TEXT: An e23 Sourcebook for GURPS
  ®
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-1667
  Version 1.0 – February 2014
  ®
  PULLING RANK
  TM
  Social
  Social
  Engineering
  Engineering
  TM
  GURPS System Design T STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor T SEAN PUNCH
  Managing Editor T PHILIP REED
  Assistant GURPS Line Editor T JASON “PK” LEVINE
  Production Artist & Indexer T NIKOLA VRTIS
   Art Direction T MONICA STEPHENS and NIKKI VRTIS
  e23 Manager T STEVEN MARSH
  Marketing Director T LEONARD BALSERA
  Director of Sales T ROSS JEPSON
  Prepress Checker T NIKKI VRTIS
  Page Design T PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
  GURPS FAQ Maintainer T VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO
  Reviewers: Jason “PK” Levine, Steven Marsh, and William H. Stoddard
  GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid, Social Engineering, Pulling Rank, e23, and 
  the names of all  products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. 
  GURPS Social Engineering: Pulling Rank is copyright © 2014 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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  Written by SEAN PUNCH
  Illustrated by ZACH HOWARD, 
  GLENN KRISTOFFERSEN, and DAN SMITH
  Additional Material by WILLIAM H. STODDARD
  
   INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Publication History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  1. SETTING THE PRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  The Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Pricing Rank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  The Assistance Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Patron-to-Rank Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Rank-to-Patron Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Assistance Rolls Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Limits on Rank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Kinds of Rank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  2. ASKING FOR HELP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Common Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Assistance Roll Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Success and Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Special Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Mixed Bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Outside the Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  3. “REQUEST GRANTED” . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Sample Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  “Complements of the Boss” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Hellllllp!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Supernatural Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  The Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  CONTENTS
  2
  CONTENTS
  Gimli: Oh! That’s it,
  right! We warned you!
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  – The Lord 
  of the Rings: 
  The Return 
  of the King
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  GURPS Social Engineering: Pulling Rank web page is at
  gurps.sjgames.com/pullingrank.
  Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bibli-
  ographies, and we’re putting them online – with links to let
  you buy the resources that interest you! Go to each book’s
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  Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but we
  do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata pages for all
  GURPS releases, including this book, are available on our
  website – see above.
  Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the
  GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references that
  begin with B refer to that book, not this one.
  About GURPS
  
  Not all heroes go it alone! Those in roleplaying games tra-
  ditionally enjoy the support of fellow PCs – and in settings with
  even the thinnest veneer of civilization, they often belong to
  something bigger, be that a government agency, the military, a
  church, or the mob. GURPS offers several social traits that
  might correspond to such membership, the most important of
  which are a Patron representing the organization and Rank
  within that institution. However, these two advantages over-
  lap, and neither completely answers the player’s most pressing
  question: “What assistance can my character request?”
  GURPS Social Engineering: Pulling Rank solves this
  problem by merging Rank and Patron into a single concept.
  In effect, it turns Rank into a “leveled Patron” and then uses
  its level to determine the odds of receiving a particular form
  of aid. While not always the most realistic approach to organ-
  izations, it’s a straightforward one – and that’s often for the
  best when the heroes are better at smiting evil, arresting
  crooks, or hunting terrorists than they are at navigating
  social labyrinths. Still, the extensive advice on what Rank or
  an equivalent Patron can offer is useful even in campaigns
  starring thinkers, organizers, and manipulators instead of
  men and women of action. The rules for treating Rank as an
  effective Patron are also suitable for such a game or indeed
  almost any other; while they simplify real-world social com-
  plexity, they aren’t actively cinematic.
  Pulling Rank is an optional expansion for the GURPS
  Basic Set, and doesn’t rely on GURPS Social Engineering.
  However, as Social Engineering offers pricing guidelines for
  new kinds of Rank and describes many social feats that high
  Rank might facilitate, it would be a valuable companion to
  this supplement.
  PUBLICATION HISTORY
  This is the first edition of GURPS Social Engineering:
  Pulling Rank. It expands on the Pulling Rank rules on pp. 24-
  25 of GURPS Action 1: Heroes, the related Assistance Rolls in
  Action notes on pp. 44-45 of GURPS Action 2: Exploits, and
  the generalization of those things under The Benefits of Rank
  on pp. 51-52 of GURPS Social Engineering.
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  Sean “Dr. Kromm” Punch set out to become a particle
  physicist in 1985, ended up the GURPS Line Editor in 1995,
  and has engineered rules for almost every GURPS product
  since. He developed, edited, or wrote dozens of GURPS Third
  Edition projects between 1995 and 2002. In 2004, he produced
  the GURPS Basic Set, Fourth Edition with David Pulver. Since
  then, he has created GURPS Powers (with Phil Masters),
  GURPS Martial Arts (with Peter Dell’Orto), GURPS Zombies,
  and the GURPS Action, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy, and
  GURPS Power-Ups series . . . among other things. Sean has
  been a gamer since 1979. His non-gaming interests include
  cinema, mixology, and Argentine tango. He lives in Montréal,
  Québec with his wife, Bonnie.
   INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  3
  
  When a PC holds down a job, there’s usually no need to cast
  this in terms of traits on the character sheet. GURPS assumes
  that all but the wealthiest or most errant of heroes work for a
  living. That’s why there are pages and pages dedicated to rules
  such as Jobs (pp. B516-517) and Cost of Living (pp. B265-266).
  However, some adventurers have many, most, or even all of
  their adventures in service to an organization that’s willing and
  able to support them. Sometimes this takes the form of a
  Patron (p. B72) or a Contact Group (p. B44), and when the
  player requests help, the GM rolls 3d against frequency of
  appearance, with success bringing assistance. In other cases,
  Rank (pp. B29-30 and GURPS Social Engineering, pp. 12-15)
  fits better, and the GM uses this as a guide to who and what the
  PC can order around to meet organizational goals. Where
  things get tricky is when the GM wants a quick-and-easy
  mechanic like an appearance roll for someone with Rank,
  seeks to link the degree of aid a Patron provides to the senior-
  ity of the person requesting it, or cannot decide which trait bet-
  ter fits a given arrangement.
  One possible solution is not to choose, but instead to merge
  the concepts of Rank and Associated NPCs (p. B31) into a sin-
  gle game mechanic that handles appearance rolls and seniority
  all at once. In the rules that follow, Rank alone determines
  where the PC stands and what he can request, providing him
  with an effective Patron. Readers familiar with GURPS Action
  and/or GURPS Social Engineering will recognize this
  approach, which is functionally identical to (and thus compat-
  ible with) similar systems described there – although Pulling
  Rank adds many details, special cases, and examples that
  merit player-GM discussion in campaigns using those supple-
  ments. As with anything that empowers PCs, it’s the GM who
  decides which options are “switched on.”
  THE ORGANIZATION
  First, find the base point cost of a Patron that matches the
  PC’s organization, thinking only in terms of the scope of the
  aid it could provide:
  Fairly powerful organization (e.g., obscure organized religion,
  private charitable foundation, local guild, university, or
  small-town police department): 10 points
  Powerful organization (e.g., mainstream organized religion,
  national nonprofit foundation, regional guild, big-city
  police department, small national agency, or task force or
  operational subunit within a large agency or an armed serv-
  ice): 15 points
  Very powerful organization (e.g., world-class organized reli-
  gion, international nonprofit organization, international
  guild, large national agency, or one entire armed service of
  a small polity): 20 points
  Extremely powerful organization (e.g., one entire armed service
  of a large polity) or a small polity (barony, principality,
  poorer modern nation, etc.): 25 points
  Large polity (historical empire or typical modern nation): 
  30 points
  When using Pulling Rank, the character doesn’t pay this
  cost! Instead, it determines how much Rank he needs to
  make something happen and how impressive the response is
  when a request is granted, both of which increase with hypo-
  thetical Patron value. For instance, everybody in a local sher-
  iff’s department has a voice, while only senior officers have
  much say in a national army – but where the sheriff’s depart-
  ment would send a lone deputy to search for someone, the
  army might deploy truckloads of troops equipped with night-
  vision gear and drones. These considerations don’t always
  affect the price per level of Rank; Rank pricing often has more
  to do with the social benefits that accrue when not asking for
  assistance (notably respect, imputed Status, and higher pay).
  CHAPTER ONE
  SETTING
  THE PRICE
  SETTING THE PRICE
  4
  
