As a DM what is the max rank/title of nobility you use as the cut-off when one of your players runs the noble background?
As a DM what is the max rank/title of nobility you use as the cut-off when one of your players runs the noble background?
As a DM what is the max rank/title of nobility you use as the cut-off when one of your players runs the noble background?
Prince or Princess, preferably not first in line to inherit the throne, but I can be convinced to let this slide if the backstory is good. Prince of a fallen or dying nation that's desperately trying to hang on and needs allies? You think it's your duty as next in line to be sovereign? Cool. Great. I can work with that. Princess b***hface of the strongest country in the setting who wants to start the game with 999,999 gold and have an army and several champions of the kingdom adventuring with the party? Yeah no, suck a dick.
>Princess b***hface of the strongest country in the setting who wants to start the game with 999,999 gold and have an army and several champions of the kingdom adventuring with the party? Yeah no, suck a dick.
I play this, but she is respected.
Get fricked, homie! My character is the coolest and has a more compelling story than your horseshit commoner underdog!
You sound like someone I would not ever want in my group, but I'm glad you have a group of imaginary friends who tolerate you.
I play the main character in a gigantic West Marches sci-fi game. Get fricked, loser!
You weren't gatekept, but if there was a gate then it was made for you!
I'm OK with being gatekept out of your imaginary group, honestly. I prefer to play with people who are out of middle school and have actual friends.
Stay mad, ugly!
Imagine being this seethingly jealous about an abstracted post regarding a fictional character. Sad!
You must be at least 18 to use Ganker. Why are you here?
Oh no the king died and you need to assume the throne. Looks like your adventuring days are behind you. Roll up a new character.
>new monarch
>”I am a frontline leader and will continue to fight evil head on.”
Can’t stop won’t stop.
Incredibly based and perfectly acceptable in my game
Cool. Let me just make a few notes...
queen b***h will be deposed and slowly lose resources about a month in
>GM who fricks with player characters just because they came up with a backstory.
Shit table.
Jokes on you, I'm a table top gremlin who always resolves conflicts with violence, hope that you being involved in a party of adventurers that is suspected of burning down the homes of several Gnomish families doesn't have a negative impact on the political machinations of that mighty kingdom you represent!
>player makes a character with virtually infinite resources to try and break the game
>player abandons their character's obligations
>player is surprised when things don't turn out perfectly
Pretty much this. The actual "level" of the rank doesn't matter so much as the fact the context surrounding that rank doesn't allow for the player character to just avoid or cheat their way through the adventure. Generally being THE King or Queen is hard to incorporate in a satisfying way, but anything below that is fair game.
The highest title was Prince: a player of mine rolled unbelievably good at stormbringer chargen ending as a melnibonean noble 6th from Elric in line of claim for the ruby throne.
Seems as though Prince is fine as long as they aren’t first in line to the throne.
no higher than baron or count
I play actual games, so I'm not a DM.
Based quarrelsome anon always trying to start drama
> I play actual games
Secondary board, incel.
What system?
It has to be one of the editions of D&D, since he said DM.
I mean he could have just gotten the term wrong, like I run a deadlines game but I still say DM
Meh, it's kind of interchangeable at this point
If I'm playing some Star Wars or 40k pnp and someone says DM, we all know what they mean
Don't you know what system you are using?
Answer will vary based on system.
Given OP said DM as well as THE noble background, presumably it's just 5e.
No system like almost every puckee21 thread
>no specific system
>vague question
>always posts his commissioned art on the exact day he posts it on reddit
The system is obviously 5e
>>no specific system
What about this question requires a specific system? People can run multiple systems, so its probably better to not restrict the prompt to a single system.
>DM
>noble background
These are not things that exist in every system and you are defending a nogames thread.
WFRP were one of the Careers a player could start as a Noble
OP's question depends on the setting and not the system, nogames.
You are such a dumbfrick DnDrone homosexual. Rank is literally a mechanic in GURPS, it costs CP just like being good at shooting or being rich. GURPS is a major system so your ignorance is inexcusable but it's also far from the only system to have gameplay mechanics tied directly to noble rank, fricking DnDlikes such as ACKS even do this you stupid ugly bastard, just have a nice day.
What does system have to do with the question at hand? In any case, system agnostic questions are questions about your system of choice.
What artist?
