Wealth: Should it be three different traits?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Such leftovers often apply to official rank as well as unofficial rank, so I'm still not sure what you're talking about. In any case, the usual way to strip nobles of status is accusations of treason or heresy, and actually works pretty well for anyone below the absolute top.

First, they apply to official rank only as much as said Rank provides Imputed Status, not to Rank directly. At least in the general society, as opposed to a narrow field where said Rank might come with an individual reputation.
I'm talking about the examples I have given - nobles who have been overthrown for supposedly being traitors of their states, yet are respected abroad despite losing all of their wealth and power; low-Status people who are not let into high-Status shops because Wealth alone isn't enough; highly-successful fast-rising but low-Status 90s businessmen who try to buy their way into higher Status but are laughed at by both the high-Status old money and the Status 0 average people. These effects I am talking about.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Effect of Savoir-Fair, not Status.

What, I can get a +8 Reaction Modifier by just having Savoir-Faire? Get a modifier depending on how high the skill is? Kings don't always have epic levels of Savoir-Faire, you know. Jeeves probably has Savoire-Faire 5-8 levels higher than Wooster.

Originally Posted by Anthony

True for rank as well as status.

True for Rank that grants Status, not for other types of Rank. Having Police Rank will grant Status and make people inclined to answer questions and help out without a good reason. Having Rank (Toys for Bob, minor computer game company) 5 will give you nothing.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Tends to have gibberish results in any society where status isn't synonymous with wealth.

Might require some adjustment in particularly ascetic Reference Societies, but otherwise the correlation seems to be positive more often than not. Besides, the expected lifestyle that comes with Status is significantly lower than the maximum achievable with equivalent levels of Wealth, once the society's TL reaches respectable levels. Professor Preobrazhenskiy underwent some reduction in Wealth compared to the pre-USSR days, but he still kept spending what money he had on maintaining a respectable lifestyle.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Should be a Reputation.
Should be a Reputation.

Due to belonging to a given layer of society. Not due to personal fame or infamy.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

What, I can get a +8 Reaction Modifier by just having Savoir-Faire?

You can't get a +8 reaction modifier from status unless they know who you are.

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

True for Rank that grants Status, not for other types of Rank.

If you correct the pricing of rank so given ranks in different organizations are actually equivalent, all forms of rank will grant status.

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Due to belonging to a given layer of society. Not due to personal fame or infamy.

Reputation is what people know about you. I see no reason to make the distinction you're making.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Anthony

If you correct the pricing of rank so given ranks in different organizations are actually equivalent, all forms of rank will grant status.

That's not how Social Engineering sees it, and I think it has a point.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Anthony

You can't get a +8 reaction modifier from status unless they know who you are.

Now, knowing who you are would be Reputation. That's the difference between the two.

Originally Posted by Anthony

If you correct the pricing of rank so given ranks in different organizations are actually equivalent, all forms of rank will grant status.

Why would ranks in different organisations be equivalent? Rank in Google is not quite the same as Rank in KGB is not the same as Rank in Toys For Bob.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Reputation is what people know about you. I see no reason to make the distinction you're making.

People sometimes don't know anything about you. Reactions still depend on status. Not dressing the dress, not talking the talk and not walking the walk can be enough. BTW, the example illustration I've been quoting before that I've been mentioning and you said you have no idea what it is/is like - here.
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Overall, you seem to have applied your own definitions to traits, and then keep wondering why they no longer work as intended.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Now, knowing who you are would be Reputation. That's the difference between the two.

Bear in mind that a +8 Status is, per the table, spectacularly exclusive. It's pretty unlikely anyone is going to believe you have +8 status while not knowing who you are.

(And on the flip side if they do know who you are they probably are not going to slight the emperor for dressing below his station.)

For lower Status levels you may be able to carry off the standing while remaining anonymous, but +8 doesn't really make sense for that.

[dcarson]

There are definite cases at the extremes and there is a cap on how much it matters. But if you pull up in a chauffeured limo and step out wearing a tailored suit you will generally be treated like you are of an appropriate Status level. Have an advanced security team and bodyguards with extra minions, be treated higher. Both of those examples do require having appropriate Wealth levels. There are ways of pulling off the moderate levels with mainly behavior and style.