  SETTING THE PRICE
  5
  PRICING RANK
  Next, assess the point cost of Rank in the PC’s organization.
  This is the standard 5 points per level in most cases, but the
  GM may prefer the detailed treatment of Rank, Status, and
  Wealth (GURPS Social Engineering, pp. 12-15). In general,
  Rank that stands in for a Patron should cost at least 2 points
  per level, because anything smaller suggests the kind of organ-
  ization that can’t project power. For a noteworthy exception,
  see Common Courtesy (p. 9).
  Cost per level of Rank isn’t always linked to hypothetical
  Patron value, but extremely weak or powerful Patrons some-
  times merit cheaper or more expensive Rank. It’s best to stay
  within the ranges suggested on the Patron-to-Rank Table and
  Rank-to-Patron Table (below). However, nothing will break too
  badly if the GM rules otherwise.
  Enhancements
  It would be reasonable to ask whether Rank should cost
  more in cases where a similar Patron would require Special
  Abilities (+50% or +100%) or Highly Accessible (+50%). The
  answer is that Rank does not rate such modifiers except where
  the assistance it brings or the accessibility of that aid stems
  from a monopoly that lets those with Rank function at a higher
  effective TL than the setting norm. It’s fair to increase point
  cost by the relevant percentage in such cases. The most likely
  candidate here is Rank (typically Magical or Religious) associ-
  ated with Supernatural Aid (p. 17) next to which the game
  world’s other occult powers pale to insignificance, but unusu-
  ally advanced technology also counts.
  Example: Federal officials in the U.S.A. buy Political Rank
  at 5 points/level whether the year is 2013 (requests zip through
  fiber and satellites, help arrives in speedy aircraft), 1913
  (requests go by wire, help comes by train or clunky auto), or
  1813 (fast horses all around). That’s because everybody with
  Political Rank in those eras deals with the same conditions.
  However, Rank in an organization that has satellites, tele-
  graph, or horses – or for that matter, telepathy – in a world that
  otherwise doesn’t might cost 50% more. Rank in one that
  wields resources that would be “miraculous” in the back-
  ground (be those jets in 1913, cars in 1813, or acts of God in
  any era) would be worth at least 50% more.
  Limitations
  The limitations for Patron suit Rank even less often than the
  enhancements do. Secret specifically forbids the direct requests
  for aid that are the whole point of Pulling Rank, so it’s right out.
  However, something akin to Minimal Intervention or Unwilling
  might fit an organization that places its needs ahead of those of
  members who are in dire straits. If the GM permits this, note
  it as “Capricious Assistance, -50%,” which reduces the cost of
  Rank. It means that only assistance rolls (below) that succeed
  by 5+ summon the requested aid without complication. Suc-
  cess by 0-4 brings either the desired help along with a minor
  downside or something that, while beneficial, wasn’t what was
  asked for; failure by 1-4 brings either nothing or a minor,
  unpredictable benefit that’s outweighed by an accompanying
  drawback; and failure by 5+ or critical failure spells disaster
  (“Agent Smith requests assistance with the aliens. We recom-
  mend nuking the area from orbit.”).
  THE ASSISTANCE ROLL
  Now divide base Patron cost by per-level Rank cost and
  drop all fractions to find the Rank roughly equivalent to a
  Patron that appears on 9 or less.
  Example 1: A small-town police department is a base 10-
  point Patron. Police Rank there costs 4 points/level: 1/level for
  hierarchy, +1/level for chain of command, +1/level for typical
  resources, and +2/level for legitimacy – but -1/level because it
  isn’t unique (regional and national forces overlap its jurisdic-
  tion). Since 10/4 = 2.5, Rank 2 marks the level where a cop
  could get help on 9 or less.
  Example 2: A national agency like the FBI is a base 20-point
  Patron. Police Rank in such an organization costs the usual 5
  points/level – it is effectively unique. Dividing 20 by 5 yields
  Rank 4. Bringing such a large agency’s might to bear on 9 or
  less calls for a person with more clout!
  Example 3: The GURPS Action rules assume a 15-point
  Patron, like a big-city police force, a commando unit, or a
  special branch of a large agency. Rank costs the standard 5
  points/level in Action because unique or not, it’s the only Rank
  that matters in an action plot! Thus, Rank 3 is comparable to a
  Patron that helps on 9 or less.
  Appearance rolls based on Rank – called assistance rolls to
  differentiate them – fan out to either side of this key level:
  each Rank above that level gives +1 when rolling to request
  aid, while each Rank below that level gives -2 (if using frac-
  tional Rank, a step down of 0.4 or smaller gives just -1). The
  Assistance Rolls Table (p. 6) summarizes the results for the rec-
  ommended combinations of Rank and hypothetical Patron
  value. Keep track of even very low or high assistance rolls, as
  modifiers often apply (see Assistance Roll Modifiers, pp. 9-11).
  The lowliest peon might successfully request help in a favor-
  able situation, while the boss of bosses could be out of luck in
  an unfavorable one.
  Again, remember that the PC doesn’t buy an explicit Pat -
  ron! Patron costs serve only to assess assistance rolls here.
  Patron-to-Rank Table
  Effective Patron Value:
  10 points
  15 points
  20 points
  25 points
  30 points
  Rank Cost Range:
  2-5 points/level
  3-7 points/level
  3-10 points/level
  4-10 points/level
  5-10 points/level
  Rank-to-Patron Table
  Rank Cost:
  2 pts./level
  3 pts./level
  4 pts./level
  5 pts./level
  6-7 pts./level
  8-10 pts./level
  Effective Patron Range:
  10 points
  10-20 points
  10-25 points
  10-30 points
  15-30 points
  20-30 points
  
  What appears on the character sheet is Rank. However, it’s
  useful to annotate this with the base Patron cost and assistance
  roll, as many rules in Chapters 2 and 3 refer to these numbers.
  Example 1 (cont’d): A small-town cop with Rank 2 would get
  Police Rank 2 (Town PD; 10 points; 9 or less) [8]. The most sen-
  ior guy in town probably wouldn’t enjoy better than 12 or less
  odds, corresponding to Police Rank 5 (Town PD; 10 points; 12
  or less) [20]. These traits approximate Patron (Fairly powerful
  organization; 9 or less) [10] and Patron (Fairly powerful organ-
  ization; 12 or less) [20], respectively.
  Example 2 (cont’d): A senior FBI officer with Rank 4 might
  merit Police Rank 4 (FBI; 20 points; 9 or less) [20]. One with
  Rank 2 would rate Police Rank 2 (FBI; 20 points; 5 or less) [10].
  These advantages are roughly equivalent to Patron (Very pow-
  erful organization; 9 or less) [20] and Patron (Very powerful
  organization; 6 or less) [10], respectively.
  Example 3 (cont’d): An Action cop with Rank 3 would pos-
  sess something like Police Rank 3 (Special Task Force; 15
  points; 9 or less) [15]. His sidekick might have only Police
  Rank 1 (Special Task Force; 15 points; 5 or less) [5]; his boss,
  Police Rank 6 (Special Task Force; 15 points; 12 or less) [30].
  SETTING THE PRICE
  6
  Assistance Rolls Table
  Equivalent
  Rank*
  Patron
  0
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  Rank [2/level]
  10 points
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  Rank [3/level]
  10 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15 points
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  20 points
  -3
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  Rank [4/level]
  10 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  15 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  20 points
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  25 points
  -3
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  Rank [5/level]
  10 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  15 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  20 points
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  25 points
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  30 points
  -3
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  Rank [6/level]
  15 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  20 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  25 points
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  30 points
  -1
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  Rank [7/level]
  15-20 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  25 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  30 points
  1
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  Rank [8/level]
  20 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  25-30 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  Rank [9-10/level]
  20-25 points
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  30 points
  3
  5
  7
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  * See Limits on Rank (pp. 7-8) for important notes regarding Rank 0 and the maximum Rank allowed to PCs.
  
  These would come closest to Patron (Powerful organization; 9
  or less) [15], Patron (Powerful organization; 6 or less) [8], and
  Patron (Powerful organization; 12 or less) [30], respectively.
  As the examples show, Rank and Patron pricing don’t
  always line up exactly. That’s fine! Assistance rolls are subject
  to so many modifiers that small discrepancies tend to come
  out in the wash.
  LIMITS ON RANK
  The GM won’t want every player claiming Rank 0 to enjoy
  the benefit of a Patron for 0 points. An upper limit on how
  many levels of Rank are available to starting PCs is also recom-
  mended, to keep the solution to every problem from becoming
  a boring “I have my people take care of it.”
  Prerequisites for Rank
  While Rank 0 costs 0 points, it’s never free for the taking. All
  kinds of Rank require at least one of the following prerequi-
  sites from anyone who would claim it, even at level 0.
  Advantage Requirements
  Having Rank often means purchasing another advantage
  first. For organizations in which this is the case, every single
  member – without exception – must possess that trait, which
  grants Rank 0 and allows one to buy Rank 1+ at the usual cost.
  Examples include:
  Claim to Hospitality (p. B41): Merchant or Guild Rank
  may be restricted to members in good standing, who must
  have a 5- to 10-point Claim to Hospitality with their fellows.
  The dependency here isn’t, “I’m a member of the profession, so
  I merit hospitality,” but, “I treat fellow professionals with due
  respect, so they support me” – that is, what matters is the recip-
  rocal relationship. Turning down requests from others may
  mean losing not only the Claim to Hospitality but also all Rank,
  including Rank 0!
  Clerical Investment (p. B43): Nearly all forms of Religious
  Rank require this trait – it’s normally the only way to get Reli-
  gious Rank 0+.
  Legal Enforcement Powers (p. B65): Just about all kinds of
  Police Rank call for this advantage (as do many types of Secu-
  rity Rank, where that’s defined separately). Nobody receives
  Rank 0+ without a badge, so to speak.
  Legal Immunity (p. B65): This might be a prerequisite for
  almost any kind of Rank in a society where people with such
  Rank are accountable only to superiors who possess higher
  Rank. The situation is similar to that for Claim to Hospitality
  – the deal isn’t, “My superiors support me, so I can sidestep
  ordinary laws,” but, “I answer to my superiors, so they sup-
  port me.” Examples include Administrative Rank where it
  represents diplomatic office, Feudal or Political Rank any-
  where that rulers are answerable only to their peers, Organ-
  ized Crime Rank in corrupt societies, and Security Rank in
  oppressive ones.
  Social Regard (p. B86): If an institution admits only a favored
  demographic group, then this advantage becomes a prerequisite
  for any associated Rank. Typical cases are Social Regard
  (Respected) as a requirement for Feudal or Political Rank in
  societies in which rulers must come from a specific caste, and
  Social Regard (Venerated) in societies where the Administrative
  Rank held by judges or the Administrative or Political Rank
  accorded to senators is the preserve of the elderly.
  Tenure (p. B93): If Academic Rank exists and has real
  power, it may require Tenure. Not all Tenure is scholarly,
  though! In polities where certain officials are appointed for
  life, Tenure might represent office while Administrative or
  Political Rank – sometimes informal, but never ignored – sig-
  nifies relative standing, with most such people holding Rank 0.
  Unusual Background (p. B96): Some organizations award
  Rank on weird or arbitrary grounds: born on an auspicious day,
  chosen by the Secret Masters, or whatever. Where Unusual
  Background reflects a literal accident of birth, it best suits
  Magical or Religious Rank; where it corresponds to some con-
  spiracy’s ultra-black equivalent of Legal Enforcement Powers
  or Legal Immunity, it might enable another sort of Rank.
  Whatever the case, the Unusual Background places the associ-
  ated Rank in the category of “special abilities that are not
  widely available in the game world.”
  Duty
  Most forms of Rank imply a Duty (p. B133). This is usually
  all that’s needed to justify Military Rank 0 – though even unim-
  pressive militaries are very powerful organizations, and Rank
  0 is likely to mean an assistance roll of 1 or worse before mod-
  ifiers. Private soldiers cannot expect the army to do their per-
  sonal bidding!
  Duty used to justify Rank often accompanies an advantage
  requirement. Notably, law-enforcers with Police Rank (or
  Security Rank) nearly always need Duty and Legal Enforce-
  ment Powers. A two-pronged arrangement is also standard for
  anyone who buys Legal Immunity, Social Regard, or Tenure as
  a prerequisite for Administrative, Feudal, or Political Rank of
  some sort – their privileged social position (the advantage) is
  given in exchange for a commitment (the Duty), and relative
  standing (Rank) comes on top of both. A notable exception
  here is Claim to Hospitality; as that trait already incorporates
  built-in social obligations, don’t assess a further Duty when
  using it as a prerequisite for Rank.
  SETTING THE PRICE
  7
  Duty, Honor, Country.
  Those three hallowed
  words reverently dictate
  what you ought to be,
  what you can be, 
  what you will be.
  – Gen. Douglas
  MacArthur
  