Indigo Jenar
I played a Warlock with the Noble background who was basically Aladdin, his "prince" title was entirely fabricated by his patron, he was really born a commoner. Of course, when you ARE actually quite wealthy and powerful from being a high level warlock, and the exotic and lavish servants and retainers really do exist (they're just in on the act and sent by the patron), the end result doesn't really change much. Even other party members would frequently forget he wasn't actually a real prince, truly "Fake it Til you Make It" in action.
also if you steal a city-state you can call yourself "king" even though you only own one frickin' town. ancient greeks loved pulling that shit. pro-tip for any aspiring royals.
Prince or princess that is at least 5th in line to the throne. Nobility that is far removed from the throne is so rare its refreshing to see one that isnt just a mary sue. Also makes for great potential intrigue if the group gets into that. If theyre nobles from some no name duchy, there is no narrative difference from some mercenary from a no name backwater besides money.
>at least
sorry, i meant at most 5th in line to the throne.
The guillotined.
Nobility is a lie and a poison on culture.
What system and setting and what is your opinion?
5e, any setting, anything less than baron - including noble scions.
Ask your stupid question in you stupid general.
Baron generally maybe a Margrave
>what is the max rank/title of nobility you use as the cut-off
Any sort of rank
If you actually held a noble title you would be too busy administering your fief to go adventuring
The only way a noble background makes sense is as either a deposed noble whose family have lost their lands and titles, or as a prince/heir to a title or 2nd/3rd son not set to inherit
>If you actually held a noble title you would be too busy administering your fief to go adventuring
That's what the reeve was for.
Up to and including Duke most often, though in truth it is whatever they can both afford in terms of Virtues and what the Covenant can reasonable be expected to exert influence over since this noble, regardless of title, is in the pay and pockets of the true powers behind their thrown. The wizards.
Inpoverished squire. I don't think many of you shitters realize how much of a hassle it would be to actually have a character start out with hundreds or thousands of people under him
Knight Lord/Baronet, or occasionally Baron in the instance the player wants to play Royalty that has tangible political power.
Prince that's like 6th-10th in line for the throne, if the player wants basically zero political power outside of being arranged to marry some lout's princess in a backwater duchy somewhere.
None.
The higher he rank, the more problems the have.
Even a king or emperor is very vulnerable. Like most of the actual power rests with corrupt eunuchs, ministers or praetorian guards. And then one day they decide to replace the ruler.
I played a heir apparent. The DM let me, but didn't make my PCs kingdom matter at all for the entire campaign.
Long story short, you can make your PC the emperor of some place so long as it doesn't matter to the plot.
This is why Frankish kingdoms make such a perfect TTRPG setting. Players can start as commoners and earn a noble title. İf they're strong and powerful they can earn the title of king, so long as they're okay with smashing baby skulls to remove rival claimants.
Idiot third son is the habitable zone where you can play nobility without the game necessarily being about nobility.
Grand Lord Paladin, Soverign Herald of the One True Power, His Righteous Majesty (this is one guy)
>As a DM what is the max rank/title of nobility you use as the cut-off when one of your players runs the noble background?
Depends on the rank of nobles the group would likely encounter, and then one peg below that
Ie. if my group is gonna be encountering Kings, then cutoff is Prince/Princess. If the group is encountering Emperors and global-level intrigue, then King or Duke is the cutoff, etc.
The 8th Son of Duke.
I'm not kidding you.
Fite me.
Now that I think about it, I've never got a player that goes so high, the only exception was a friend who's character was son a noble but he was like 5th or 6th in the line of succesion (we never made it clear, not that it really matter) and he wasn't even the youngest
Quick backstory: One day his closest brother came and told him that the old man was dying, he and the other brothers agreed to give him/send him all the money he needed so he could travel to the far east (Khitai) as he always wanted as long as he didnt came back cuz the moment their father died "the house would bleed"
At least they were honorable enough to give him a warning and cover his expenses, they loved him that much
Impoverished border count is absolute max for starting characters, reasonable would be impoverished knight or man-at-arms with aim of becoming noble.
The higher the rank, the smaller the proportion of their power is to the disposal of the player. A minor noble might receive a decent amount from their title, a prince or princess would receive little relatively.
The higher the rank, the further down the succession line I make it. If you want to be the second son of a baron or earl, sure. But if you want to be the son of an archduke then you are going to be a long, long way down the line. Perhaps even just a cousin to the heir.