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Karma - Version 21 vs Version 22
May 8, 2026, 09:00 AM
Applied Title Case to body headings
May 25, 2026, 02:19 PM
Corrected wikilink existence flags
11Overview22The Karma system is one of the most distinctive features in inZOI. It tracks the moral trajectory of every Zoi through a seven-tier scale, from Best to Terrible, based on the actions they take throughout their life. Karma influences how other Zois treat you, what dialogue options are available, your career prospects, and even what happens to your Zoi after death. The system operates on both an individual and city-wide level, meaning the collective behavior of all Zois in a city can affect the entire community.44A separate Reputation system based on local communities is planned for 2026. While Karma reflects a Zoi's internal moral path, Reputation will measure how the outside world perceives them.77How Karma Works99Every Zoi has a personal karma tracker that starts at Normal (the neutral midpoint). As the Zoi performs actions throughout the day, their karma shifts up or down. Good deeds push karma toward Best; harmful actions push it toward Terrible.1111Karma changes are marked with colored indicators in the interaction menu: blue for good karma actions, red for bad karma actions, and purple for neutral actions that do not affect karma. You can tell at a glance what kind of karma impact a given interaction will have by checking the color of its icon before selecting it.1313Karma System Details1515You can view your Zoi's current karma status on the Zoi Card (lower-right corner of the screen, above the Meow Store button). A more detailed breakdown is available in the Soul Management Report in the game menu.1717The more a Zoi's karma slides in one direction, the more interaction options open up that match that alignment. A Zoi with high karma unlocks additional friendly and encouraging options that make other Zois like them more. A Zoi with low karma gains access to crueler actions such as picking fights and shoving people to the ground. This gradual escalation means the system rewards focus on a particular moral path rather than allowing instant access to every interaction.1919V0.4.0 Changes2121The v0.4.0 update (October 2025) merged karma interactions into the general interaction menu rather than a separate category. The visible karma score and karma icons on conversation options were removed from the UI, and the "Zoi Karma Status" section was removed from the Karma Report. The developers acknowledged that the presentation needed reworking and committed to rebuilding the karma display in future updates.2323V0.7.0 Changes2525The v0.7.0 update (March 2026) addressed a long-standing community complaint about karma volatility. Before this patch, karma changes from autonomous actions were occurring too rapidly, leading to frequent mood swings (sudden anger or aggression) in Zois who were otherwise well-behaved. The update adjusted the pace of autonomous karma shifts to produce more stable and predictable behavior, so a single bad autonomous decision no longer tanks a Zoi's karma overnight.2727Karma Levels2929There are seven karma tiers, ranging from the highest (Best) to the lowest (Terrible):3131LevelTierDescriptionBestHighestThe pinnacle of good karma. Unlocks the Compliment intervention. Other Zois treat you with kindness and loyalty.GoodHighStrongly positive. Zois at Good or above are widely appreciated and receive social benefits.FairPositiveAbove average. Part of the positive karma range with modest social benefits.NormalNeutralThe default starting level for all Zois. No significant positive or negative effects.PoorNegativeOther Zois begin to neglect and avoid you. Prone to encounters with illegal activities.BadLowOther Zois become hostile, wary, or refuse to acknowledge you. New negative interactions unlock.TerribleLowestThe worst karma level. Unlocks the Scold intervention. The Zoi becomes a ghost upon death.3333Good Karma Actions3434Actions that raise karma are marked with blue indicators. They generally involve being kind, helpful, and supportive toward other Zois.3636Solo Actions3838Clap (applaud another Zoi's performance)Cheer On (encourage another Zoi)4040Social Interactions4242ActionDescriptionCompliment AppearanceTell another Zoi they look good.Express Enjoyment of CompanionshipLet someone know you appreciate spending time with them.Offer DirectionsHelp a lost or confused Zoi find their way.Provide ComfortConsole a Zoi who is upset or grieving.Share FoodGive food to another Zoi.Encourage with Trust-Based WordsOffer words of encouragement and support.Exchange IdeasHave an intellectually stimulating conversation.Give Surprise GiftsHand someone an unexpected present.Present Thank-You CardsExpress gratitude formally.Ask If Help Is NeededCheck on someone who looks troubled.Make Mood-Lifting JokesLighten the atmosphere with humor.4444Phone-Based Good Actions4545Upload and leave complimentary posts on BubblySend thank-you messagesSign environmental petitions4747Bad Karma