Status: Cost of living to hirelings

[MaryAnn]

I have been reading the basic book and I am unable to figure out how the Cost of living is split. According to the Cost of Living Table what would be the difference between a Status 7 and a Status 8 character? How many functionaries and bodyguards would each of them get?

Modern TL8 setting.

[Polydamas]

It depends comppetely on setting and TL. In a prr modern setting, most of CoL goes to someone's food fuel cand clothing at TL 7+ just a fraction. Someone who has bodyguards probably has Rank.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Polydamas

It depends comppetely on setting and TL. In a prr modern setting, most of CoL goes to someone's food fuel cand clothing at TL 7+ just a fraction. Someone who has bodyguards probably has Rank.

Or wealth. In any case they have some reason for someone to want to target them personally.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by MaryAnn

I have been reading the basic book and I am unable to figure out how the Cost of living is split. According to the Cost of Living Table what would be the difference between a Status 7 and a Status 8 character? How many functionaries and bodyguards would each of them get?

Modern TL8 setting.

The table given under 'what cost of living gets you' is an example rather than a universal rule. Each setting theoretically would have its own version. Note that it describes what would typically be included in a given level of lifestyle if the character pays for that level each month. Unless a rule of the setting prohibits it, characters can have whatever level of lifestyle they choose to pay for regardless of their actual Status (however, having a lifestyle below your Status may, at the GM's discretion, impair a character's effective Status while doing so.)

=======

And shiver me timbers! Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

The table given under 'what cost of living gets you' is an example rather than a universal rule. Each setting theoretically would have its own version.

Yup. See, for example, page 187 of GURPS Banestorm, which has a What Cost of Living Gets You box specific to Yrth.

Unfortunately, most GURPS books don't include such a table.

[MaryAnn]

I still don´t get it, assuming TL 8 with the cost of living defined by the Cost of Living Table,

1) How many functionaries or servants would you get at each level of Status?
2) How many bodyguards?


I believe that there must be a way to determine the relative power of each level of Status when compared to each other and that also for the same level of Status there should be an acceptable range of values ​​in such a way that a level 7 cannot have more reach than a level 8...

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by MaryAnn

I still don´t get it, assuming TL 8 with the cost of living defined by the Cost of Living Table,

1) How many functionaries or servants would you get at each level of Status?
2) How many bodyguards?


I believe that there must be a way to determine the relative power of each level of Status when compared to each other and that also for the same level of Status there should be an acceptable range of values ​​in such a way that a level 7 cannot have more reach than a level 8...

I may be misunderstanding your question, but in the GURPS Basic Set p. B266 it does have What Cost of Living Gets You: A Modern Example (TL 8). It doesn't give exact numbers, but does say things like Status 5 gets you "dozens of functionaries (often including a team of bodyguards)," Status 2 gets a housekeeper, and Status 1 has no servants.

The GM can decide how many "a team" is for their own campaign. GURPS is intended as a roleplaying system or toolkit that lets the GM pick and choose what they want. The "acceptable range of values" is what the GM determines it to be.

The second most important rule in GURPS is "As with all things, the GM’s word is final" (p. B32). The most important rule in GURPS is this: "You can do whatever you want . . . that’s the whole point of the system. Most important: Have fun!" (p. B8).

[Stormcrow]

Status does not grant a set number of servants or bodyguards. In some societies, it is likely that someone of high Status will have them, but it depends on their exact situation.

In a TL8 society kinda-sorta resembling the real, modern world, Status 8 means you're basically the leader of a global empire. How many functionaries does a modern emperor have? Thousands and thousands. Status 7 means something like president of a country or a pope. You've also got lots of functionaries, but not as many as the emperor on the other side of the planet. How many fewer? As per the example in the Basic Set, it's the difference between an army and an agency. How many is that? That's up to the GM.

The rules don't give you hard and fast numbers for these things. Define the social position of the character and come up with a plausible description of that social position, including however many underlings it may include.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by MaryAnn

1) How many functionaries or servants would you get at each level of Status?
2) How many bodyguards?

More than the previous, not as many as the next. There are no hard rules for that, so you've got to wing it.

If you really need a number, a simple option might be something like one servant at Status 2 and one bodyguard at 4. Triple both per +1 Status. Though note that as Status increases, a higher proportion of servants and bodyguards will be seeing to duties elsewhere (making sure all those other homes and vehicles are ready when needed, for example).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by MaryAnn

I have been reading the basic book and I am unable to figure out how the Cost of living is split. According to the Cost of Living Table what would be the difference between a Status 7 and a Status 8 character? How many functionaries and bodyguards would each of them get?

Modern TL8 setting.

In a modern TL 8 setting a status 8 character would be the ruler of the world and command a world spanning bureaucracy and the world's entire military. Worrying about the precise number of functionaries and bodyguards would be beneath you. Whereas a a status 7 character would lead the most powerful or one of the two most powerful nations in the world, a superpower.