Social Mobility in a Game

[Barastrondo]

Depends. My groups tend to engage in pretty thematic campaigns with specific end-goals or aspirations. So if everyone's playing the heroic sons and daughters of a tribe of desert nomads, you're going to see pretty little interest in "social mobility"; to them, becoming the noble rulers of various cities would be a demotion in status. It's the same for frontier-type games where the Western is more of a narrative model than European class systems, or whatever. So it depends on what we're doing with the campaign.

My players "are allowed" to have whatever social mobility they're interested in, as long as it doesn't create terrible disconnects with the rest of the game. (Like the godless blasphemer becoming heirophant of a faith, "just to show 'em.") But they're pretty uninterested in disconnects like that, and not really wild about the high-politics/social engineering game. Mostly, I'd say my players are far more interested in "heroic mobility" than "social mobility" — the ability to rise from poor sell-swords to heroes of the realm. Becoming a duke or duchess is interesting only if "duke" or "duchess" is a title that is earned through outright heroism, rather than transferred by blood or bought with gold. At least, if we're playing D&D.

 

[Voadam]

I've played a character who was a soldier on the losing side of a war, started the game as a penniless refugee, eventually became owner of a ship, a merchant, then merchant prince part of a ruling triumvirate in a city state with imperial aspirations. Later he became a vagabond wanderer again, a fugitive with a price on my head, rose to high ranking guild wizard, adviser to an emperor, and then fell to a wandering mercenary again.

So I've played in games with a bunch of social mobility both up and down.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Over the course of the Midwood campaign, various characters have been rising in social rank (slightly), albeit at an uneven pace. At the expected conclusion of the (initial) campaign, social mobility will play a significant role, as they prepare for 4E paragon levels.

 

[Turjan]

I allow social mobility. One reason is that I do not think that, in a society with powerful magic, the European concept of a divine bloodline in nobles works, except when they are really personally powerful. Something like the Chinese concept that success means divine favor and failure means loss of divine favor seems more appropriate.

Practically, PCs becoming rulers doesn't play a role in my games. Becoming a ruler means dealing with lots of boring stuff. That's why most players prefer their characters to stay independent adventurers.

 

[Phlebas]

In the game i'm DM'ing the party started pretty near the bottom of the social tree (if you want to be a noble and get lots of benefits i house rule it costs a feat - you can buy it at any time or you can role play yourself into the equivalent position)

over time (11 levels to be precise) the majority of the group have achieved a certain amount of fame / notoriety. those with leadership are now recognised in positions of authority, even those without have circles where they are recognised and they are 'known'

this is because they've been adventuring in and around the same city (the hometown for over half the group) including a long run in the 'hoops' contest (cross between peyote and murderball) which got them a lot of publicity. they've also done jobs and interacted with a lot of the movers and shakers in the city

only a couple have shown interest in more political roles, eg one of them is becoming a 'respected' crime lord, while another has founded a temple on the outskirts of the city next to a abandoned quarter. However as DM i have to resist the urge to use their choices too much as plot hooks as i want to encourage people to get involved rather than penalise them - so the majority of the time they get the clues from their organisation rather than problems with followers or blackmail etc (it'll come in time but it shouldn't be a staple)

In short theres a natural increase in social standing by being rich and famous that you get with levels - the rest of it is down to RP'ing desire, leadership & successful adventures

NB - the city they're in is run by the sages council, which is unusual as normally the city lord is a hereditary position. It kind of makes sense that there's more social mobility in these circumstance than in other cities

 

[stonegod]

My Eberron AoW game has a good set of social mobility. I find the Affiliation system in the PhBII helps with this as well. Our shifter druid started out as a nobody in his system, but through his efforts to stop the Age of Worms, is becoming a strong voice in their system. The paladin has gotten the attention of the Arch-Hierophant of Sharn and his star as risen accordingly---though at a bit of a price to his purity. So there is mobility, and the Affiliation system gives them ways of using their increased mobility.

 

[jdrakeh]

. . but most players and DMs are against such things.

IME, this is actually untrue. I've found that many players do want such things but that many rule sets simply fail to support them mechanically. I think the decision of games like Exalted, Burning Wheel, and REIGN to mechanically support this kind of social maneuvering has had a great deal to do the positive hype surrounding said games.

 

[LostSoul]

Yeah. System can have a lot to do with it.

In my Burning Empires game, one PC earned the title of Messiah among a group of people. I think that was in the 3rd or 4th session.

Later on, the other PC was stripped of his rank as the head of the Church's armed forces.

In the last session we played, that PC became Forged Lord (ruler) of the planet. The Messiah PC became head of the established church.

 

[Stalker0]

In my group right now we are playing a guild game. There are many levels to the guild, and we've climbed up 3 since we've start. This gives us access to more gold for our missions, and we have more say in what kinds of missions we take. We also get to boss the peons around, its a lot of fun

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

Herœs are celebrities

In Grymwurld™ PCs are treated like celebrities. They get invited to parties by various nobles who in turn attempt to use the PCs for their own political machinations. Oh there have been many offers of land (usually frontier) and titles but almost always turned down. Although by the time most PCs are 10th level or higher they are typically Court Barons (unlanded barons) if they choose to swear fealty to a king.

Disclaimer: I've been a DM since 1977 and my formative D&D years were spent playing OD&D and AD&D. Almost all of my players started off with pre-3.x D&D with the implicit assumption of retiring or semi-retiring at "name" level.