Benefits of playing a Noble PC

For years as a Referee I beat my head against a metaphorical and game-mechanical wall trying to resolve a conundrum. Traveller allows PCs to be high ranking members of interstellar society. But there are exactly no rules or directions on how playing a Noble confers any advantage.

High Status in the Far Future

 

Much of my thinking about his amounted to “how much money should I give a Noble PC? Is this too much? Is this too little?" I used to think the cash handouts from the Robe & Blaster article were tiny and pointless. I have revised my thinking on this somewhat. Nobles in Traveller have their money tied up in land, properties, investments and ships. The benefits given below are the dividends, the residual free cash.

I now also see these dividends as small enough to not break the game. If a PC gets rich by adventuring, great! Travellers can and should seek High Level play. That should happen in the game, not because of meta-game artifacts like huge cash grants. Eventually Nobles will have connections with all sorts of VIPs, own ships and direct large-scale ventures. But beginning Noble PCs don't have all that. Not yet, anyway.

Below are the likely benefits from the R&B article.

Definition of Nobility Benefits 

These are the ones available to Knights and Barons:

• Pension: Same as standard additional service pension. Roll ld6 X 1,000 Cr./Pt.
• Merchant House Holdings: Stock/bond portfolios yielding annual value of ld6 X 1,000 Cr. dividends. May be sold at market value.
• Space Lane Carrier Holdings: As per merchant holdings, except player rolls 2d6 X 10,000 Cr.
• Court Influence: Used as a+DM on Reaction Rolls as allowed by Referee. May also be used as a DM in dispensing patronage.
• Ancestral Lands: Planetary holdings held by player in perpetuity. Roll 3d6 X 10,000 Cr. for value. Lands yield 10-60% total value (1d6) annually in revenues and cost 10-60% of value for maintenance once every four years.
• Immediate Inheritance: As per Ancestral Lands but player additionally rolls 3d6 X 10,000 Cr. For immediately available cash.

Instead of cash, the Referee can use other already available force multipliers. I mean, of course, henchmen and vehicles. A PC with a Noble title enters play with one or more loyal retainers, one of whom can operate the vehicle they may own.

At your service, M'lord

SOC A/Gentleman: a Valet (Steward-1, one other skill-1)

SOC B/Knight: a Squire (Steward-1, combat skill-1, one other skill-1)

SOC C/Baron: a Valet, a Secretary (Admin-1) a Manservant (any one skill-1)

SOC D/Marquis: Valet, Secretary, Manservant, a Bodyguard

SOC E/Count: Valet, Secretary (Admin-2) Bodyguard, 2x Manservant, Driver

SOC F/Duke: Valet, Secretary (Admin-2) 2x Bodyguard, 3x Manservant, Driver

Retainers UPP is 777777 or the Referee can generate them. All skills are at level-1 unless otherwise noted.

As an alternative, any Noble PC who starts play with a ship has a crew, the minimum crew necessary for that ship, with skill-1 in their respective roles.

High Status can also look like this.

Loyal Retainers are paid in advance – the PC has their service for four years of play. Their salary comes from the House, but the PC is responsible for their travel and medical expenses. After four years, the Noble PC picks up the responsibility of paying the retainers, at the same rate as Henchmen.

The Referee should secretly make a Reaction throw for each Retainer. Any result lower than 7 except a 2 is improved to 7. A natural 2 indicates a treasonous retainer - loyal to another House or out for revenge. The Referee cannot make the Retainer assassinate the PC (undercutting the player's agency) but may in any other way frustrate or thwart the Noble's goals. It is up to the player to discover the treachery and take action.

Any Noble PC may throw 2D for a vehicle. On 7+ they have an air/raft. If the throw is 10+ it is a speeder instead. The air/raft is basic transportation, but at 600,000 credits, it is out of reach for any PC coming out of character creation. If the PC does not have any vehicle skill, then their Retainer will have it and operate the vehicle.

Furthermore,

The PCs status as a Noble will have an influence on Reactions and Legal Encounters. Legal encounters will still happen as per the usual throw, but Nobles will get a DM of at least +1 to the subsequent Reaction. If the encounter takes place on a world that is part of the Noble's government, the DM is +3. If on a client state or ally world, DM +1 or +2 at Referee's discretion.

"Forgive the interruption, my lord. Purely routine, I assure you. <Awkward silence.> This is all in order. We won't detain you any longer, thank you for your cooperation."

If a random or patron encounter is with another Noble or government official the Noble PC gets a DM +2. Any encounter where the player decides the PC should lean on their title for a favorable reaction should get a DM +1.

What other advantages could a Noble PC start out with, that won't make him too powerful too quickly?