  The frequency of any such Duty is up to the GM, but is by-
  and-large independent of assistance roll. In general, it should
  be at the 9 or less level or above – but some sinecures (notably
  those associated with Tenure) make few demands and might
  rate only 6 or less. The only hard-and-fast restriction is that the
  Duty can’t be less frequent than the assistance roll for Rank 0.
  For instance, if the GM really wants to allow Rank 1 to give a
  9 or less assistance roll, then Rank 0 would give 7 or less, so
  Duty would bottom out at 9 or less, not 6 or less.
  Merely having a Duty isn’t enough, however. The PC must
  also honor it. Failure to do so (insubordination, dereliction,
  etc.) is likely to cost him some or all of his Rank. He might even
  be discharged, in which case he’ll lose Rank 0 and any required
  advantages associated with it.
  Other Disadvantages: Because this is largely a matter of
  honor, the GM may opt to replace Duty with Code of Honor,
  Disciplines of Faith, Sense of Duty, or Vow. In that case, being
  caught violating this oath has the same effect as failing to
  uphold a Duty.
  High Rank
  The trouble with allowing high Rank to PCs when using
  Pulling Rank is that easily made assistance rolls can be adven-
  ture-breakers – rather than do things themselves, the heroes may
  be tempted to send a runner or make a phone call, whereupon
  the interesting bits happen “off screen.” How anticlimactic!
  Thus, the GM might want to set a ceiling on the Rank available
  to starting characters. A suggestion is to cap it at the level that
  would give an unmodified assistance roll of 10 or less, or 50/50
  odds of obtaining basic aid.
  Example 1 (cont’d): For small-town cops, the GM might cap
  starting PCs at Police Rank 3 [12].
  Example 2 (cont’d): For FBI agents, the GM might limit
  starting PCs to Police Rank 5 [25].
  Example 3 (cont’d): For Action cops, the GM might restrict
  starting PCs to Police Rank 4 [20].
  This recommendation doesn’t override the GM’s feelings
  about how plausible it is for senior organization members to
  become entangled in risky adventures. For instance, while an
  FBI officer with Rank 5 is unlikely to break the campaign with
  assistance rolls, the GM may feel that Rank 2 is as high as
  makes sense in the field. Thus, he might prohibit PCs from
  starting out as Rank 3+ administrators.
  Such limits don’t prevent PCs from earning high Rank 
  in play. If the GM uses Social Traits as Rewards (GURPS
  Social Engineering, p. 17) and/or makes Promotion (Social
  Engineering, pp. 50-51) a regular part of the campaign,
  adventurers can eventually move past the starting restric-
  tions. Of course, this will broaden the campaign’s scope,
  altering what constitutes an “adventure”!
  SETTING THE PRICE
  8
  Rank is always in a specific organization, and priced as
  befits that institution’s reach (see pp. B29-30 and GURPS
  Social Engineering, pp. 12-15). Its point cost is more
  important than its name, the latter simply being a
  reminder of what it represents. Don’t hang too much
  importance on the label – one nation’s Political Rank might
  be another’s Administrative Rank!
  Still, suitable names add flavor, make it easier to identify
  what kinds of aid make sense, and help differentiate
  between PCs (or offices held by the same PC). Here are some
  suggestions name-dropped throughout Pulling Rank:
  Academic Rank: Tenured staff of a scholarly institution.
  Only reaches 2+ points/level and functions like a Patron if
  that organization regularly funds research, travel, etc.
  Administrative Rank: Civil servants, diplomats, judges,
  etc. There are often many sorts, so the GM may further dis-
  tinguish Civil Rank, Diplomatic Rank, Judicial Rank, etc.
  Feudal Rank: Ruling-class individuals in an aristocracy,
  whose nominal organization is the state itself.
  Guild Rank: Tradesmen who legally control a profession.
  Often amounts to Merchant Rank subdivided by trade.
  Intelligence Rank: Intelligence agents – spies – in 
  societies that formally acknowledge such and don’t con-
  sider them soldiers (with Military Rank) or police (with
  Police Rank).
  Magical Rank: Members of an organized society of wiz-
  ards. This ranges from Guild Rank in the Wizard’s Guild to
  de facto Feudal or Political Rank in a thaumatocracy.
  Merchant Rank: In some cases, merchants who belong
  to a strong cabal or run a corporate state (becomes Guild
  Rank when subdivided by trade); in others, merchant
  mariners (akin to Military Rank).
  Military Rank: Military personnel (air force, army, coast
  guard, marines, navy, etc.), plus intelligence and security
  agents who answer to military commands.
  Organized Crime Rank: Members of formal criminal
  empires. The GM might specify Mafia Rank, Thieves’ Guild
  Rank, etc. In fantasy, this is often a variety of legitimate
  Guild Rank!
  Police Rank: Employees of police and sheriff’s depart-
  ments, and federal law-enforcement bureaux, as well as
  correctional officers, marshals, and civilian counterintelli-
  gence and security personnel.
  Political Rank: Administrative Rank for representatives,
  senators, etc. whose nominal organization is the state itself,
  not some specific branch.
  Religious Rank: Clergy of recognized religions. May be
  spiritual leaders, lay administrators (who might have Lay
  Rank to distinguish them), or theocrats (with the func-
  tional equivalent of Feudal or Political Rank).
  Security Rank: Counterintelligence and counterterrorist
  personnel – or secret police – where such individuals aren’t
  considered soldiers (with Military Rank) or police (with
  Police Rank).
  Servant Rank: Staff of a large household. Only reaches
  2+ points/level and functions like a Patron for a ruler’s
  household, at which point it differs little from Administra-
  tive Rank in a specialized government department or Mili-
  tary Rank in an honor unit.
  Kinds of Rank
  
  When a player wants to exploit Rank that functions like a
  Patron, it’s time to make an assistance roll (AR). As discussed
  in Chapter 1, this is similar to the appearance roll for an Asso-
  ciated NPC (see Frequency of Appearance, p. B36). It isn’t the
  same, however – there are several important differences.
  Organization’s Accessibility
  The player may attempt an AR whenever the PC contacts
  the organization behind the Rank, not just once at the start of
  the adventure – though repeated rolls yield diminishing
  returns (see Situation, p. 10). Contact requires the peti-
  tioner to be in circumstances where he could visit his
  backer in person or send word by messenger, mail, or
  telecommunication. If he’s stranded on a remote
  island, imprisoned by his Enemy, etc., then he’s out
  of luck unless he manages to gain access to a suitable
  means of communication – be that smoke signals,
  phone, radio, or some form of telepathy. Cosmetic
  details may vary, but ease of access should be compa-
  rable for all organizations in the setting whose Rank
  cost hasn’t been increased to reflect being exception-
  ally easy to reach (see Enhancements, p. 5).
  If the PC is incapacitated, he’s usually out of
  luck! However, if someone with Rank is long over-
  due, the GM might make an AR to determine
  whether his organization decides to search for him
  (see Rescue, pp. 17-18).
  Petitioner’s Standing
  The person asking must be in good standing with
  his organization, defined as follows:
  • He must currently hold Rank! Rank 0 will do, and even
  Courtesy Rank may suffice (see Common Courtesy, below).
  • If his Rank requires a Duty, he must possess and be per-
  forming this. Failure to carry out such a Duty might not cost
  him Rank but will wipe out the privilege of trying an AR – the
  shirker is “under review,” “on probation,” or whatever suits his
  organization’s way of doing business.
  • He must be in his organization’s good books regardless of
  the traits on his character sheet. If he’s guilty of betrayal or if
  his last AR was grossly inappropriate (e.g., resulted in war
  crimes or heresy), and if those who bestowed Rank on him sus-
  pect as much, then the affront counts as dereliction of duty
  even if he has no formal Duty, Sense of Duty, etc.
  Basis
  The roll is based on Rank (see The Assistance Roll, pp. 5-7)
  and subject to Assistance Roll Modifiers (below).
  Effects and Duration
  The resulting aid is specific, and lasts only for as long it
  takes for the organization to render it fully. Where a successful
  appearance roll for an Ally or a Patron might result in vague
  general assistance of adventure-long duration, an AR never
  works this way, even on a critical success.
  ASSISTANCE
  ROLL MODIFIERS
  While the basic target number for an AR depends on Rank
  (see the Assistance Rolls Table, p. 6), there are often modifiers.
  The GM has a lot of leeway here but should always inform the
  player of all applicable adjustments – especially penalties,
  particularly those for “appropriateness” – and ask, “Are you
  sure you want to roll?” This reflects the fact that the PC will
  have a sense of what’s likely and appropriate for his organi-
  zation, not to mention the option of hanging up the phone,
  tearing up the letter, etc. if he has second thoughts (although
  the GM may require someone with Impulsiveness to make a
  self-control roll here!).
  ASKING FOR HELP
  9
  Common Courtesy
  Pricing Rank (p. 5) recommends that Rank should cost at
  least 2 points/level before it functions as the equivalent of a
  Patron. However, a customary privilege of Courtesy Rank
  (p. B29) – at just 1 point/level – is access to certain benefits of
  membership in the organization which grants it. Thus, a person
  with any level of Courtesy Rank may attempt an assistance roll
  as though he had Rank 0, even if he lacks the usual requirements
  (advantages, Duty, etc.). If the GM agrees that the requested
  assistance would be strictly ceremonial (such as an invitation to
  a formal event), he may roll as if his Rank were equal to his full
  Courtesy Rank. A retired military officer won’t have trouble get-
  ting into the Commandant’s Ball, but he can’t call up armed sol-
  diers to do his personal bidding!
  CHAPTER TWO
  ASKING
  FOR HELP
  
