Do any of you have a game mechanic in your games to encourage/reward roleplaying?
My group is prone to anachronistic types with little involvement in the game world (even if it is generic Greyhawk), and I'd like to provide a system to get them involved.
One idea I was thinking of was to have each player keep a "level up" version of their characters at all times. For example, when they start their 1st level characters, they'll also have a level 2 version on standby complete with all skill points spent and feats taken. Not only will this help advance the characters if I deem they've levelled during a session, but it would represent the focus of the characters on certain aspects of their development. So, rather than suddenly mutli-classing as a sorcerer, they will have committed to working towards it for a whole level. Does that make sense?
Another idea involves a "fate point" or "re-roll" ability earned by roleplaying your declaired weaknesses. This is kind of a grey area, but I've seen systems in other games along these lines. I decided against giving xp rewards, but thought that something like a fate point would not only reward those players who develop their characters but would also increase the survivability of the characters they'd be growing attached to.
Any thoughts on these ideas or other concepts?
I hear the Player's Handbook II (or the DMG II) has rules for associations and contacts, but I haven't seen them. Can anybody in the know tell me how those rules encourage roleplaying and involvement in the campaign world?
I was going to post this to the general D&D discussion, but since this is in the process of preparing for a Savage Tide campaign, I thought I'd ask it here and see if any ST-specific advice that may come up.
Thanks for listening.
Another idea involves a "fate point" or "re-roll" ability earned by roleplaying your declaired weaknesses. This is kind of a grey area, but I've seen systems in other games along these lines. I decided against giving xp rewards, but thought that something like a fate point would not only reward those players who develop their characters but would also increase the survivability of the characters they'd be growing attached to.
Any thoughts on these ideas or other concepts?
Thanks for listening.
I agree not to give XP within the STAP for role playing because the players could advance in level too quickly and overpower the rest of the STAP, although there are sidebars for increasing ELs. I just prefer to keep them where they are than to have to bother with boosting the ELs.
I do give my players "circumstance bonuses" for good role playing on things like intimidate, diplomacy, etc. checks. Usually no more than +3 for really good RP. However, my wife's gnome bard (whose performance skill is oratory) got a -2 to her performance check because she told a joke and messed up the punch line! LOL!
Another way to look at it is if they are having fun NOT role playing much then you can go with that. Unlike the folks at NASCRAG, I do not believe it's totally about role playing...it's about having fun!
I see what you're saying with the circumstance bonus to the social skills, but it's not so much the roleplaying my group is lacking as just the campaign world involvement.
For example, when we started Age of Worms, I made them all sorts of handouts, maps and rumors about Diamond Lake and the area around it. I'm not even 100% sure they all read them, 'cause not one person in the group had any background involving the information or connection to any npcs or groups.
For Savage Tide, I'm hoping to have some mechanics that reward the players for connecting with the very rich environment the AP comes with. Does that make sense?
Well associates and contacts are nice, but if you don't have the rules you can kind of wing it. The affiliations from Dragon for the AP make nice contections to the surrounding environment. If you don't have any of those resources avaliable then I would do things like when they meet people and make a real connection with them give it some game benefits. Knowing anyone from one of the district families will help them get supplies easier or avoid the law being enforced as much. If they are looking for passage on a boat then maybe it's more difficult unless you "know" someone. Maybe knowing someone gets you a reduced cost on supllies. Without knowing about your group I can't give more specific examples.
I see what you're saying with the circumstance bonus to the social skills, but it's not so much the roleplaying my group is lacking as just the campaign world involvement.
For example, when we started Age of Worms, I made them all sorts of handouts, maps and rumors about Diamond Lake and the area around it. I'm not even 100% sure they all read them, 'cause not one person in the group had any background involving the information or connection to any npcs or groups.
For Savage Tide, I'm hoping to have some mechanics that reward the players for connecting with the very rich environment the AP comes with. Does that make sense?
I kept hammering them during character creation for background related to the city. I continually would ask them, "Have you read the Player's Guide?" and "Which affiliations are you interested in?"
I also told them all about a month before we started that I was pumped up and had picked a specific miniature for each and every major NPC in Sasserrine. (This includes the ones listed in the actual adventure path as well as those in the Player's Guide and the Backdrop: Sasserine article in Dungeon #139)
When they say, "We go to the tavern," I say, "Which tavern?" I have them find it and point it out on the map. I had Kora find them at different places to deliver their invitations. (My favorite was The Crimson Genie for the wannabe pirate rogue type we have.) I wanted them to know I was taking it seriously.
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Right on, Drawdy, I've been doing most of the same things to get them to feel more "involved" in the city. Only some of my PC's are actually FROM Sasserine, so not all of them have the affiliations and such, but I have been very good about having them choose particular taverns, brothels, shopkeepers, etc etc. They seem to have all been quite keen on the Pearl and the Parrot Inn in the Noble District, which I find very humorous given the whole "shadow pearl" bit that they don't know a thing about so far.
Anyway, Sasserine is a very vibrant and "real" city if you put out a little effort to make it so. It's worth the extra prep time.
IMC, we developed a system of noms. These are awards to players for excellent roleplaying, usually involving sticking to character when it is not the smartest thing to do or avoiding player knowwledge (PNCD - Player Knows, Character Doesn't). Every nom needs to be approved by the DM. A nom is an XP bonus of 50 x Level, or 5% of the way towards advancement.
The system has evolved, but currently players can make up to two noms per night, and could potentiall earn all if they really shine. (It hasn't happened, because the players have incentive to distribute them relatively evenly).
This system requires some maturity by the players (NOT age, just a belief that the game should be balanced) or it will run amok. If the noms get out of hand, I can always monkey with the plot or even the numbers behind the scenes to keep things right.
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As for involvment, I always try to name specific areas or streets within Sasserine, example is right now one of the PCs just got into a scuffle with some drunk pirates that came out of the Last Ditch Lovers brothel (#21 in SS) in Shadowshore, well foreshadowing a future NPC I had Amelia help him out, afterwards I told him she was captain looking for a ship, he replied "that if I ever come across one you'll be the first I look up". Thus, instead of just a new NPC, Amelia will have some sorta play when her time comes around if she is used when they sail for IofD later. After the fight I had her offer to buy him a drink & she said she knew of a great tavern called the Plucked Parrot(area #19 in SS), offering great views of Parrot Island & the bay of Sasserine, thus trying to offer more info about the city. It helps to bring life to an already extensive city.
As far as player rewards go thou, I do try to award xp for good roleplaying & such, espically if the player follows the way he wants his character to act. Being that my STAP game is online, play by post it's bit easier to do I think, but so far is goin pretty good. If the PCs advance a bit more then the adventures, I'll just add a couple things to balance things out & such.
RM