Hero points for out of game activities

[DerNils]

As I am new to hero Points in Pathfinder but very much like the idea, I wanted to learn how you use the Guideline for 1 Out of Play activity.
To take an upcoming example, I organise a playtest Event in a local Pub. What kind of activity could I look for people to do to get that out of game Hero Point?
There will be no map drawing, Snacks will be provided in the Pub, I did the Invitation and Organisation myself. I Kind of struggle to find something, yet would love to give my Players hero Points to Play with. Especially as the most interesting use is only possible with the full three Points.
Do you think something like filling out the tracking sheet and participating in the playtest Survey would fit?

[Gorbacz]

Some ideas:

- keeping track of party treasure and looking up any items in the book so that the GM doesn't have to tell the players for the 232nd time how does a potion of cure light wounds work,
- keeping notes of NPCs/events/names/dates,
- driving people home after the game (this entails giving up on the booze, you might want to award an extra point for that if the game is in a pub :P)

[Jason S]

Anything that helps the GM, group, or even the pub.

- Someone pay the GM for a scenario

- People contribute $2 each to the GM for maps, his time, etc.

- Someone buys the GM a drink or food, which is good for the GM but also good for the pub. They need to make money to continue hosting

In most games, players shouldn't expect that they will get 3 hero points. It should be rare.

But I also feel that the re-roll should be reduced to 1 hero point.

[DerNils]

Thanks for the Suggestion. I am a bit afraid that if 3HP is rare, I will have a hard time testing the System or getting my Players to use the for anything but the dreaded Death Saving Throw.

I am shying away from any monetary Things that Transfer into the game - I have a lot of friends that really have to Count every Euro. Making them feel like they Need to pay for in Game stuff would feel horrible.

[LukeM]

So my store charges a table fee basically to help keep the lights on and the store nice. For the play test only I'm going to count this as the ooc contribution mainly for play test purposes.

[Fumarole]

You can give them out to players who show up on time. I don't know about you but I hate waiting around for folks who are habitually late.

[Zi Mishkal]

One player in my group created a google docs character sheet for the group. He gets a hero point.

Personally, I'm trying not to hand them out too frequently. But if you help "lighten the load" a little, you'll get one. Especially if the help didn't wait for asking.

[Dilvias]

"You want an extra hero point? Ten dollars. Two points? Twenty dollars."

Now I wouldn't do this, but there will be some GMs who will point at this rule and want to get paid.

[Fumarole]

There will always be terrible GMs. Such a stance simply makes it explicit and lets players know without a doubt what GMs to skip.

[David knott 242]

The way things are written, the only person who would get the OOC hero point in my game would be the guy whose home we play in.

Since our games are supposed to start at 8 p.m. but we have some people who are chronically late, I may just award the OOC hero point to whoever is already there come 7:30. Obviously, our host would always get that award.

[DerNils]

Thanks for the ideas, I especially like the on-time-reward.
I will probably also give it to People that come with a prepared character, as it will save us time for this Experiment (and I have one Player that already announced he cannot be on time, but will have his char ready), and one that offered to help one of the newbies with Character Creation.

[Tamago]

DerNils wrote:

Thanks for the ideas, I especially like the on-time-reward.

I will probably also give it to People that come with a prepared character, as it will save us time for this Experiment (and I have one Player that already announced he cannot be on time, but will have his char ready), and one that offered to help one of the newbies with Character Creation.

That's a great idea! Everyone who comes to the first session of the scenario with a finished, ready-to-play character could get a hero point. Encourage people to show up ready to play, so we can maximize the playtest window.