Story Choices in Character Build

Is it important to have choices in character design that don't just relate to mechanical aspects but also have tie-in with the story elements of the game? Is there a danger the player might ignore that side of it, regardless of that tie-in?

Ars Magica has a choice of House in your character build. It gives you a minor change to your build, nothing that they could not have easily done with another element. However, the House choice gives you a rooting in the factions of the game world, a kind of hook into any plots that the GM wants to spin, etc. It really only seems to be there for a story purpose.

Do you think that is good or bad design?

I worry that people will make such choices purely for whatever petty mechanical edge they want, story be damned. I know that it can be very tempting to take such things and then never look back, never care about the choice once you are actually playing the game.

Are characters doomed to always be the lone wolves that don't care about their faction really, when the chips are down, or do they actually have a dog in the fight?