  Personal Abilities
  Certain traits of the person requesting assistance may
  adjust the AR under suitable circumstances:
  Charisma: For requests made face to face (but not via
  telecommunications).
  Reputation: If the organization formally confers individual Rep-
  utation – positive (in the form of medals, achievement
  awards, recognition for long service, etc.) or negative
  (notably, permanent reprimands) – add this to the roll.
  Skill roll: The petitioner may opt to roll against Administration
  for a written request or Leadership to request help for his
  team. The GM may permit another skill, where this suits the
  organization (e.g., Politics to exploit Political Rank or Savoir-
  Faire (Mafia) to capitalize on Organized Crime Rank) or the
  specific request (e.g., Merchant to “sell” the organization on
  a proposal that stands to enrich it, or Writing for a written
  plea to an individual rather than to an impersonal bureau-
  cracy). However many skills might apply, only one such skill
  roll is allowed per AR. Critical success gives +2; success, +1;
  failure, -1; and critical failure, -2.
  Smooth Operator: For a request being made directly to the per-
  son who can grant it.
  The GM is free to assess modifiers for other advantages or
  disadvantages that suit the situation, either as well as or instead
  of those listed above. Use those traits’ standard skill or reaction
  modifiers. For instance, if someone with Shyness (Severe)
  must speak with a new superior to request aid, he might
  have -2, while somebody making a Funding (p. 16) request
  adds Business Acumen instead of Smooth Operator.
  Situation
  The GM can assess a modifier of any size for the condi-
  tions under which the request is made, but here are some
  suggestions:
  Previous requests: -1 per AR after the first made by the indi-
  vidual requesting aid or his team (see Group Assistance,
  p. 11) during the current adventure. If the organization
  behind the Rank assigns missions, the GM might instead
  interpret this as “during the current assignment.” On
  long adventures or missions that span many game ses-
  sions, the GM may prefer “during the current session.”
  Request especially appropriate to situation: +1 to +5.*
  Request especially inappropriate to situation: -1 to -10, and
  failure by 10+ or critical failure means disciplinary
  action.*
  Request especially appropriate to story: +1 to +5.†
  Request especially inappropriate to story: -1 to -10.†
  Secret request: If the petitioner wants to use his backer’s
  assets surreptitiously, he may accept -1 per -3 he inflicts
  on rolls to discover his request using Accounting, 
  Administration, Criminology, etc. If the request is inappro-
  priate to the situation, discipline follows only if the organiza-
  tion’s auditor succeeds at such a discovery roll. For instance,
  base AR 15 with -5 for inappropriateness and -2 for secrecy
  makes the roll 8 or less, but even if this critically fails, an inves-
  tigator would need a skill-6 roll to learn of the attempt.
  * This refers to game-world appropriateness, and is up to the
  GM. A sorely wounded Military Rank 0 soldier might get +5
  when shouting for medevac, while even a Rank 8 general
  would have -10 to request a nuclear strike “just because.”
  † This refers to meta-game appropriateness, and is also the
  GM’s call. If Guaranteed Assistance (p. 12) wasn’t part of 
  the GM’s original plan, but the players set things up so well and
  roleplayed so brilliantly that the GM is inclined to be generous,
  then a bonus is a fitting reward (fudging the dice works, too, but
  isn’t acceptable at every gaming table). Conversely, if the player
  of a high-Rank PC attempts to use an AR to short-circuit drama
  that would be fun for everyone else, the GM may assess a penalty
  steep enough to cancel situational appropriateness and then
  some. Severe failure has no special effect unless the request is
  also inappropriate to the situation. If the player counters with
  Buying Success (p. B347), fine; that amounts to choosing to end
  up with fewer bonus character points by doing nothing to earn
  them! These modifiers suit cinematic campaigns, and help
  explain why the lowliest soldier can call in the cavalry after giv-
  ing his all – and why star-fleet admirals end up wrestling aliens
  when they could order marines to do it.
  ASKING FOR HELP
  10
  If you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change. If you’re in a good situation, 
  don’t worry it’ll change.
  – John A. Simone, Sr.
  
  Type of Assistance
  Some forms of assistance are inherently easier or harder to
  obtain. See Chapter 3 for many examples. The modifiers there
  are often worded in terms of appropriateness to the situation.
  Unless noted otherwise, these case-specific adjustments for
  “appropriate” or “inappropriate” requests replace the standard
  appropriateness bonuses or penalties under Situation (p. 10) –
  they don’t stack.
  Other Considerations
  The GM may apply any modifier intended for broad classes
  of skills, especially social skills, where circumstances warrant.
  Possibilities include:
  Familiarity (p. B169): After an organization gains the capacity
  to provide a new kind of aid, the first request of that kind is
  at -2; the second, at -1.
  Geographical and Temporal Scope (p. B176): When asking an
  organization to project power outside its usual range.
  Language (p. B23): If the request must go through someone
  who can’t understand the petitioner well, standard penalties
  apply (-1 for Accented or -3 for Broken).
  Time Spent (p. B346): Where a kind of aid specifies a time to
  request or arrive, being willing to wait gives the usual bonus,
  while demanding haste imposes the standard penalty.
  Normally, penalties for Culture (p. B23) do not apply. An
  organization has an internal culture that supersedes this con-
  cern, and anyone with suitable Rank will be familiar with it.
  There’s only a penalty if the person making the request and the
  one evaluating it share neither a Cultural Familiarity nor a
  kind of Rank (see Mixed Bags, below).
  Task Difficulty (p. B345) never applies – Situation (p. 10) and
  Type of Assistance (above) serve that purpose for ARs.
  SUCCESS AND
  FAILURE
  An AR is a success roll. Luck and Buying
  Success (p. B347) can affect its outcome. If the
  final, modified target number is less than 3,
  though, no attempt is possible (don’t roll the
  dice, apply a -1 to the next AR, etc.). A roll of 17
  or 18 always fails. Otherwise:
  Success (including Critical Success): Brings
  the specific aid requested.
  Failure: Brings no aid.
  Failure by 10+ or Critical Failure: Brings no
  aid – and if the request rated a penalty for
  being inappropriate to the situation, it also
  triggers disciplinary action. This can take
  the form of a temporary or permanent Rank
  reduction, a pay cut, a fine, or even a prison
  sentence; see Job Roll (p. B516) for ideas.
  It’s always something bad.
  In all cases, if the AR took a modifier for one
  of the options in Chapter 3, it should provide
  any specific benefits or consequences noted
  there for success or failure.
  SPECIAL CASES
  It isn’t always the case that the Rank of the person making
  the request is the one to use, though that’s the way to bet.
  Group Assistance
  When several PCs with Rank are engaged in a task, an AR
  may make sense only as an all-or-nothing proposition for the
  entire group. In that situation, make just one roll for the per-
  son of highest Rank, no matter who does the talking (being able
  to send subordinates to fetch help is a standard privilege of
  Rank 1+). Success benefits everyone, inasmuch as that makes
  sense for the assistance requested. Failure means no aid for
  anyone. Either way, the attempt counts as a previous request
  for both the team and anyone in it.
  Group size rarely bears on this. People with high Rank are
  assumed to have lower-Rank subordinates, possibly as many as
  given in The Arithmetic of Rank (GURPS Social Engineering,
  p. 14) – that is, five for Rank 1, 20 for Rank 2, 100 for Rank 3,
  and so on – and this is one reason why their requests are given
  more weight. However, if a group has enough members that it
  would rate a leader who has higher Rank than anyone in it, use
  their highest Rank +1 for the roll; e.g., five Military Rank 0 sol-
  diers would normally be led by a Rank 1 NCO, so they would
  request aid as if Rank 0 + 1 = 1. If assistance is granted, it may
  come with a new leader attached, like it or not!
  In a cinematic campaign where the GM wants to give the PCs
  extra clout just because they’re heroes, he might let small groups
  (say, four or five PCs, regardless of any NPCs) add 1/5 of the total
  Rank of everyone of lesser Rank, dropping fractions, to the high-
  est Rank. For instance, three Military Rank 1 commandos led by
  a Rank 3 officer with a Rank 2 second-in-command would roll
  as if Rank were 3 + (2 + 1 + 1 + 1)/5 = 4. This is not realistic, but
  it can be fun in campaigns where Rank consumes points that
  could be spent on more action-oriented capabilities.
  ASKING FOR HELP
  11
  Mixed Bags
  Group Assistance (above) assumes that everyone in the group 
  has the same kind of Rank, if only at level 0. If this isn’t true, follow
  these guidelines:
  • Group AR is unaffected if there’s no logical way for the organization
  to know that outsiders will benefit – or if they know, but can ensure that
  the aid will either only benefit people with Rank or be repaid in cash or
  favors. (Indeed, a shrewd backer might be more inclined to help, giving a
  bonus, if this would put a well-connected stranger in their debt!)
  • The request is “inappropriate” (-1 to -10 to the AR) if the outsiders’
  presence is known, aiding those people is unavoidable, and this would
  actively go against the current mission, security standards, etc. of the
  organization behind the Rank.
  • Alliances and task forces made up of people from several organiza-
  tions, all of whom have their backers’ blessing, may use the rules for group
  assistance as if they all had the same sort of Rank. For instance, a border
  patrolman who has Police Rank 2, a local sheriff with different Police Rank
  4, and a military advisor with Military Rank 3, tasked to deal with a bor-
  der-security issue, would roll as for Rank 4 – and in a cinematic campaign,
  they might even act as Rank 5.
  
  Preauthorized Assistance
  When a powerful NPC preauthorizes aid – the PCs are act-
  ing on direct orders from the general, the Emperor ordered his
  staff to give them “whatever they need,” etc. – use the NPC’s
  (usually higher) Rank for the AR, typically at +1 to +5 for an
  “appropriate” request. This is most often an ultra-specific one-
  off; e.g., an airstrike on a well-defined target or an arrest war-
  rant for one particular criminal. Rarely, though, it’s a promise
  to intervene as needed, in which case penalties for repeated
  ARs accumulate as the NPC wears out his superiors’ or peers’
  patience, but accrue separately from penalties to ARs the PCs
  make without name-dropping.
  Of course, when the PCs haven’t paid for the Rank they’re
  using, the GM is under no obligation to provide assistance. If
  the plot hinges on a double-crossing NPC promising to use his
  Rank and then hanging the heroes out to dry, the AR is guar-
  anteed to fail. In that case, the GM might fake the roll for
  effect, but the conclusion is foregone.
  Guaranteed Assistance
  There are also situations where the GM might have an AR
  succeed automatically. If the PCs work for an NPC who’s out-
  ranked by no one, then it often makes sense simply to waive
  the AR. All requests by the person at the top are effectively
  “appropriate,” for +5. This amounts to an AR against 15 to 20
  for the top dog in most hierarchies, which is a nuisance roll.
  Only roll if the request is so unorthodox, unconstitutional,
  unethical, etc. that there’s a real chance of failure because of
  resistance from below.
  If assistance is part of the plot – the merchants are supposed
  to receive the money to close the deal they were sent to negoti-
  ate, the commandos are supposed to exfiltrate by chopper at the
  end of their raid, and so on – the GM can likewise dispense with
  an AR. However, he should do this only if the PCs are doing
  what their organization expects of them. If they’re bent on
  embezzling the money or stealing the helicopter, make an AR to
  see whether somebody gets wise to their scheme!
  In either case, there’s never any penalty for repeated ARs
  after a guaranteed bit of assistance. Only apply the -1 per roll
  after the first when there was actually a roll.
  ASKING FOR HELP
  12
  Only PCs who 
  are doing what their
  organization expects 
  of them get guarantees.
  While Pulling Rank concerns itself chiefly with PCs
  who hold Rank, its rules and concepts aren’t limited to
  that context.
  The Organization NPC
  Nothing in the GURPS Basic Set prohibits NPCs from
  possessing Patrons or Rank, and this is unchanged when
  using Pulling Rank. While couched in terms of PCs request-
  ing aid, these rules apply equally to NPCs provided that the
  GM is fair about assessing the modifiers under Situation
  (p. 10). In general, if previous requests penalize PCs on a per-
  adventure, -assignment, or -session basis, then NPCs who
  interact with PCs accumulate penalties on the same sched-
  ule – such NPCs get their tallies reset when the PCs begin a
  new adventure or assignment, or at the start of each session,
  as applicable. As for appropriateness modifiers, the GM
  should avoid assigning these by fiat and stick to the ones
  called out in Chapter 3. If NPCs need to receive aid as part
  of the plot, invoke Preauthorized Assistance (above) or
  Guaranteed Assistance (above).
  Patron, Hold the Rank
  The GM can use Pulling Rank to make Patrons more
  interesting even when Rank isn’t involved. Like Rank, a
  Patron often requires a Duty; otherwise, where a rule or a
  guideline makes no sense without Rank, it’s safe to assume
  that the associated topic is inappropriate. The GM decides
  what forms of aid are suitable. Where some detail depends
  on the effective Patron’s base value, use the actual base
  value. The AR starts out equal to the Patron’s appearance
  roll, is subject to all rules and modifiers for ARs (e.g., suc-
  cessive requests are allowed, but at a cumulative -1), and
  has its usual outcomes on success or failure.
  Getting Pulled
  As Prerequisites for Rank (pp. 7-8) discusses, Rank usu-
  ally requires a Duty and may demand a Claim to Hospital-
  ity which is reciprocal by nature. When such an obligation
  arises, the GM may want to consult the examples of assis-
  tance in Chapter 3 for adventure ideas: An NPC in the PC’s
  organization “made his AR,” and now the PC is tasked with
  arranging aid! If the player handles this especially well 
  or poorly, the GM might give his character a bonus or a
  penalty on the next AR for help that NPC could render.
  Dutiful Associates
  Someone may owe a Duty to an organization that isn’t
  potent enough to rate as a Patron or grant Rank (at least,
  not Rank worth more than 0 points per level by the math
  in GURPS Social Engineering), but that should plausibly
  provide some aid. Good examples of such groups are pirate
  crews and private building security. In cases like this, the
  GM may opt to permit an AR based on effective Rank,
  found by consulting The Arithmetic of Rank (Social
  Engineering, p. 14) and looking up how many people the
  petitioner “commands.”
  Outside the Box
  
