I am running Jade Regent and the party is ready to travel over the cap of the world. As I prepare, I was thinking about some things I enjoy when playing RPGs and one thing that came to mind is achievements.
I usually encounter achievements in computer games. If you find 5 items, you unlock and achievement. If you kill 10 skeletons, you unlock an achievement.
Do you think this achievement idea would work in RPG? Find the horn of 5 different beasts, bring them to the town and unlock your reward.
These achievements would be side things, not part of the main story line probably. But there may be a quest to get so many of a certain item in order to enter a Tower or something.
Any thoughts on achievements?
Yeah sure, you can have them.
I suppose this list might be relevant:
Nice, thanks for the post.
What would the rewards be? I don't play any computer/console games so I don't know what to suggest. As far as RPGs go permanent boons might be cool. For example:
On your way from Sandpoint to your final destination you pass through the tiny hamlet of Tyrn. Here you meet Digale, the apprentice of the wizard Hunynvar. He is complaining over a pint that his master has tasked him with recovering at least 10 Stinkroot Bulbs; root vegetable much like an onion but with a stench so heinous they are not permitted to be grown in or around settlements.
Of course this is supposed to be a learning experience for the young apprentice. Digale is meant to navigate the bog-riddled forest known as the Willowart Wood where the root is known to grow near the sodden bases of the moss-covered hillocks and knolls. The only problem is that the wooded hills are also the home of a particularly agressive type of goat called the Grinning Goat; when it lowers it's horns the markings on the creature's crown appear to be a grinning skull.
If the PCs recover 10 bulbs Digale will grant them access to his master's extensive libraries. He knows a secret way into the lore room though he's not permitted into the spellbooks and such. Still studying these tomes is a rare boon.
Harvesting the bulbs is not easy. First they must be found. Tracking by scent is the best way but there are a number of signs in the wood among the flora and fauna that give away potential patches (Knowledge: Nature, Perception, Profession: Herbalist, Survival). There are also the Grinning Goats to watch out for; they consider Stinkroot a delicacy and are extremely territorial (potential encounter). Finally, once they are found you must be careful how they are harvested. If they are handled indelicately they release their stench and are useless in magical research (Knowledge: Nature, Profession: Herbalist, Sleight of Hand, Survival).
If 10 are collected and any PC subsequently studies one subject in Hunynvar's libraries they are granted a permanent +1 to one Knowledge skill of their choice. If they have no ranks in a Knowledge skill they may instead study techniques and information for a specific Craft or Profession skill they possess.
Does that sound about right?
Yes Mark Hoover, I like it. Some achievements will require a skill the party will not have maybe. They might choose to ignore some of the achievements, but there will be some that will be enticing.
I will have to keep the organized and documented or I am afraid they will be forgotten as the main story progresses.
Some of the achievements might be much more simple - maybe rolling to criticals in a row or something. Not sure if that would be worth tracking, but it might be fun.
Thanks!
One thing to note about achievements - try not to make them just like you wrote: "get x of somethingyou were going to get anyway" but try to make it something actually demanding (though not necessarily on stats and rolls)
Achievements make for a sort of sidequests with those nice ones giving nonstandard rewards.
Fling in some hooks in area descriptions that reveal hidden areas when followed, let them beat a boss without exchanging a single blow for some extra gift - that sort of stuff
|
Another thing to check out would be Achievement Feats, although I'd suggest making your own, as a lot of these are garbo.
In the same vein, Story Feats also accomplish a lot of the same things and are slightly better done.
Rather than random achievements, it gives the party something to shoot for, which can be very rewarding.
Another thing to check out would be Achievement Feats, although I'd suggest making your own, as a lot of these are garbo.
In the same vein, Story Feats also accomplish a lot of the same things and are slightly better done.
Rather than random achievements, it gives the party something to shoot for, which can be very rewarding.
These are great N. Jolly, I appreciate you sharing this. I am going to purchase the story feats...