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Greetings all,
I'm looking for suggestions for minor boons to give out to my players for various things. Ideally, I'll pick out around three appropriate ones from a list and offer them the option between them.
My players in two of my campaigns (Second Darkness and CotCT) have a fairly long history of MMORPGs. One of them previously mentioned to me that one of the major things they miss playing Pathfinder is the lack of "Achievements", various things you can complete to gain little bonuses.
Testing it out in Second Darkness, I gave them a two-session sidequest between books 2 and 3. Upon completing it, I had them gain a class-appropriate ability: the Two-Handed Fighter gained Quick Draw to quickly switch between his various swords; the Bard got an extra spell known of any level she could cast; and the Druid could add a spell to her spell list from any other spell list.
This worked great, and my players loved it. I'd like to do it more, especially in CotCT where they are slightly underpowered. However, those I gave them for the sidequest are too powerful to be given every few sessions. I'm looking for things along those lines, but less powerful.
Thanks for any ideas or suggestions :)
I'll be throwing any ideas I might have on here as well, to make a large list!
Hmmm...
Your first comment discusses "minor boons", but then as an example you describe giving out a free feat, an extra known spell of any level and the ability to add a spell to a caster from any other spell list.
I have to ask....
You do realize the things you've already "booned" your players with are not remotely "minor" things, right? They are huge.
In fact they are so huge I don't feel like there is anything I could suggest to you since I would normally suggest a single +1 to an attack role that has to be used in the next encounter or something like that.
Good luck.
One thing I had fun with was a game where I gave out custom cursed items - useful, but still definitely cursed.
The most amusing example: one of my players was playing (for reasons that will not become clear later) a giant owl sorcerer. Which had issues, most notably with things like fitting through doorways. So he got a golden collar; one minute after putting it on, the wearer transformed into a golden ferret (a very shiny golden ferret - shiny enough to cancel out the size bonus to stealth). One minute after taking it off, the effect wore off. The curse part came in because the clasp was on the back of the collar - where your little ferret paws couldn't reach. And it was warded against cantrips, so no mage-handing it off.
After that, there were no more complaints about not being able to fit through doorways. Instead, there were complaints about being a ferret, and plans from other PCs to try and "owl-bomb" their enemies - taking off the collar a minute before combat, and throwing the ferret at someone with such perfect timing that they were hit by a giant owl. This rarely worked, of course, but was highly entertaining none the less.
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Helping Vencarlo Orisini: He decides to train a martial character (preferably one that uses a sword). If that character is using a sword and fights defensively, he/she reduces the penalty to hit by one.
Saving Trinia Sabor: She teaches a character a song she learned from her mother. As a standard action, if the character starts singing the song, he/she gains a +1 morale bonus to attack, damage, and saving throws against fear for 5 rounds (as if affected by Inspire Courage)
These are just two that I came up with...
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Some examples from me:
* Survived the House of Horrors: +1 on will saves versus fear
* Saved an important figure: +2 on diplomacy checks in the relevant town, starting attitude of people from that town is one step higher than normal.
* Favor from the Gods: Gain a one-time +4 bonus to any roll. May be used after knowing the result of the roll. Once used, this ability is lost.
The Serpent's Skull AP has some minor benefits like this, they include:
* +1 to saves versus compulsion
* +1 to CMB/CMD if wielding a sword
* +1 to initiative
* +2 to concentration when casting defensively
I think there's at least one other, but I forget what it is.
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I do this in my WLD campaign and the boons are typically a little less powerful than traits unless they require some real effort on behalf of the party.
A few examples:
Blessing of The Stoneshaper = Available to any adventurer recognized as a friend of the Stoneshaper goblins. Grants +2 Diplomacy when dealing with Stoneshaper goblins, +2 Intimidate when dealing with Stonespeaker goblins (a rival tribe)
Celestial Garrison member = Good and Neutral party members who succeed at the three tests required to join the Garrison recieve a +2 to Will saves and the privilege of purchasing supplies from the Garrison's armory so long as they remain a member in good standing.
Darvil's Journal = Anyone capable of reading Dwarf who studies the book for ten hours receives a +2 circumstance bonus to Craft mechanical traps, Knowledge Geography and Survival checks made within the dungeon and to Perception and Disable Device checks made to locate and disable mechanical traps for a number of days equal to their INT score. The book may be read multiple times but the bonus will not increase. Studying the book need not be done all at once.
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You do realize the things you've already "booned" your players with are not remotely "minor" things, right? They are huge.In fact they are so huge I don't feel like there is anything I could suggest to you since I would normally suggest a single +1 to an attack role that has to be used in the next encounter or something like that.
Good luck.
From my original post:
However, those I gave them for the sidequest are too powerful to be given every few sessions. I'm looking for things along those lines, but less powerful.
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@Emerald Wyvern: Haha interesting with the potential for hilarity? That's a winner in my book :)
@Aeshuura: I like both of these, especially the flavor. You can bet they're getting put into my campaign almost verbatim!
@StabbittyDoom: Those are right on point with what I was thinking! Also, do you know what book of Serpent's Skull those are in?
@Velcro Zipper: I like these, too!
Keep 'em coming!
You do realize the things you've already "booned" your players with are not remotely "minor" things, right? They are huge.In fact they are so huge I don't feel like there is anything I could suggest to you since I would normally suggest a single +1 to an attack role that has to be used in the next encounter or something like that.
Good luck.
From my original post:
However, those I gave them for the sidequest are too powerful to be given every few sessions. I'm looking for things along those lines, but less powerful.
Emphasis added by me.
Look, "along the lines" of a free feat is not remotely something that could be considered "minor" even with "less powerful" added. A free trait would be much, much less powerful than a free feat, and would certainly be "along the lines" but would still be way, way too much to give a character for some bit of in game cleverness.
But seeing as how most of the responses you are getting are in line with what I would suggest, I'll try to add a few since you seem open to that level of boon. The main thing is that nothing you give should be a permanent change to the character.
I like some of the 4e consumables, like "whetstones" that provide a temporary boost to a weapon's attack bonus. Or whetstones that change the damage type of the weapon temporarily, or apply alchemical silver...
Allow a player to make you reroll one attack roll after it hits his character, and take the lower roll of the two.
Allow a one-time +2 adjustment to a skill roll.