  People who hold Rank can ask for anything. What they
  receive is another matter! The GM should prepare a list of what
  kinds of assistance each organization can render – that is,
  what an AR based on that institution’s Rank can achieve – before
  anyone buys Rank. The examples in this chapter can help a lot
  with this, but two overarching considerations always apply.
  Type of Rank
  The most important factor is the variety of Rank involved
  (see Kinds of Rank, p. 13). The detailed benefits of each form
  of Rank are left to the GM’s discretion for a couple of reasons.
  For one thing, there can be serious variations even within a
  category – judicial vs. diplomatic Administrative Rank, Mili-
  tary Rank in the army vs. the star fleet, Guild or Organized
  Crime Rank in any of hundreds of syndicates, and so on. For
  another, what’s possible varies by campaign context, TL, and
  the organization’s fortunes; e.g., compare and contrast what
  Military Rank in the U.S. Army means in the late 1800s (early
  TL6), amid WWII (mature TL6), during the Cold War (TL7),
  and this week (TL8). Still, some generalization is possible, so
  many of the examples recommend particularly appropriate
  types of Rank (and some warn against inappropriate sorts).
  Power of Equivalent Patron
  If a given form of aid makes sense, the power level identi-
  fied under The Organization (p. 4) will influence how impres-
  sive the assistance is. In particular, whenever someone asks for
  anything more substantial than information, treat the organi-
  zation as a Patron (p. B72) with material assets appropriate to
  power level. Some backers aren’t powerful enough to deliver
  certain kinds of aid that would otherwise be appropriate to the
  kind of Rank they bestow. This is noted where it’s a concern.
  SAMPLE ASSISTANCE
  Below are just a few examples among countless possibili-
  ties. In many cases, a block of modifiers follows the descrip-
  tion. These pertain to ARs to request that particular kind of
  aid, and not to any other rolls that might crop up.
  Authorization
  Most organizations that enjoy formal, legal authority can
  invest their people with this. Almost by definition, such assis-
  tance rarely suits Organized Crime Rank! Covert Activity (pp. 14-
  15) and Social Privilege (pp. 18-19) offer some viable alternatives.
  Entry Clearance
  Permission to enter physical premises the organization con-
  trols. When the petitioner visits his “native” guildhall (Guild
  Rank), base (Military Rank), precinct house (Police Rank), etc.,
  he need not attempt an AR to gain access to areas pertinent to
  doing his job. However, when he turns up unexpectedly at the
  doors of some other facility, or at a site where the organization
  merely handles security (e.g., a U.S. Secret Service officer try-
  ing pull Rank to enter a building being visited by the Presi-
  dent), he must always present proof of Rank (such as a badge,
  identity card, or signet) and succeed at an AR in order to wan-
  der around unopposed.
  Modifiers: +5 for a public site or space (reception area, store-
  front, etc.), no modifier for a private one (e.g., a base comman-
  der’s personal office), and as low as -5 for a secret or illegal one
  (like an unsanctioned torture chamber), though suitable Secu-
  rity Clearance (p. B82) may waive this last penalty. Success at a
  previous AR for Introduction (p. 18) gives +2.
  License
  If the organization behind the Rank possesses the authority
  to undertake an activity or use certain equipment (vehicle,
  weapon, etc.), then it can obtain the necessary permits for its
  personnel. This takes negligible time if the institution grants
  the license requested and the individual asking visits in person;
  otherwise, it takes a day or more.
  Modifiers: +5 if the organization grants such permits, +2 if
  it’s the body that enforces them (e.g., police forces that confer
  Police Rank rarely issue firearms licenses, but since they han-
  dle firearms crimes, cops get +2), or no modifier if it merely
  expedites them for its staff. For equipment, subtract the local
  CR from the AR but also add the item’s LC.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  13
  CHAPTER THREE
  “REQUEST
  GRANTED”
  You serve your master well,
  and you will be rewarded.
  – Luke Skywalker, in
  Return of the Jedi
  
  Warrant
  Those with Police Rank, certain forms of judicial Administra-
  tive Rank, or Military Rank in places where the armed services
  operate as domestic law-enforcers or security forces can request
  legal warrants to tap specific phones, search particular prem-
  ises, detain or arrest named individuals, etc. Such arrangements
  take time – anywhere from 1d hours if one merely has to find a
  friendly judge to several weeks if lawyers get wind of it.
  Modifiers: +1 to +5 for a target “known to the authorities”
  (Public Enemy Number One would be +5!), no modifier if
  there’s grounds for suspicion but nothing more, or -5 if the peti-
  tioner is acting on a cold hunch and cannot present any evidence
  or record of prior criminality, terrorism, etc. to back the request.
  Covert Activity
  Legitimate organizations that protect regional or national
  interests – including many that confer Military or Police Rank
  that represents intelligence, counterintelligence, or security
  authority – can pull some dirty tricks. Those that offer Organ-
  ized Crime Rank can swing some of these favors, too!
  Bribe or Hush Money
  When an NPC demands material compensation for illegal
  services rendered, and the Rank-granting organization is one
  that could believably deal with him directly, roll as for Cash
  (p. 16). However, the effective amount available is 10 times
  usual, exactly as when acquiring cash for show – the backer
  might be paying off the crook in kind or in favors, and in any
  event isn’t taking the risk of putting a bag of money in the
  PC’s hands! This is most often a function of Organized Crime
  Rank, but may be available to conspirators with Guild or
  Merchant Rank.
  If the PC is captured, don’t use this kind of AR to pay the
  ransom. For that, see Bailout (p. 17).
  Cover-Up
  Hiding the fact that something unpleasant ever happened
  is a single AR, though in practice it often involves deeds sim-
  ilar to Bribe or Hush Money (above), Disappearance (below),
  and/or False ID (below) for the people involved – and possibly
  Technical Means (p. 15), Facilities (pp. 18-19), or Specialists
  (p. 19) to engineer propaganda, hack computers, and so on.
  The GM should decide which options would be involved and
  then make the AR for the hardest of these. Success means the
  cover-up works.
  Unlike many covert activities,
  cover-ups are sometimes possible
  for those in positions of administra-
  tive authority, whether that’s literal
  Administrative Rank or something
  like Merchant, Political, or Reli-
  gious Rank. This remains true even
  when the elements of the cover-up
  aren’t individually options for that
  kind of Rank.
  Disappearance
  This is “authorization” to appre-
  hend a specific person illegally. It’s
  only available to those who have
  some form of legitimate Rank (Mili-
  tary, Police, etc.). The individual(s)
  asking must do the dirty work, but a
  successful AR guarantees that they’ll
  get holding facilities and no legal
  trouble. For setup time, use the
  guidelines for Warrant (above).
  Modifiers: -5 if target isn’t an
  enemy of the state, a known terror-
  ist, or a similarly scary bad guy.
  False ID
  Temporary 
  Identities
  (p. B31) 
  are something at which Organized
  Crime Rank excels, and which
  spookier forms of legitimate Rank can
  sometimes manage. The request might be filled in a day if
  the ID doesn’t have to pass close scrutiny, but fancier ver-
  sions with life histories, supporting documents, etc. can take
  weeks to set up.
  Modifiers: +3 if the petitioner can provide, or the organiza-
  tion already has, genuine documents to alter; -1 per 5 points in
  legitimate social advantages (Rank, Status, etc.) which the ID
  needs and the organization behind it can’t legitimately grant.
  These stack – a security service could grant its agent a false ID
  within its bailiwick at +3 for genuine documents and no
  penalty for Rank.
  Insertion/Extraction
  A clandestine drop or pickup, available in a scant 1d+10
  minutes for loitering support but taking up to a day on 
  a cold request (for obvious rides, see Transportation,
  p. 19). The means will reflect the equivalent Patron’s assets.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  14
  “Complements of the Boss”
  The GM who feels that an AR would result in aid that doesn’t fall into a clear-cut
  category – or who doesn’t want to bog down play with the details – can allow an AR
  to act as a complementary skill roll. This kind of AR is made to improve the peti-
  tioner’s skill roll for a task with which his backer could plausibly assist. Critical suc-
  cess on such an AR gives a skill bonus equal to 1/5 of equivalent Patron point value,
  success gives half that (round down), failure gives -1, and critical failure gives -2.
  Equivalent Patron
  Critical Success
  Success
  Failure
  Critical Failure
  10 points
  +2
  +1
  -1
  -2
  15 points
  +3
  +1
  -1
  -2
  20 points
  +4
  +2
  -1
  -2
  25 points
  +5
  +2
  -1
  -2
  30 points
  +6
  +3
  -1
  -2
  These modifiers abstract the effects of an unspecified combination of material
  and human resources, social string-pulling, and information on the undertaking
  with which assistance was requested. The skill to which they apply must suit the
  organization providing the aid. For instance, an AR for an intelligence service that
  offers Technical Means (p. 15) could complement a roll against Intelligence Analy-
  sis or Strategy, while one for mobsters capable of Violence (p. 19) could comple-
  ment Intimidation. If anyone asks for details, “You’re not cleared for that!” or
  “Don’t ask!” is always a suitable answer.
  Otherwise, such an AR obeys all the usual rules; for instance, it counts as a pre-
  vious request that gives the standard -1 to future ARs.
  
