Traveller 5E

[rinku]

All good points. But there's one important role of SOC, which is very much baked into game, and that's to regulate and affect careers.

For an 18 year old it's important to know if they're strong, or smart, or clumsy... and what their social standing is.

As one of the six rolled for (or point allocated) stats, it has that character generation function.

 

[mavikfelna]

All good points. But there's one important role of SOC, which is very much baked into game, and that's to regulate and affect careers.

For an 18 year old it's important to know if they're strong, or smart, or clumsy... and what their social standing is.

As one of the six rolled for (or point allocated) stats, it has that character generation function.

It is always my dump stat and the only time I have every used it is in making a Noble character.

 

[Vormaerin]

As written, it is definitely one that serves little purpose to give a middling value. Either high (for certain careers) or low because it hardly ever affects anything. As pointed out, if you actually have a Social skill to fit into that group, you can almost always use a different stat with it.

 

[rinku]

Classic Traveller is just roll up and see where it takes you. SOC is as free and independent as INT or DEX. It doesn't really matter if it's used very much in the game or not - STR is very often not used much for some charcaters, except as a hit point soak.

 

[mavikfelna]

Classic Traveller is just roll up and see where it takes you. SOC is as free and independent as INT or DEX. It doesn't really matter if it's used very much in the game or not - STR is very often not used much for some charcaters, except as a hit point soak.

At least STR has a use that comes up occasionally.

 

[rinku]

SOC has its uses. But it's not a general charisma stat. That tends to throw off the D&D crowd a bit.

 

[Vormaerin]

Classic Traveller is just roll up and see where it takes you. SOC is as free and independent as INT or DEX. It doesn't really matter if it's used very much in the game or not - STR is very often not used much for some charcaters, except as a hit point soak.

Classic Traveller does not generally make a big deal out of stats and certainly does not give them fixed bonuses, so the comparison is pretty irrelevant. You probably don't use your Stat at all, but if you did, it could be anywhere on the spectrum that gave you a bonus. Survival in the Army was +2 for Edu 6+ for instance. But an Edu 7+ only gives a +1 for Promotion. And 15 wasn't any more useful than 7.

There's practically 0 stat bonuses for most skill tasks in CT.

 

[Sigtrygg]

The use of die rolls, The Traveller Adventure:

"Personal Characteristics: Many cases can be resolved by looking at the character's personal characteristics (strength, dexterity, endurance, intelligence, and so on) which are appropriate to the situation. For example, in lifting or forcing large objects, strength might be most appropriate; a moredelicate situation could depend on dexterity.
The referee should instruct the player character to throw the characteristic or less on two dice. The higher the characteristic, the greater the chance of accomplishing the goal. Relatively easy situations might call for rolling the sum of two characteristics or less; harder situations might have
a positive DM to reduce the chance of success."

I can think of many situations where the SOC of ther PC would be used...

 

[Vormaerin]

I just want to know what the immutable characteristic attached to your character is that allows everyone to realize what caste you were born into 30 years ago on some planet two subsectors away.

 

[NOLATrav]

Maybe SOC is just “a prod to the imagination.”

If you’re running Third Imperium, it can represent cost of living and perceived wealth. Or it can represent notoriety (Fame in T5). Or it can be an actual Noble Title. But quite frankly Noble titles break down canonically IMO because the trip from Knight to Emperor is woefully short. IMTU the Emperor is SOC Z (33) but whatever.

In an ATU it could be the way Humans determine pecking order and leadership structures. I say Humans because Vargr have CHA and Aslan have TER and this is the way it should be. Aliens should be different from Humans.

If I was running Beltstrike, SOC would never have any Noble associations, even in the 3I. I’d use it as an influence metric, bonuses or penalties against claims, paperwork, selling, fuel and gear costs, etc. If I was running “Nobles playing chess with subsectors” then clearly SOC would have a different function.

I agree some clarity and consistency is needed but really, which game doesn’t need that? Kinda the whole point of it all - here’s some guidelines… go nuts and have fun.

 

[Condottiere]

It's for first impressions and interactions.

Without identity verification, it's more mystical than charisma.

 

[NOLATrav]

Maybe Style STY would be better…

 

[Vormaerin]

SOC is a useful concept. I don't think anyone is suggesting ditching it. However, I don't think it is a good 'stat'. It isn't intrinsic to the character the way physical or intellectual capabilities are. If I'm running a campaign in a single cultural area (like Victorian England or the star system of Beltstrike), your characters have a past, they have identifiable cultural traits, and so on. So most people would probably have a fairly established social status. Though even in those situations, you have people who re-invent themselves.

But a band of Travellers roaming about in an old ship going from planet to planet 30 years after they left whatever homeworld and lifestyle they were born to? Maybe this is naive egalitarianism, but I tend to think that someone having gone to University and then worked for 20 years at a financial services corporation rising to senior management (Or whatever their career was) would have more impact on how they are perceived than the circumstances of their birth wherever in the galaxy that was. And even more than their career, what they are doing (or are believed to be doing) at the moment is what matters. Are they considered to be free traders? Corporate officials? Mercenaries?

I don't think that the mechanics around it work or accomplish the intended results. Especially in the Mongoose version, where Characteristics have fairly defined impacts on task checks.

I also tend to think that Int has enough to do without also modifying most social skill task checks, but that's a separate issue.

 

[Condottiere]

You'd think a roving troupe of talented theatre players could pretty much make up any factor of social standing, individually, or as a group.