Actions4949Actions that lower karma are marked with red indicators. They range from minor rudeness to outright violence.5151Solo Actions5353Secretly drop items (littering)Express anger aggressivelyThrow away trash improperlyFart secretly near other Zois5555Social Interactions5757ActionDescriptionMockMake fun of another Zoi.Demand Others LeaveAggressively tell someone to go away.YellShout at another Zoi.Give Fake GiftsPresent a deceptive or worthless gift.Knock DownPhysically push another Zoi over.InsultDirectly insult another Zoi.ThreatenIntimidate another Zoi with threats.Tell Crude JokesOffend others with inappropriate humor.Pick FightsStart a physical confrontation.ExtortDemand money or favors through intimidation.Throw PunchesPhysically assault another Zoi.HeckleLoudly disrupt a performance or event.5959Phone-Based Bad Actions6060Send rumor texts about other Zois via BubblySend malicious rumor texts (requires Bad karma or worse)Send prank texts6262Other Bad Karma Triggers6464Stealing valuables from other Zois or locationsCommitting fraud onlineRunning over pedestrians while drivingGeneral acts of violenceDestroying public propertyRobbing ATMsStealing cars6666New interaction options unlock as karma changes. Spreading rumors through Bubbly requires a karma level of Bad or worse. Some of the most harmful actions are locked behind low karma thresholds, meaning a Zoi must already be on a negative path before they gain access to the worst behaviors. This gradual escalation prevents players from immediately jumping to the most extreme actions with a fresh Zoi.6868Effects of Karma7070Social Consequences7272Karma directly shapes how other Zois react to you. At Good karma and above, NPCs are friendly by default, offer more positive dialogue options, and are more willing to form relationships. At Poor karma and below, other Zois become wary, dismissive, or openly hostile. They may refuse to acknowledge you, spread rumors about you, or blatantly mock you on the street.7474Karma is closely tied to the Recognition need. High karma helps fulfill Recognition through positive social feedback. Terrible karma starves it, since nobody wants to interact positively with the Zoi. If the Recognition need drops critically low, the Zoi may run away from home and never return. This disappearance is permanent: the Zoi vacates their spot in the family and cannot be recovered.7676Interaction Unlocks7878Karma level determines which interactions are available. As karma improves, new friendly and supportive interactions become available that make it easier to build positive relationships. When karma drops, aggressive and antisocial interactions unlock instead. The table below summarizes the key unlock thresholds:8080Karma RangeUnlocked InteractionsBestCompliment intervention (City Menu), additional encouraging dialogue optionsGood and aboveFull set of positive social interactions, improved romance optionsNormalStandard interaction set, no special unlocksPoorMinor negative interactions, encounters with illegal activities beginBadSpreading malicious rumors via Bubbly, extortion, more aggressive confrontationsTerribleScold intervention (City Menu), full set of violent and antisocial interactions8282Career Impact8383Good karma makes job hunting and career progression easier. NPCs respond more favorably during professional interactions. Low karma creates obstacles: it becomes harder to find jobs, get promotions, and maintain professional relationships.8585Ghost and Afterlife Mechanics8787When a Zoi dies, a karma evaluation determines the fate of their soul:8989Karma at DeathOutcomeGood karma (Fair or above)The Zoi passes on peacefully. As a benevolent spirit, they may help the living, bless descendants, and bring good fortune to their family line.Bad karma (Poor or below)The Zoi becomes a ghost, bound to the mortal realm with unfinished business. They must roam the world and attempt to redeem their karma before they can move on.9191Ghost traits are inherited from the living Zoi. A calm Zoi becomes a mild-mannered ghost, while a bully Zoi becomes a mischievous spirit. If too many ghosts accumulate in a city, new Zois cannot be born and new families cannot be created.9292Ghost Gameplay9494After death, the player can choose "On to the Afterlife" to begin playing as a ghost. The ghost state lasts for three in-game days. During this period, the ghost has access to Spirit Power, a regenerating resource that allows interaction with objects and the living world. Spirit Power recovers slowly over time and also recharges through conversations with other ghosts.9696Each ghost receives a Dependency based on their cause of death. Needs and urges related to how the Zoi died will appear during the three-day ghost phase. Fulfilling these Dependency requirements unlocks special ghost abilities. For example, a Zoi who died by fire gains the power to set objects ablaze as a ghost.9898Ghosts can also receive quests from Claire at the AR Library. These quests reveal the backstories of different ghosts in the city. Completing a ghost's story grants