  Organized Crime Rank might be able to swing a getaway car if
  a 10-point effective Patron or a false-flagged freighter if a 15-
  point one; fancy stuff such as stealth helicopters and nuclear
  submarines fitted for special-ops infiltrations require Military
  Rank and a 20- to 30-point effective Patron.
  Safe House
  Many kinds of Rank might give a safe place to hide out –
  Organized Crime Rank and espionage-oriented Military Rank
  qualify for sure, as might diplomatic Administrative Rank,
  Guild or Merchant Rank in organizations that own lots of
  property, and Religious Rank in settings where holy ground
  is sanctuary. The archetypal safe house is unknown to the
  opposition, checked for traitors (if staffed) and bugs
  (at higher TLs), and stocked with food and medical
  supplies. In town, the building might be 3d min-
  utes away (by car at TL6+, on foot at lower TLs); in
  the countryside, the hero will probably be directed
  to the nearest good-sized community.
  Technical Means
  Rank in government organizations that are
  effectively 20- to 30-point Patrons may let PCs
  request the use of powerful espionage assets at
  TL6+ (or at any TL, if magic exists). This includes
  communications intercepts for a particular target,
  code-breaking using a supercomputer, and drone
  or even satellite recon of a specific locale. Most
  such requests take a day or longer to process –
  often after another day or more to travel by
  courier, if electronic communication isn’t possible.
  Less impressive organizations, like police forces
  that grant Police Rank and work like 10- to 20-
  point Patrons, can manage considerably more
  modest technical means, such as helicopter sur-
  veillance and access to traffic cameras. Modern
  universities, which confer Academic Rank compa-
  rable to a 10-point Patron, can sometimes accom-
  plish surprising things with computing facilities. Such lesser
  aid can be set up in minutes to hours (call it 1d minutes or
  hours, if desired).
  Modifiers: -1 to -5 for expensive, highly sensitive assets like
  satellites and Top Secret code-breaking machines, unless the
  person asking has appropriate Security Clearance (p. B82) in
  addition to Rank. No modifier for ordinary drones, helicopters,
  cameras, etc.
  Information
  Most organizations have access to a great deal of useful
  information. In all cases, the petitioner may collect this in per-
  son, or have it delivered by courier or electronically, as TL per-
  mits. This might take only as long as is needed to walk up to a
  desk, place a phone call, or send email. Waiting for a courier to
  deliver data takes the usual travel time from the organization’s
  nearest base (call it a day if this isn’t known).
  Consultation
  If the PC is merely asking a factual question, treat his organ-
  ization as a Contact Group (p. B44) with an effective skill of 15
  + (equivalent Patron value/5) – that is, from 17 to 21 – in any
  skill that seems applicable. This might mean Administration or
  Accounting for Administrative Rank, Finance or Market Analy-
  sis for Guild or Merchant Rank, Tactics or Strategy for Military
  Rank, Streetwise for Organized Crime Rank, Criminology or
  Forensics for Police Rank, or almost anything for Academic
  Rank. A successful AR allows a skill roll, subject to that skill’s
  usual modifiers, with any success giving the PC what he needs
  to know. In effect, his Rank replaces a collection of skills he
  might lack.
  Reliability is “Somewhat Reliable,” meaning that on a failed
  skill roll, the information just isn’t available. On an 18, some-
  one decides that the request was above the PC’s clearance or
  pay grade! Instead of aid, investigators show up to complicate
  the adventure.
  Files
  This means any dossiers, manuals, maps, etc. that the
  organization would believably possess. A successful AR pro-
  duces a copy of the information. Details depend on the kind of
  Rank. Military Rank might obtain manuals for weapons that
  force uses, grid reference maps, and existing satellite photos (to
  requisition new ones, see Technical Means, above). Police Rank
  could provide criminal records, service records of other cops,
  case reports, and so on. In a fantasy setting, Magical or
  Religious Rank may enable access to books of spells!
  Modifiers: +5 if the information is widely available and the
  request is merely to save time, but down to -5 if the files are
  sensitive (e.g., blueprints for a nuclear weapon or a spell that
  conjures Cthulhu).
  Records Search
  This is a search of all the databases to which the organization
  has access in order to dig up everything it has on record regard-
  ing a piece of information – e.g., name, address, license number,
  phone number (TL6+), or DNA sample (TL8+) – provided by the
  person who submitted the request. Handle this as Consultation
  (above), but the relevant skill is automatically Research, 
  and what’s discovered depends on the petitioner’s Rank.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  15
  Hellllllp!
  When the player isn’t sure what to request, “I leave that to the
  organization” is a valid option. Make an unmodified AR and handle
  the outcome exactly as if the Rank were limited with Capricious
  Assistance (see Limitations, p. 5). Petitioners who already have that
  limitation get the usual proportion of good to bad but give up all
  say in the good part! On a success, the aid should be no better than
  what an AR at a penalty equal to the margin would have brought.
  If several options fit, the GM chooses randomly or picks whatever
  suits the story.
  Example: A detective who’s “off the reservation” gets into a
  shootout. He calls the PD on his cell phone and shouts for help.
  Failure by 5+ might see him wake up after medevac (Evacuation,
  p. 17) to the voices of internal affairs men talking about discipli-
  nary action. Success by 5+ might score assistance comparable to an
  AR at -5 – perhaps the SWAT team turns up even though he’s dis-
  obeying orders (The Cavalry, p. 19). Intermediate results are likely
  to have a mixture of upsides and downsides.
  
  Police Rank would permit a DMV lookup of a plate number
  to find the name and address of the vehicle’s owner, while
  suitable Administrative or Religious Rank could turn up
  things like marriage records that prove or disprove inheri-
  tance claims.
  Modifiers: +5 if the information is generally available and
  the request is merely to save time, but down to -5 if the infor-
  mation is sensitive (like proof that the king isn’t legitimate).
  Material Aid
  Almost all organizations can provide some sort of tangible
  support. More than most assistance, this is sensitive to hypo-
  thetical Patron value!
  Cash
  This is cash released for the good of the organization’s goals.
  It’s a common benefit of Administrative, Feudal, Guild, Mer-
  chant, Organized Crime, Political, Religious, and Servant Rank;
  occasionally accorded to individuals with Police Rank who can’t
  request Bribe or Hush Money (p. 14) and so must bribe criminals
  or pay off spies directly; and extremely unlikely for Military Rank
  in high-tech settings. Unlike most assistance, this is scaled to
  Rank. Use the following table to determine the maximum cash
  disbursed as a percentage of campaign starting money:
  Multiply by 10 if the money is for show and expected to be
  returned; e.g., swag put on display by a law-enforcer as part of
  a sting.
  Cash can be collected in person or delivered by courier in a
  day. In high-tech worlds, it can be deposited electronically . . .
  if the recipient doesn’t mind the digital trail left by a credit or
  debit card.
  Modifiers: -4 if effective Patron value is 10 points, no modi-
  fier if 15 points, +2 if 20 points, +4 if 25 points, or +6 if 30
  points; a bonus equal to the Rank difference when requesting
  cash suitable to a lower Rank (e.g., a Rank 5 person rolls at +3
  when asking for 5%). If the money is being sought for personal
  gain, the request is “inappropriate,” giving an AR penalty and
  resulting in disciplinary action on a severe failure. Even a
  successful scam, if discovered later, will put the guilty indi-
  vidual out of good standing – as will not returning cash
  loaned for show.
  Funding
  Rarely, a Rank-granting institution might entertain sugges-
  tions that it spend a major chunk of its capital on a large-scale
  venture such as backing an R&D project or building a new
  facility. If a character with Rank has such a proposal, he may
  try an AR to get it approved. Success dedicates up to 1% of the
  assets of the effective Patron to the cause. The following table
  gives the multiple of campaign starting money this represents:
  * A 30-point Patron may have “incalculable” worth, but it
  has a finite funding limit!
  This won’t be the petitioner’s money to spend, but it may
  give him broader options on future ARs for Entry Clearance
  (p. 13), Technical Means (p. 15), Job (p. 18), Service (p. 18), or
  Facilities (pp. 18-19).
  Modifiers: -1 to -10 if the organization hasn’t issued a call for
  proposals – and -1 to -5 even if it has issued a call, if it’s clear
  that the suggestion is for the petitioner’s good but not the orga-
  nization’s. In either case, treat this as the penalty for an “inap-
  propriate” request, with the usual potential for negative
  consequences. Business Acumen replaces Smooth Operator
  for all funding requests; see Personal Abilities (p. 10).
  Gear
  On a successful AR, the petitioner can draw any equipment
  that’s standard issue for the organization and his role in it.
  Collecting it at one of the backer’s facilities is fastest. Delivery
  by courier is an option, but that can take a day or more – or 1d
  days for large items like vehicles. Some kinds of Rank are more
  effective here; e.g., Military Rank might obtain gear in the field
  via an airdrop in just 1d hours, or in even less time if super-
  science teleportation exists, and Magical Rank could conceiv-
  ably achieve something similar for a wizard.
  “Standard issue” doesn’t always mean “ordinary.” If the
  organization has access to experimental or gee-whiz gadgetry,
  that’s a valid request. Mundane equipment has the same value
  as Cash (above) – including the factor of 10 if it will be returned
  – but tends to be easier than money to request and is often the
  only option for Military Rank.
  Modifiers: The AR modifiers for cash. For experimental gear
  with no fixed price tag, ignore $ value but apply an extra -5
  (e.g., -3 for an effective 20-point Patron). Mission-specific gear
  of any kind almost always enjoys +5 for an “appropriate”
  request. For instance, a sergeant (Rank 2) in a modern army
  (effective 25-point Patron) has a base AR of 3, but when
  requesting an ammo drop for his squad, he’d get +4 for a
  wealthy backer and +5 for an appropriate request, giving 12 or
  less – rising to 13 or less with a success vs. Leadership.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  16
  Q: It is to be handled with
  special care!
  Bond: Everything you give
  me . . .
  Q: . . . is treated with equal
  contempt.
  – Thunderball
  Rank
  Cash
  0
  0.5%
  1
  1.5%
  2
  5%
  3
  15%
  4
  50%
  Rank
  Cash
  5
  150%
  6
  500%
  7
  1,500%
  8
  5,000%
  Equivalent 
  Patron
  Funding
  10 points
  10¥
  15 points
  100¥
  20 points
  1,000¥
  Equivalent 
  Patron
  Funding
  25 points
  10,000¥
  30 points*
  100,000¥
  
