The term Social Justice Warrior is often used to refer to people who lean left, liberal or progressive, believe in fairness and generally live in a way that makes it clear that they’re not down with the status quo. However, we’re not all warriors. As any gamer will tell you, that’s a really good thing. We can’t all blow things up. It takes a well balanced party to defeat a boss monster, and we have some serious boss monsters in our midst. Systemic racism. Climate change. Ideological polarization. Some people interact directly with opposition and take heat as well as give it. Some people operate as support, keeping others in fighting condition or boosting their natural abilities.
What member of the Social Justice Adventuring Party are you? It is fully possible to be more than one class, and it is fully possible to learn a new role. The landscape is always changing, so today the warrior might be leading the charge, but tomorrow we might need bards and who knows what we’ll need by the weekend!
Social Justice Bards
The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain.
Songwriters, Poets, Artists, Performers.
Main Stat: Charisma
Tools: Instruments, paint brushes, lyrics, satire, storytelling, humor and drama, stick-on mustaches, influences audiences large and small
Abilities:
- Motivational Speech - inspires crowds and movements, smashes watermelons with sledgehammers
- Psychic Lance - uses words and images and possibly catchy 80’s pop songs to burrow into the minds of your listener/viewers
Social Justice Cleric
Priestly champions with divine wisdom
Religious leaders, Chaplaincy
Main Stat: Wisdom
Tools: Religious texts, storytelling, compassion, community-based connections
Abilities:
- Sanctuary - provide physically and emotionally safe places for shelter and recovery
- Aid - organize community efforts, ranging from bake sales to Advanced Illness Care Programs
- Find the path - guide your fellowship
Social Justice Druid
Growers of food and flowers, protectors of the ecosystem.
Conservationists, Ecologists, Apiarists, Restorationists
Main Stat: Wisdom
Tools: Science, research, green thumbs, possibly an attack mongoose
Abilities:
- Foresight - understands the larger system (even when it doesn’t make any sense)
- Commune with Nature - wander amongst green spaces, regain stamina and strength.
- Charm Animal - instantly make friends with everyone’s pets, even the exotic ones
- Elemental Weapon - fighting for those with no voice gives you bonuses to strength and will
Social Justice Fighter
People on the front lines. Get loud. Closest to the traditional Warrior.
Protesters, Boycotters, Boring municipality meeting attendees, Conversation-havers, Hard question-askers.
Main Stats: Strength and Dexterity
Tools: Protest signs, facebook groups, message boards, unflinching truth-telling
Abilities:
- Second Wind - ability to keep fighting past stamina limits, must have long rest afterward
- Indomitable - continue to fight even when (and sometimes just because) the odds are against you
- Action Surge - galvanize average people to assemble thereby creating a greater-than-average effect
Social Justice Monk
Physical and spiritual martial arts, lightning reflexes
Writers, Explainers
Main Stats: Wisdom and Dexterity
Tools: Mental flexibility and pivoting, written word, flowing cloak with a sweet hood
Abilities:
- Tongue of the Sun and Moon - write persuasive prose
- Timeless body - see and communicate the many sides of problems
Social Justice Paladin
Holy warrior bound with sacred oath. True believers - live and breathe the cause.
Movement leaders, Change initiators, Public speakers, Rabble-rousers, Future-makers
Main Stats: Strength and Charisma
Tools: Microphones, telephones, megaphones, all the phones
Abilities:
- Aura of Vitality - imbue fellow party members with purpose and direction
- Staggering Smile - charisma that draws people to your cause
Social Justice Hunter
Ranged fighter with good aim.
Journalists, Investigators
Main Stats: Dexterity and Wisdom
Tools: Notes, interviews, tenacity, “...just one more thing…”
Abilities:
- Favorite Enemy/Hunter’s Mark - draw people’s attention to particular issues
- Locate - find and share facts and information
- Natural Explorer - curiosity drives you to find the difficult answers
Social Justice Rogue
System manipulators
Social workers, Lawyers
Main Stat: Dexterity
Tools: Knowledge of the law, official documents, "proper" channels
Abilities:
- Trickery - understand and manipulate the rules of the system to help others navigate it
- Evasion/Dodge - find loopholes in systems and rules
- Reliable Talent - able to focus on many cases at once
Social Justice Sorcerer
Spell-caster drawing from a gift or bloodline.
The upper caste and privileged
Main Stat: Charisma
Tools: Social influence, peer trust, positions of authority
Abilities:
- Booming Blade - use your influence to sway the opinions of your peers
- See Invisibility - recognize barriers others face
- Reverse Gravity - support and elevate the people around you; act as a tailwind/guide
Social Justice Warlock
Spell-caster who made a deal with an extra-planar entity. Those fighting from the inside who have chosen to stay in the hot water or hostile environment to help others.
Government representatives, Hospital administrators, Municipal council members, Policy writers, Physicians
Main Stat: Charisma
Tools: Management systems, meeting minutes and agendas, favors and compromises
Abilities:
- Arcane Hacking - use your position to create function instead of dysfunction
- Thought Shield - protect people under you and allow them to do their jobs
- Ego Whip - work around and/or manipulate ineffective persons in charge
Social Justice Wizard
Scholarly magic user capable of manipulating reality
Teachers, Organizers, Science communicators
Main Stat: Intellect
Tools: Syllabi, lesson plans, online classrooms, translation
Abilities:
- Magic Mouth - orator skills, explain complicated concepts to the other classes
- Mind Spike - imbue students with knowledge and epiphanies
- Plane Shift - open minds and encourage critical thinking development
If you find yourself looking for a group, join us in the Healwell Community! Your party members await!