karma as a reward, helping the ghost inch closer to earning enough karma to pass on.100100Ascension and Funeral102102After the three-day ghost period ends, the Zoi is given a choice: ascend to the afterlife or attend their own funeral before departing. Funeral services take place at a Funeral Home, Columbarium, or Cemetery. When a Zoi passes away, an urn is generated, and surviving family members or friends can organize a funeral using the "Make Event" option. These ceremonies give other Zois a chance to pay their respects and process their grief.104104Generational Effects106106Karma carries consequences across generations. If a Zoi was notorious for bad behavior, it can affect how NPCs treat their descendants. Some NPCs may be biased against your entire family line if an ancestor left a bad mark.108108City Karma110110Beyond individual karma, each city has a collective karma status determined by the combined karma of all its residents. View the city's karma by going to the City Map, selecting "Edit City," and opening the Karma Report. This report shows all residents and their karma status.112112When the majority of Zois in a city have Poor karma or lower, the city status changes to Caution. Under Caution status, negative events become more frequent. In severe cases, widespread bad karma leads to ghost infestations that prevent new families from forming.114114City Stability Settings116116SettingEffectCivic ConsciousnessAffects the success rate of karma interactions. Higher settings make good karma accumulate faster.Conversation Karma PositivityInfluences how often Zois gravitate toward positive karma conversations.Conversation Negative PositivityInfluences how often Zois gravitate toward negative karma conversations.City SafetyAffects the probability of Zois engaging in violent acts. Lower safety leads to more violence and bad karma.118118Interventions119119The intervention system lets you directly influence karma at the extreme ends of the scale. Interventions can be used once per 24 in-game hours through the City Menu.121121InterventionRequirementEffectComplimentBest karmaSelect a Zoi to compliment. They receive one of three random rewards: Lottery Win, Daily Fortune, or Family Health. The recipient gets a text from an "Anonymous Supporter."ScoldTerrible karmaScold a Zoi to reset their karma back to Normal. This is the primary recovery mechanism for Zois stuck at the lowest karma tier.123123Avoid using interventions between 5:00 and 6:00 AM, as this is a special time for Zois and interventions may not work correctly during that window.124124The Souls Section126126The Karma Report tracks every deceased Zoi who became a ghost. Each entry shows the ghost's name, karma level at death, and current status, giving an overview of the city's supernatural population. The ghost population percentage indicates how close the city is to ghost town status.128128Crime System Connection130130The crime system introduced in v0.5.0 creates a direct pipeline to low karma. Zois who pursue the thief or scammer paths through the Suspicious Job Agency accumulate negative karma from each crime at escalating levels (0-5). Higher-level crimes carry heavier karma penalties. A Zoi deep into the criminal lifestyle will almost certainly have Bad or Terrible karma, making ghost status at death nearly guaranteed unless they reform.132132Karma and Law Enforcement134134Bad karma actions performed in public can attract the attention of law enforcement. If a police officer witnesses a Zoi committing a crime or an act of violence, the Zoi can be arrested on the spot. The officer will handcuff the Zoi and escort them to jail.136136Zois with low karma also have a higher chance of encountering police during their daily routine. Actions that can trigger an arrest include punching other Zois, starting fights, stealing money from shops, destroying public property, robbing ATMs, and extorting others.138138A jailed Zoi is held in custody for 24 hours. Inside the cell, they have access to a bed, sink, mirror, toilet, and a vending machine, but cannot leave until the sentence expires. Unlike many life simulation games, jail in inZOI runs in real time: the player can control the Zoi inside the cell, though activities are extremely limited. Alternatively, clicking on the jailed Zoi and selecting "Get out of Jail" will release them instantly.140140Bubbly and Rumors142142The in-game social media platform Bubbly plays a role in the karma system. Zois with Bad karma or worse can spread rumors about other Zois through Bubbly. Rumors propagate between Zois and can damage the target's social standing. Conversely, posting positive content and complimentary messages on Bubbly earns good karma.144144Karma Items and Cheats146146Meow Store Items148148ItemCostEffectNeutral Donut100 Meow CoinsInstantly resets a Zoi's karma to Normal. Useful for quick recovery from bad karma.Diabolic Donut100 Meow CoinsInstantly sets a Zoi's karma to Terrible. Designed for villain playthroughs.150150Cheats151151Two cheat commands affect karma. Access the cheat console