  Rescue
  A benefit of Rank in some organizations is help in times of
  personal difficulty. Such aid can be requested like any other
  kind, but the GM may opt to make an AR for it when a mem-
  ber in good standing doesn’t report in, leading his backer to
  believe he’s missing or overdue.
  Bailout
  When legitimate authorities or “honorable” enemies
  detain someone with Rank while he’s following orders, he can
  “get out of jail free” on a successful AR, provided that his
  organization could reasonably retrieve him by paying a fee
  (bail, ransom, etc.) or simply overruling his detention. Pay-
  ments aren’t limited as described in Bribe or Hush Money
  (p. 14) or Cash (p. 16), as the whole point is that success frees
  the PC, whatever it takes: negotiation, prisoner exchange,
  threats . . . Time required is as little as 10 minutes after a
  phone call on home turf, but possibly several days otherwise.
  No AR is needed if the organization accidentally arrests its
  own member!
  Modifiers: +5 to accelerate a holding period or other fleet-
  ing detention. If the act that led to arrest was particularly
  heinous, treat the request as “inappropriate” (-1 to -10). Some
  organizations prefer to wait until trial or another denoue-
  ment to throw their weight around (e.g., using Organized
  Crime Rank to buy a judge), while others bargain directly
  with captors (e.g., using Police Rank to spring someone), and
  an AR made at the wrong step is at -1 to -5.
  Evacuation
  Physically plucking people from danger is a hallmark of
  organizations that bestow Military Rank and expansive varieties
  of Police Rank. It also fits the apparatus behind Administrative,
  Feudal, Political, and Religious Rank, if they regard Rank-hold-
  ers as VIPs. Evacuation is overt and available only in friendly or
  openly contested territory (contrast Insertion/Extraction, pp. 14-
  15). High-tech help like a helicopter or an ambulance arrives in
  1d+10 minutes, but 1d hours or worse is typical at lower TLs or
  in remote areas.
  Modifiers: The +1 to +5 for an “appropriate” request always
  applies if the PC got into trouble on a legitimate mission. If
  evacuation is because he’s injured (medevac), add an extra +5,
  giving up to +10 in total.
  Treatment
  If the organization has medical facilities – like most armed
  services (Military Rank), many governments (Administrative,
  Feudal, or Political Rank), and numerous organized religions
  throughout history (Religious Rank) – then a PC who presents
  himself there or succeeds at an AR for Evacuation (above) can
  make an AR to get treatment for injury, illness, etc. In fantasy
  worlds, Magical or Religious Rank often gives access to cura-
  tive magic.
  Modifiers: +5 for something life-threatening. Apply the +1 to
  +5 for an “appropriate” request if the condition that requires
  treatment occurred while serving the organization. These mod-
  ifiers are cumulative.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  17
  People with Magical Rank – or Religious Rank, if priests
  draw on real divine power – can sometimes obtain assis-
  tance that’s more than natural. This takes the form of the
  mundane AR that best suits the desired aid, though possibly
  with a couple of twists. First, the supplicant might be able to
  request help through extraordinary channels, such as by
  praying silently or casting a Communication and Empathy
  spell. Second, the mechanism of fulfillment may be extraor-
  dinary, perhaps even resembling Serendipity (p. B83) when
  prayers are answered. Either kind of thing should increase
  the cost of Rank if what’s possible outstrips other supernat-
  ural abilities in the setting; see Enhancements (p. 5).
  Examples of supernatural aid include:
  • Consultation (p. 15) for insight into matters of super-
  natural significance.
  • Entry Clearance (p. 13) to safely enter a place off-lim-
  its to others, such as a cursed temple or tomb.
  • Facilities (pp. 18-19) for access to sites of superior
  mana or sanctity.
  • Files (p. 15) to receive a book of spells, holy writings,
  etc. – or, with theurgy, to be granted knowledge directly.
  • Safe House (p. 15) for an area warded against oppos-
  ing occult forces.
  • Technical Means (p. 15) to represent magical scrying
  or divine insight.
  • Treatment (below) to be cured of afflictions that
  demand Healing spells.
  The GM probably shouldn’t permit things like requests
  for teleportation out of danger (Evacuation, below),
  divine smiting (Fire Support, p. 19), and summoned
  demons (Muscle, p. 19), as these would invade the terri-
  tory of Magery or Power Investiture. For godlike Patrons
  purchased in levels – with “petition rolls” for aid affected
  by level, the specific assistance requested, and Religious
  Rank – use GURPS Powers: Divine Favor. Rank is for
  situations where being a priest or a wizard means access
  to places or knowledge that others lack.
  Not all Magical or Religious Rank works this way.
  Realistic Religious Rank is Administrative, Feudal, or
  Political Rank within a hierarchical church, named dif-
  ferently to distinguish it from temporal versions of such
  Rank. Even in fantasy, Magical Rank often amounts 
  to Rank in the Wizards’ Guild, and functions like any
  other kind of Guild Rank.
  Conversely, in some fantasy worlds, legitimate mem-
  bers of the ruling class – who wield Feudal Rank – enjoy
  “divine right” despite belonging to an otherwise secular
  institution (the state). This could manifest in any number
  of ways, up to and including an AR for Gear (p. 16) to pull
  a sword from a stone!
  Supernatural Aid
  
  Social Privilege
  Organizations can often help by making connections and
  opening doors. This is more likely for polite backers – ones that
  don’t usually offer Violence (p. 19) – and especially suitable for
  Administrative, Feudal, Guild, Merchant, Political, Religious,
  and Servant Rank.
  Buy/Sell
  Some organizations can broker sales of the petitioner’s
  goods or purchases made with his money. This requires an AR
  based on Merchant or Guild Rank, on a category of Adminis-
  trative Rank that serves much the same purpose, or on Organ-
  ized Crime Rank for the black market. Success allows the PC
  to save time, avoid rolls against skills he might lack (e.g.,
  Finance, Merchant, or Streetwise), and/or operate anony-
  mously (if he wishes).
  Modifiers: +1 per full 10% of transaction value given to the
  organization as a finder’s fee or a commission, to a maximum
  of +10; subtract the local CR from the AR, but if the goods
  aren’t stolen, also add the LC of the merchandise.
  Hireling
  If the organization keeps track of individuals whom it
  might employ, then an AR can replace the rolls under Find-
  ing a Hireling (pp. B517-518) and Hirelings (GURPS Social
  Engineering, p. 22), provided that the desired worker pos-
  sesses skills that would plausibly be of value to that group.
  Mercenaries might be available to those with Feudal Rank,
  craftsmen to people who have Guild Rank, and so on. This is
  still a weekly roll, as usual.
  Modifiers: Double any bonuses for advertising or money
  offered that would apply to a hireling search, and apply them to
  the AR; e.g., offering 50% more pay gives +4.
  Introduction
  Most organizations can give introductions that get their
  members past their affiliates’ gatekeepers (GURPS Social
  Engineering, p. 47). This doesn’t guarantee success at what fol-
  lows, or even a good reaction – it just means that the person
  who makes the AR gets the necessary interview.
  Modifiers: +5 for an introduction to members of the same
  organization. Success isn’t automatic even then . . . a Military
  Rank 0 soldier with this +5 has better odds than most civilians
  of seeing a general, but a Political Rank 5 person without the
  +5 will probably have better luck!
  Invitation
  Your name on the guest list for a social event linked to 
  a Rank-granting institution is a special case of Introduction
  (above) and/or Entry Clearance (p. 13). It’s nearly the only situa-
  tion where full Courtesy Rank counts for an AR; see Common
  Courtesy (p. 9). No roll is needed for an invitation you would
  normally receive – only for one you wouldn’t, so that you
  needn’t “crash the party.”
  Modifiers: +5 if the event admits the public, and this favor
  takes the form of queue-jumping more than an invitation to
  something exclusive.
  Job
  Rank that represents position but not employment in an
  organization (e.g., Guild or Merchant Rank signifying mem-
  bership in a brotherhood of businesspeople rather than a busi-
  ness) can be exploited to secure contracts or employment. An
  AR replaces the rolls under Finding a Job (p. B518) and Jobs
  (GURPS Social Engineering, pp. 22-23). This is still a weekly
  roll, as usual.
  Modifiers: Requests for jobs for which the petitioner is quali-
  fied are automatically “appropriate,” and made at +1 to +5.
  Service
  If the organization behind a given kind of Rank offers serv-
  ices that aren’t covered by other kinds of ARs – notably, those for
  Consultation (p. 15), Buy/Sell (above), Specialists (p. 19), and
  Shipping (p. 19) – then anyone with that Rank can find said serv-
  ices without an AR, waiving the rolls under Services (GURPS
  Social Engineering, p. 46). An AR lets him procure such a serv-
  ice, provided that it doesn’t cost in excess of 10 times the amount
  noted for Cash (p. 16), as when acquiring cash for show.
  Modifiers: The AR modifiers for cash.
  Technical Assistance
  Many organizations have access to material resources that
  could assist PCs but that aren’t money or portable gear. Use
  these options when a hero requires supercomputer time to do
  his own code-cracking or hacking (contrast Technical Means,
  p. 15), wants a lab or assistants for inventing, and so on.
  Facilities
  Any kind of Rank might grant the PC access to superior
  facilities – tools far beyond the reach of his personal budget –
  for one of his skills. This can take countless forms, from a pow-
  erful “propaganda machine” courtesy of Administrative or
  Political Rank, through top-of-the-line technology (computers,
  labs, and workshops) for people with Academic, Military, or
  Police Rank, to magical or holy sites for Magical or Religious
  Rank. Heroes who have Feudal, Guild, Merchant, or Servant
  Rank may enjoy access to ballrooms and similar fancy sur-
  roundings that give bonuses to social skills or reaction rolls.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  18
  I handed to him the sealed letter which Mr. Hawkins had entrusted to me.
  He opened it and read it gravely. Then, with a charming smile, he handed it 
  to me to read.
  – Bram Stoker, Dracula
  
