A Guide to Potential Jobs for Wild West Roleplayers [Non-Mechanic Job Suggestions]

  • Check out our Partnered Grand Theft Auto 5 Roleplaying Community New Day RP!

Eustice Connelly

The Bosun
Whitelisted
Gold Supporter
Feb 10, 2020
1,486
343
133
First I would like to point out that this guide is NOT intended to limit the players options in establishing a character's occupation. Rather, it is designed to help players get ideas of where their characters story could have been or can possibly go in the future. That being said, let’s get to the meat of the conversation. .. Wait, now I’m hungry.. BRB.

.. back.. Let’s continue.

Over the past few weeks of listening to characters talk about their jobs I’ve come to the feeling that every other character is either a lawyer, hunter, or former deputy. I have seen a few bar keepers and holy persons too but that seems to be fading out.

Before you flame my post let me be clear, these are admirable jobs and I’m pretty sure that most of those players are very competent at playing the part. My point is that from an outside perspective it lacks the diversity that the real world had back then, as well as the opportunities for great roleplay on the server.

So what other jobs are out there that a player could make some in-game cash with? I figured I would take a little bit of time to figure that out. Turns out that there are quite a few options a player might have that wouldn’t take any more effort to roleplay than the jobs mentioned above.

So What Jobs Can’t We Do?

I want to start off by pointing out what jobs a player can’t necessarily be right away and why not. The admins here at Wild West RP have established a few limitations. Those are:

Elected Officials (Governor, State/County Representative, Mayor, etc)
These positions are elected by the members of the Wild West RP community. Each of these positions also require a minimum time for the character to be a member of the server in order to apply to be a candidate. Please take a look at the State Constitution on the Wild West RP website for more information.​
Government Jobs
These are not open to just anyone, you will have to ask around to see if there are any openings. You can claim them as a past job in another State or before the founding, but be sure that it makes sense to your characters story.​
Law Enforcement & Judges
These professionals are appointed by the Governor and approved by 'Congress' (the Staff). Openings are often announced through these forums and discord so keep your eyes open to apply. Both positions require some level of 'training' and possibly passing a qualification test.​
Military
While the Management and membership of the community respects Military professionals, there is no current need for them in the server. The laws and Law Enforcement have these duties covered very adequately. There is however no reason a character can not be a Veteran of any service as part of their back story.​
Lawyers & Law Clerks
Technically any character can be a Lawyer or Law Clerk. I added this to the list for the visibility of players to see that they MIGHT be required to pass some form of WWRP State Bar Exam to argue law in court before a Judge. So please be sure that you know the laws and legal procedure of the State before trying to play this role.​


But I Want To Be a Leader or Cop

That’s great, and there are a lot of opportunities to do that. You just have to wait for an opening, but there are jobs you can do in the meantime. Let’s explore those options.

Bounty Hunter
As a Bounty Hunter, you can chase down fugitives from Justice and take them back to Law Enforcement officers for pay. Simple. You will need to get a Bounty Hunter license though.​
Security Agent (or Saloon Bouncer)
Remember the Pinkertons? Well, they are and were a private security company. In the case of the Pinkertons though, they were contracted to the U.S. Government.. Which could be a possibility in Wild West RP. There is a need for private security around the State.​
Rancher
Someone needs to manage the places used to raise that meat and grow the crops at. It takes skill to coordinate sales and ranch hands. The job is nearly as hard as running a government office.​
Oil Baron
There is a need to keep the lamps around New Alexandria burning at night. Perhaps your character might have the skills to manage the workers tasked to produce and deliver that oil to paying customers.​
Business Owner / Manager
You’ll have to get a business license (when it's available), but anyone can start a business. You just need to decide what kind of business. There is a list of work ideas down below that might need a skilled manager to run the business side for them.​


Those Jobs Seem Like a Lot of Work

Yes, they typically do. If you’re interested in something a little easier to do so you can enjoy your time in social roleplay then here are some ideas for you. I’ve tried to make the list below in order of what is currently payable through in-game mechanics and down to requiring complete roleplay performance in order to get paid.
  • Freight Hauler (delivery driver)
  • Hotel Keeper
  • Lumberjack
  • Miner
  • Prospector (gold panning)
  • Farmer
  • Hunter
  • Mountain Man
  • Store Clerk
  • Bartender
  • Gunsmith
  • Ranch Hand
  • Apothecary
  • Preacher
  • Athlete (boxer, rowing, etc)
  • Carriage Driver (taxi driver)
  • Carriage Security ("shotgun")
  • Butcher
  • Gambler
  • Herder (move animals around)
  • School Teacher
  • Musician / Singer
  • Saloon Girl / Guy
  • Wagon Maker / Coach Maker
  • Blacksmith
  • Stables Keeper
  • Carpenter
  • Farrier (shoe horses & acted as Veterinarian)
  • Saddler (saddle maker & repair)
  • Brick Maker
  • Railroad Worker
There are many many more, but this should help you get some ideas toward a character occupation if you don’t want to spend your time grinding for dollars.

( here is a link to a much larger list of options: http://www.census1891.com/occupations-all.php )


Sounds Legit, but what about being a Criminal?

The sky is near the limit for these jobs. They range from petty theft to the extremes that get the entire State law chasing you. Here is a basic list to start from.
  • Pickpocket
  • Bank or Coach Robber
  • Highwayman / Pirate / Bandit
  • Cattle / Sheep / Horse Rustler
  • Claim Jumper
  • Gunslinger
This is just a small list of the options that I hope will spark some ideas for you. You can combine the legitimate jobs with some level of criminal activity toward it. Such as a Gambler that cheats, a Carriage Driver that robs their own passengers, or even a Doctor that poisons their patients so they keep coming back and charging them for more medicine.


Can I be a Native American?

Well, yes, you can. I would reach out to someone in the forums or discord that currently has an active native character to find out if there is anything you would need to know. This guide won’t go into those details as it is generally required for a player to log into the server to get more information about where things are, what’s going on, and how to do many things. But it never hurts to ask an experienced player for any information they can give you to help get you started.


I noticed You Didn’t Mention Medical Jobs

You’re absolutely correct. While there is nothing stopping anyone from becoming a Doctor, Nurse, Midwife, whatever; there is a voluntary State Medical Board. It's a private business collaboration that some folks are getting behind. To be considered a board certified medical practitioner in some form, you probably need to be accepted by them, as there is no actual licensing for this right now. Your best bet for this is to reach out to a player who has a medical character and find out what you need to know for the job too.


Any other Ideas?

Actually, I think that pretty much covers a basic idea of what you, as the player, could consider for your character's occupation. I do encourage the Admins and Staff to add their two cents (even if it's to counter the points above). There is a huge list of options far beyond this guide that would be great paying jobs in New Alexandria. The only real limit is your imagination.


Well, that’s all I have for you. If you have any questions, just ask someone. The community are great people and are always willing to help out new players. Good Luck, I look forward to hearing about what people come up with and I hope to see you around out there!
 
Last edited: