MGT Only: Shouldn't a working Title confer a bonus to SOC?

[Spinward Scout]

Your character goes through University and Graduates with Medic-3. That character can be called Doctor.

Shouldn't that Title give a bonus to their SOC? The Title itself holds some Renown. I mean, the character is given a higher level of respect.

Or would you just treat it as a Boon to SOC rolls, since there isn't a boost if someone doesn't know they have the Title.

The same with Ambassador, Special Agent, or Chief. It's a bit like bragging rights. And some of the highest ranks have a bonus to SOC. But I was surprised at some of the ones that don't.

On the other hand, shouldn't the opposite be done with the Scavenger? Or even Colonist?

 

[Rupert]

I assume that any such bonuses or penalty to SOC is reflected in the chargen tables. Colonists neither gain nor lose SOC, so it would appear that in the default setting it's not seen as a 'good' or a 'bad' career. That so few careers do suggest that the default society has little true mobility, and that what there is is largely via the Navy, becoming a celebrity, or a Scholar. Note that events and mishaps can cause some careers loss of SOC.

I would expect that when a character is interacting with others in a professional capacity, the respect due their profession would be important, with personal SOC only mattering if it was well out of line with that expected for the profession.

If this doesn't suit your vision of the game, add more bonuses to SOC to the chargen tables, or perhaps set minimums (like high-ranking navy officers have) for certain career/rank combinations. While you're at it, give colonists access to skill with guns without having to reach Rank 6.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[kilemall]

You could assume a move up to a minimum SOC upon achieving the title, like many college success rolls confer EDU 8 minimum.

 

[Condottiere]

If it's organic, it would reflect how much esteem society has for that title.

Or, profession.

As well as supply and scarcity.

If you have to import medical personnel, it might go either way.

 

[aramis]

To the titular question: Only in scope of career.

Titles from diplomas are not really all that strong a thing.

And can be confusing. I was a patient of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, who was a DN degree holder, with board certification as a neurologist. She was addressed as Doctor by hospital and practice staff and by the MDs and DO's at the hospital where her practice was... As a physician by the state.

 

[Badenov]

So some careers, Army, Navy and Marines, have +Social on the mustering out table. The Navy has +Social on the Personal Development skill-up table. The Other career has a -Social on that table. The Navy also gives +1 Social on attaining Rank 5 and Rank 6 in LBB1, though this is omitted in LBB5, I am not sure why.

I imagine all societies attach prestige to various careers. But the human condition is different in different societies. In Western cultures, doctors are high Soc, sure, and anyone who can pay their way through Med school (or who is willing to sell their soul to the military for a few years) graduates with basically a new Soc score. In other societies, you can be the brightest and richest person ever, but if you're of the wrong class, you're forbidden from certain things and definitely can't get into medical school.

So, I would totally agree that a Medic-3-level doctor probably desereves being bumped up to Soc 8 or 9 if they were below that, as I am a member of Western society. Almost any 'professional' skill at 2 is probably worth at least Soc 7, (or wherever you put the middle of the middle class, for some of the variant Soc rolls people) because you can afford and are generally expected to maintain a decent lifestyle and not come to work unwashed and wearing rags. And not many CPAs live in trailers. So this is probably the ideal situation for a broad house rule, where anyone that spends the cash for a lifestyle associated with a Soc (and lives that lifestyle, not buying a house and sleeping in the gutter) gets that Soc.

MgT1 has a table (in the Equipment section of all places) detailing the cost per month for maintaining various Social levels. I think that the table could work both ways: spend the cash to maintain Soc, but if you spend the cash, you can get the Soc. The reason that might not work is if a society isn't mobile, or if you pick your nose in public, then wearing a $500 suit and a Rolex won't get you into certain places.

So, end conclusion is YMMV, and Soc probably needs to be addressed in everyone's Travelller Universe for what specifically works in their campaign. The last game I played in took place on a planet that suspiciously resembled Roanapur from Black Lagoon, and anyone throwing cash around and dressing like a traditional noble would last about two minutes. But bribes in the right places and paying off the Hotel Terra faction would help your situation tremendously.