  Organized Crime Rank often provides diverse resources, from
  machine shops for chopping up cars to five-star restaurants for
  impressing crooked politicians.
  In all cases, the bonus on a successful AR equals 1/5 of the
  effective Patron value, or from +2 (at 10 points) to +6 (at 30
  points). However, this cannot exceed +4 for a reaction bonus
  or +TL/2 for an equipment bonus (see Equipment Modifiers,
  p. B345). The bonus can only be had in person, on home terri-
  tory, for facilities that make sense; e.g., city cops can access an
  auto shop but not code-breaking supercomputers.
  Modifiers: If the skill or reaction bonus exceeds the maxi-
  mum, treat the excess as an AR bonus. For instance, a large
  TL8 nation is an effective 30-point Patron that gives up to +6,
  but when requesting aid to Propaganda (a technological skill,
  so maximum bonus is +4 at TL8) or reaction rolls, the limit
  would be +4 and the remaining +2 would boost the AR.
  Specialists
  Instead of doing something oneself, one can ask experts to
  do the job. An excellent example is somebody with Police Rank
  requesting forensic work: autopsy, crime-scene analysis, DNA
  test, etc. Treat this as Consultation (p. 15), but adjust
  the time needed to whatever the effort would normally
  take. The GM should permit ARs only for routine
  undertakings; PCs who want adventuring tasks done,
  new inventions dreamt up, etc. ought to tackle such
  matters firsthand.
  Transportation
  Any organization that moves around people or
  goods might do so for its members. See also
  Insertion/Extraction (pp. 14-15) for a covert drop or
  pickup, Evacuation (p. 17) for a hasty rescue, and
  Gear (p. 16) to request vehicles for discretionary use.
  Shipping
  When the PC wants to ship a fragile or sensitive pack-
  age, or one that requires tricky paperwork, as part of his
  mission, he can ask the organization to take care of it. At
  TL6+, this can often be arranged almost in real time by telegraph
  or telephone; at lower TLs, it may take several days of waiting
  for suitable horse couriers, merchant ships, mail trains, and the
  like. Almost any kind of Rank might grant this sort of aid, but
  Organized Crime Rank and Merchant Rank are most suitable.
  Modifiers: +5 if the organization is merely arranging com-
  mercial shipping rather than doing the deed itself; subtract the
  local CR from the AR but also add the item’s LC (e.g., shipping
  LC1 weapons in a CR3 society gives -2).
  Travel
  When an organization sends its agent somewhere, don’t
  bother with an AR. However, if an adventurer wants to get
  from A to B quickly – still as part of his work, but without prior
  planning – he can ask his backer to arrange ordinary, overt
  transportation, complete with any relevant papers (tickets,
  visas, etc.). At TL7+, this can often be arranged in real time
  over the phone; at lower TLs, it may take several days. The
  traveler doesn’t choose the means, which should be appropri-
  ate to Rank (e.g., a bus ticket for an Administrative Rank 0
  intern, a private jet for the Rank 8 head of state).
  Violence
  Rank is a common feature of organizations that order peo-
  ple into violent situations. Someone with Feudal, Military,
  Organized Crime, or Police Rank can often count on backup in
  a fight.
  Fire Support
  Those with Military Rank – and almost never other kinds –
  might be able to call in an air strike, armed drone attack,
  artillery barrage, or naval or orbital bombardment. If this is
  preplanned, it may well happen as soon as the signal is
  received, and the speed limit is that of communications at the
  campaign TL (and of course the fire itself!). For unplanned
  fires, the GM should add at least 1d minutes to any delay
  and/or require the person who requested the mission to make
  a Forward Observer roll.
  Modifiers: -5 outside a combat zone, worsening to -10 in
  friendly territory. The GM should be strict about this, and
  apply further penalties for especially egregious abuses, requests
  for strategic weapons, etc.
  Muscle
  “Persuasive gentlemen,” with a headcount equal to at most
  half the equivalent Patron value, arrive quietly in 1d+10 min-
  utes – or in 1d hours, away from home base. They have a few
  relevant skills, particularly combat skills, at level 10-15 (1d+9),
  and light civilian weapons (daggers, cudgels, handguns, etc.).
  These are not the petitioner’s subordinates (see The Command,
  above), but off-duty soldiers or cops (Military or Police Rank),
  local tough guys (Organized Crime Rank), etc. coming to help
  out of friendship or esprit de corps.
  The Cavalry
  Similar to Muscle (above), but now the arrivals come loaded
  for bear and barge onto the scene noisily. Headcount is still half
  the equivalent Patron value – the local sheriff’s department (10
  points) might have a five-man SWAT team, while a modern
  army (20 to 25 points) would send a 10- to 12-man squad. These
  reinforcements are on duty, making appropriateness a concern.
  Modifiers: -5 or worse if the request is “just because,” and
  essentially inappropriate, but +1 to +5 if the leadership sent the
  hero into a dangerous situation and he deserves backup.
  “REQUEST GRANTED”
  19
  The Command
  Real-world leaders may command many more subordinates
  than Muscle and The Cavalry (below) suggest, as explained in
  The Arithmetic of Rank (GURPS Social Engineering, p. 14).
  However, those people are busy with their jobs and can’t be
  summoned en masse by an AR. Still, in any situation where the
  Rank-holder is in their physical presence, leading them, all ARs
  for personal backup – whether this means shouting for guards
  or having a message sent – get an extra +5, above and beyond
  any +1 to +5 if the request is “appropriate.” Moreover, if he
  lacks a necessary command skill (typically one of Administra-
  tion, Leadership, or Strategy), he can attempt the AR under
  Specialists (above) to have aides deal with the matter.
  
  Academic Rank advantage, 8;
  requirements, 7; specific assistance
  examples, 15, 18-19.
  Administrative Rank advantage, 8;
  requirements, 7; specific assistance
  examples, 14-19.
  Advantages, assistance modifiers, 9; Rank
  requirements, 7, 9; see also Patron
  Advantage, Rank Advantage.
  Adventures, high Rank and, 8; Rank
  requirements as sources of, 12; see also
  Assistance Examples.
  Assistance examples, authorization, 13-14;
  bailout, 17; bribe, 14; broad requests,
  14; buying transactions, 18; cash, 16;
  cavalry, 19; consultation, 15; cover-up,
  14; covert activity, 14-15; disappearance,
  14; entry clearance, 13; evacuation, 17;
  extraction, 14-15; facilities, 18-19; false
  ID, 14; files, 15; fire support, 19;
  funding, 16; gear, 16; hireling, 18; hush
  money, 14; information, 15-16;
  insertion, 14-15; introduction, 18;
  invitation, 18; job, 18; license, 13;
  material aid, 16; muscle, 19; Rank type
  and, 13; records search, 15-16; rescue,
  17; safe house, 15; sales transactions,
  18; service, 18; shipping, 19; social
  privilege, 18; specialists, 19;
  supernatural aid, 17; technical
  assistance, 18-19; technical means, 15;
  transportation, 19; travel, 19; treatment,
  17; unspecified, 15; violence, 19;
  warrant, 14.
  Assistance modifiers, character abilities,
  10; general, 9-11; repeated requests, 10-
  12, 14; situation, 10; special, 11-12;
  specific requests, 13-19; type of
  assistance, 11.
  Assistance rolls (ARs); appropriate
  requests, 10, 12; as complementary skill
  rolls, 14; based on Patron only, 12;
  buying success and, 10, 11; by leaders,
  12, 19; character knowledge of, 9;
  contacting organization, 9; Courtesy
  Rank and, 9; determining base value, 5-
  7; duration of effects, 9; effective Rank
  and, 12; effects, 9; failure, 11; group, 11;
  guaranteed, 12; high Rank and, 8;
  inappropriate requests, 10, 11; mixed
  group, 11; NPCs and, 12; petitioner’s
  standing, 9; preauthorized, 12; repeated
  requests, 10-12, 14; special
  circumstances, 11-12; substituting
  actual Patron, 12; success, 11;
  unmodified, 15; value table, 6.
  Capricious Assistance limitation, 5, 15.
  Claim to Hospitality advantage, 7.
  Clerical Investment advantage, 7.
  Courtesy Rank advantage, 9, 18.
  Disadvantages, assistance modifiers, 9;
  Rank requirements, 7-8.
  Duty disadvantage, 7-9, 12.
  Feudal Rank advantage, 8; requirements,
  7; specific assistance examples, 16-19.
  Guild Rank advantage, 8; requirements, 7;
  specific assistance examples, 13-18.
  GURPS, 4; Action, 4-6, 8; Action 1:
  Heroes, 3; Action 2: Exploits, 3; Basic
  Set, 3, 12; Powers: Divine Favor, 17;
  Social Engineering, 3-5, 8, 11, 12, 18,
  19.
  Impulsiveness disadvantage, 9.
  Intelligence Rank advantage, 8.
  Legal Enforcement Powers advantage, 7.
  Legal Immunity advantage, 7.
  Limitation, new, 5.
  Magical Rank advantage, 8; effect on Rank
  cost, 5; requirements, 7; specific
  assistance examples, 15-19.
  Merchant Rank advantage, 8;
  requirements, 7; specific assistance
  examples, 14-16, 18-19.
  Military Rank advantage, 8; group
  assistance and, 11; requirements, 7;
  specific assistance examples, 13-19.
  Organizations, accessibility, 9; example, 4;
  Patron value, 4, 13.
  Organized Crime Rank advantage, 8;
  requirements, 7; specific assistance
  examples, 14-19.
  Patron advantage, assistance roll table, 6;
  hypothetical values, 4; organization
  examples, 4; Rank-cost table, 5.
  Police Rank advantage, 8; requirements, 7;
  specific assistance examples, 13-19.
  Political Rank advantage, 8; example
  scope, 5; requirements, 7; specific
  assistance examples, 14, 16-19.
  Rank advantage, assistance roll table, 6;
  cap, 8; cost tables, 5, 6; determining
  cost, 5; effects of high, 8; list, 8; Patron-
  cost table, 5; prerequisites, 7-8; relevant
  enhancements, 5; relevant limitations,
  5; requirements, 7-9, 12; see also
  Assistance Roll.
  Religious Rank advantage, 8; effect on
  Rank cost, 5; requirements, 7; specific
  assistance examples, 14-19.
  Security Rank advantage, 8; requirements,
  7.
  Servant Rank advantage, 8; specific
  assistance examples, 16, 18-19.
  Social Regard advantage, 7.
  Tables, assistance roll bonus, 14;
  assistance rolls, 6; cash, 16; funding, 16;
  patron-to-rank, 5; rank-to-patron, 5.
  Tenure advantage, 7.
  Unusual Background advantage, 7.
  INDEX
  20
  INDEX
  The trouble is, when you
  say to a general “You and
  whose army?”, he just has
  to point out of the window.
  – Major Clogston, in
  Monstrous Regiment
  
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/4th edition/GURPS 4e - Social Engineering - Pulling Rank (v1.0).pdf