with Ctrl + Shift + C (after enabling cheats through the Psycat's Advice menu):153153CheatEffectresetKarmaResets the karma status of all Zois in the city to Normal.apocalypseTheWorldSets the city status to the lowest value and all Zois' karma to Terrible. Use with caution.155155There is no cheat to set an individual Zoi's karma to a specific level. The resetKarma cheat affects the entire city at once.156156Planned Reputation System158158The 2026 roadmap outlines a formal Reputation system separate from Karma. While Karma tracks a Zoi's internal moral path (functioning like "luck" that influences the probability of events), Reputation will measure how the outside world perceives a Zoi: how others talk about them, their social standing in the community, and how society responds to their presence.160160Planned features include local community reputation scores, karma split into multiple areas (relationships, legacy, self-trust, social harm), a luck system as a separate mechanic influenced by karma, and competitive interactions that create rivalries. The developers have noted that not every feature on the roadmap is guaranteed to arrive on schedule.162162Planned Karma Redesign (January 2026 Proposal)164164In a developer diary posted on January 23, 2026, Director Kjun outlined a proposed redesign of the Karma system. The revised system would operate as a background mechanic, separate from the Reputation system, that accumulates silently based on player actions over time. Rather than directly unlocking or blocking content, Karma would function as a "luck" modifier that influences probability-based outcomes throughout the game.166166Key elements of the proposed redesign:168168ActionEffectSilent accumulationKarma builds up in the background based on a Zoi's actions without explicit on-screen notifications for every change.Probability modifierInstead of binary rewards and punishments, Karma would tilt the odds on everyday activities. A high-karma Zoi might see more customers at their business, better dream quality during sleep, higher fishing success rates, and improved romance outcomes.Miracle eventsSufficiently high good karma could trigger rare "miracle" reversals. These are game-changing moments during major life events, such as a Zoi surviving a fatal situation, finding success in a previously failed pregnancy check, or receiving an unexpected financial windfall. Miracles would act as a cosmic safety net for well-behaved Zois.Separate from ReputationSome actions would affect Karma but not Reputation, and vice versa. For example, anonymous charity might boost Karma without changing Reputation, while public speeches might raise Reputation without affecting Karma. This distinction creates room for nuanced roleplaying, such as playing a "silent guardian" who helps the city anonymously.170170The development team explicitly requested early community feedback on this design. All probabilities, numbers, and conditions are still in the tuning phase, and the team wants to hear concerns early and collect ideas about what should be reflected in Karma. As of March 2026, the redesign has not been fully implemented. The current in-game Karma system still uses the tier-based model described in the sections above.171171Tips173173For a good-karma playthrough, focus on complimenting other Zois, sharing food, and sending thank-you messages. These are easy actions that consistently raise karma.For a villain playthrough, buy a Diabolic Donut from the Meow Store to jump straight to Terrible karma and unlock the full set of negative interactions.Monitor city karma through the Karma Report. If too many Zois have low karma, take action before the city reaches Caution status.Use the Scold intervention on Zois with Terrible karma to reset them. This prevents ghost infestations.Karma affects what happens at death. Make sure a Zoi's karma is at Fair or above before their time comes if you want them to pass on peacefully.Adjust City Safety settings if you want a more peaceful or chaotic city. Lower safety creates more dramatic gameplay but risks a karma spiral.Some of the most impactful bad karma actions (like spreading malicious rumors) require already having low karma. The system gradually escalates rather than jumping to the worst actions.If a Zoi accidentally falls to low karma, the Neutral Donut from the Meow Store is the fastest fix at only 100 Meow Coins.Keep an eye on autonomous karma shifts. Before v0.7.0, Zois could tank their own karma through uncontrolled autonomous actions. The March 2026 patch stabilized this, but it is still worth monitoring.Ghost gameplay lasts only three in-game days. Focus on fulfilling the Dependency requirements early to unlock the ghost's special ability before the window closes.Ghosts who complete quests from Claire at the AR Library earn karma rewards. If a ghost needs more karma to ascend, seek out Claire's quests during the three-day ghost period.The "Get out of Jail" option provides an instant release if waiting 24 hours is not worth the time. There is no karma penalty for using it.
