Encouraging Roleplay: Non-combat feats at even levels


Homebrew and House Rules

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If you want to encourage role play, doing so with a game mechanic is NOT the way. That's like encouraging children to go outside and play by giving them "go out and play" video games.

Presenting interesting player choices, initiating dialogue with interesting NPCs, using magic and things to screw with the players (one word: doppelganger), and putting interesting twists on things is how you do it. If you want the PCs to interact, then make the game interactive. (Hint: game mechanics are not interactive)


Sinatar wrote:
If you want to encourage role play, doing so with a game mechanic is NOT the way. That's like encouraging children to go outside and play by giving them "go out and play" video games.

You do realize video companies do this now right? :P its been kind of a thing for a few years.


BetaSprite wrote:

Mechanics:

On every even character level, players may choose one non-combat feat that they qualify for (referred to later as a 'roleplay feat'). They gain this feat, but they lose the feat's benefits during combat (bolded for emphasis, if you're skimming the post). Further, roleplay feats do not count as prerequisites for any non-roleplay feats.

Why?
My players' characters are very combat-oriented, although by backstory, they really shouldn't be. I have a bowyer who can craft, and would use crafting feats if they didn't reduce his combat ability. I have a researcher who puts his feats into grappling and tripping.

...and the next story arc of my campaign would benefit greatly if they had used more non-combat feats to flesh out their characters. It's more of a mystery/sneaking/political arc, and shooting everything in the face could get them killed. They will be notified of this as the arc begins.

Anyway, rather than punishing them for their focus on combat ability, I would like to offer them a way to flesh out their characters in a roleplay capacity without giving them further combat advantage. I expect the bowyer to take Master Craftsman and a few magic item creation feats. The researcher would get some knowledge boosts for gathering info (but not for identifying monsters, as the boost doesn't work in combat), as well as possibly going into something that interests him as a player, but would lower his combat ability if he took it in place of a regular feat.

Why post it?
I think it's a good idea for getting your players to flesh out their characters more than "he shoots his bow really good" without punishing them. It somewhat serves the same purpose as traits, except that a lot of traits benefit you in combat, which skews what my players picked. (Almost all of them picked the +2 initiative trait)

Let me know if you see any problems with this mechanic as I've stated
it, and I'll see about revising it.

u don't have to go with free feats. maybe give em two non coms for one combat and maybe instead of saying combat oriented say u can only use them when they could normally take 10 and if u let em take craft feats or use old expansion books watch out for anyone grabbing the draconomicon cause there are some craft feats that would just insanely over comp any weapon crafter that could find and kill even a medium sized dragon


He is my take on role-playing. If I live as an adventurer in a combat world I am going to ditch the time to learn diplomacy and take that time learning how to wield my weapon.

It is simple logic:
With diplomacy I MAY dodge 1-2 fights.

Either way, I am going to get into fights.

If I am 5% better with my weapon, I will hit my enemies more times. The more times I hit them, the faster they die.
The faster they die the more likely I will live through ALL fights.

So in conclusion, I will get better at fighting.

No one wants to play that fat guy from Revolution. They all want to play Miles Matheson.


I haven't read the thread, but simply skimmed it.

I think what I want to say has already been said, but I KNOW it bears repeating.

You can't force role-play through mechanics. The easiest way to FORCE role-play is to refuse to accept or acknowledge any system mechanics while they need to deal with a situation.


if you want more roleplay why not just houserule no diplomacy, intimidate, or bluff in your campaigns

Verdant Wheel

i am DMing a new game currently, we had session two today.

since my players voted on 3.5 over Pathfinder, i incorporated "traits" by having them each select a free +2/+2 feat for their characters (they chose Acrobatic, Agile, Deft Hands, Magical Aptitude, Nimble Fingers, and Self-Sufficient)

each game they get a 'chip' which they can use to re-roll a d20 or attempt a stunt according to their trait.

though i don't think it changes how they roleplay, it has allowed them to develop their skills a little without 'using up' a feat slot nor costing any skill points.


3.5e and PF suffer from the effect of "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail".
The games cram so many class features and feats into character builds, and every new book always adds a ton of new and better options, that it is very easy to fall into the trap to search for the solution to any problem on your character sheet instead of approaching the situation by considering what regular people might do. And after a time the game feels as if you can't attempt anything unless you have a special ability for it. Instead, special abilities should only help to increase your chances at doing things that anyone could try.
I think the best way to encourage players to interact with the world instead of just activating feats and class features is to give them less of those and instead focus a lot more on skills. The stunt mechanic from Iron Heroes seems to be a great way to do that, by allowing you to spontaneously come up with cool things your character might do in a fight with a simple Skill check that is countered by the opponents Base Attack Roll (indicating that he is experienced enough to not fall for the trick) or an appropriate opposing skill check. If you come out on top, you can get a bonus to damage, slow your enemy down, blind him for a round, and so on. Throw a vase at him, kick a chair right in front of his feet, cut down a curtain, swing on ropes, or do whatever you think would be possible or cool. And getting used to do such things in combat also helps to create the mindset to improvise stuff outside of fights.

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