragmensch • dromad merchants • unshelled reptiles • svardym • Farmers' Guild • villagers of Kyakukya • tortoises • frogs • grazing hedonists • mopango • denizens of the Yd Freehold • water barons • baboons • vines • succulents • Putus Templar • pariahs • Chavvah • Mechanimists • Barathrumites • Gyre wights • Naphtaali tribe • trolls

Some dynamically generated village leaders will use other liquids when performing the water ritual, such as cider or wine.

List of Static water ritual-able characters

Breaking the Oath

If the player kills a creature that they have been bonded to, they have broken the sacred covenant. This causes the player to lose 100-200 reputation with every faction. Doing this for the first time grants the player the Oathbreaker achievement.

If the game detects that a creature's death was caused by the player and accidental, it will not be considered breaking the oath.

Though breaking the oath is discouraged by the sweeping reputation loss, creatures that the player has performed the ritual with will not be deterred from violating the water ritual should the player perform an action that causes them to become hostile, or they revert to a hostile state after a status forcing them to become friendly wears off.