[TML] Nobles in Traveller

[Tom Naro]

From: Brad Murray <bjmurray.halfjack at gmail.com>
>We have a couple of fixes to the noble issues in our current game.  One is
>systemic and one is an IMTU settings solution.

>Systemic: We got rid of Social Standing as a stat.  Anything story-related
>that you want to do with it could be accomplished with the appropriate skill
>(oratory and intimidation worked well for my character) and maybe an Aspect
>anyway, and that let nobility a concrete mechanism and the story can be
>handled more softly and reasonably than actually being a duke or something.
 
IMTU: My group went the other way.  We started using the soc stat more (well A LOT more).  
 
We decoupled the noble title from the soc score.  Titles were only "real" for characters in the Noble career.  (We toyed with adding a POL stat to represent political power but it was hardly worth the trouble - it just wasn't important often enough.)
Non-nobles with high stats included the mostly famous (media stars, sports stars. fashion designers, industrialists, public activists, famous artist, famous authors, etc) that get invited to nobles parties but have no political power.
 
We cast SOC as the measure of social behavior.  People will generally be the most comfortable with others with the same soc score.  They might have good friends that have soc one lower or higher.  They might be invited to a party of someone three soc higher.  They might go to a party of someone three soc lower (but would not got to a party 4 soc lower.)
 
Now since we don't believe that the SOC score should pigeon-hold the characters, the SOC score became the most highly variable score in the game by adding a bunch of situational modifiers to it. (And we are able to represent things that are not covered by skills in the game system.)
 
Here are a few of our common modifiers:
 
Dressing "UP" +1
Dressing "UP" using Disguise skill +2 to +3
Dressing "Down" -1
Dressing "Down" using Disguise skill -2 to -5
 
"Acting" -1 to +1
"Acting" using the Acting or Performance skills -5 to +3
 
Giving a great speech (or a clever toast) +1
 
Being a part of a group (3+ people) at least two levels of soc above you +1
Being a part of a group (3+ people) at least two levels of soc below you -1
 
Getting separated from your group -2
Asking for help (man) -1
Asking for help (woman) +1
Asking for help (attractive woman) +2
Asking for directions (man) -2

Going to a party solo -1 (unless you are a media "bad boy" then +2)
Dropping a name +1
 
Spending more to live the "High-life" +1 per 1000 cr spent.
 
Being a Big Spender +2 per 1000 cr spent.
Running out of money -4
 
"Slumming it" -1 to -5 depending on how low you go.
 
Being portrayed favorably in a public media broadcast +2
Being portrayed unfavorably in a public media broadcast -3

Getting drunk in public -2
Handling your drunk date in public +1
 
Sharing the latest "hip drug" +1
Getting caught selling the latest "hip drug" -5
 
Crewing on a "Good" ship +1
Crewing on a garbage scow -2
 
I am sure you get the idea by now.
 
The modifiers generally had the effect of "pulling" the soc scores for a group towards a common value unless the players take some unusual action.   There are many opportunities to use skills to gain a temporary bonus in soc.  It also gives the GM a quick way to reward good role-playing.
 
IMTU: Hotels, restraints, and bars and ships all have soc targets.  A soc 15 restaurant is a 5-star establishment.   A soc 8 bar is the local hangout. A soc 5 hotel is dive. 

You can determine the soc for a ship by using the mean (or average) soc of the crew.  This can be used to determine the quality of the passengers that you attract to fly on your ship.  If your ship is below your soc score it will seem run down or outdated to you.  If your soc is lower that the ship's soc - the ship will seem fancy to you.  Ships with higher soc will attract passengers with higher soc scores.  The steward skill can be used to elevate the soc score of the ship through better decor, services, or amenities.
  
(We made SOC +X and SOC -X cards to keep track of the mods.  The current soc score could change many times during an encounter. It is fun when players give other players SOC -X cards for saying/doing something stupid and even more impressive when the players want to give SOC +X for clever words/actions.)


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