It depends on the composition of the group, which includes, but obviously is not limited to, alignment. In some groups you can get away with being a sub-optimal ranking partner; in some perhaps you can't. This is part of one of the many ways that different characters balance out.

If you're in a group composed solely of depraved sadists and murderers with no sense of decency or honor, I'd think that there are other important reasons to appear strong and useful to the others besides being free to practice tiger claw while you kill.