Steve Jackson Games
SKU: SJG37-1667
Show Them Who's Boss
While the Rank advantage looks wonderful on paper, it doesn't do much as written. To make an organization work for you, you need to buy it as a Patron. Even then, the benefits of a Patron are only slightly better defined than those of Rank – and unlike Rank, Patrons come in just four levels (6 or less through 15 or less), making it hard to represent fine-grained hierarchies where seniority brings "pull." Wouldn't it be nice to get the best of all worlds . . . not to mention more detail?
Such is the mission of GURPS Social Engineering: Pulling Rank. It expands on the Pulling Rank rules first seen in GURPS Action 1: Heroes, adds the more nuanced reading of Rank found in GURPS Social Engineering, and delivers a system that lets you know the odds of using your Rank to summon a specific kind of assistance. Highlights include:
- Instructions for replacing organizational Patrons with Rank and associated advantages and Duties.
- Rules for using Rank to make things happen, taking into account story, situation, and personal abilities.
- Examples of specific aid – from invitations to the ball, through being sprung from prison, to fire support.
- Thoughts on Rank in the campaign: what kinds exist, how many levels PCs can buy, what it means for NPCs, supernatural varieties, and more.
If you've always craved a campaign where the heroes work within the system, seeking believable social position rather than bigger and badder combat abilities, then GURPS Social Engineering: Pulling Rank is for you. Nothing makes promotion quite as attractive as knowing that it brings real power!
Written by Sean Punch
