A New Way To Award Inspiration - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Rhenny Jan 24, 2015 12:39:38	I was reading threads on EnWorld which inspired me to come up with an idea about inspiration that I'm going to use in my games. I'm going to ask each player who fails an attack or a check to narrate what happens. Then I'm going to give them a chit. When they get 3 chits they can redeem them for an inspiration point. I like the idea because sometimes I forget about awarding inspiration, plus I like how this makes awarding inspiration more objective than subjective. Additionally, it takes the edge off of failing and may even encourage players to try things that aren't as easy to accomplish. I'll let you know how it goes. Feel free to comment or add your own ways to award inspiration.
#2 Nevvur Jan 24, 2015 14:36:48	Rhenny wrote:
(Reply to #2) Rhenny	Nevvur wrote:
#4 Archon007 Jan 26, 2015 10:13:51	I personally don't like it. It's the GMs solo responsibility to remember and reward Insperation. I reward players like the book says when they roleplay a bond or flaw, or if they do something neat or heroic. For example a dwarves fighter leapt from a 2nd story barn instead of climbing down a ladder and running around to help save his ally. If you tie it to a static rule like this after a while it will become a chore for you and the players, and if you keep the max of only 1 then it will be "oh I used my Insperation. I'll just describe a miss and have it back." I personally think leaving it open requires players to keep roleplaing or being in character more because they don't know exactly when they'll earn an Insperation. When you tie it to a rule you'll lose that. Gaining Inspiration Your DM can choose to give you inspiration for a variety of reasons. Typically, DMs award it when you play out your personality traits, give in to the drawbacks presented by a flaw or bond, and otherwise portray your character in a compelling way.
#5 Nevvur Jan 26, 2015 10:49:28	Archon007 wrote:
(Reply to #4) Ranthalan	Archon007 wrote:
#7 iserith Jan 26, 2015 11:55:44	Rhenny wrote:
#8 Rhenny Jan 26, 2015 12:02:31	Inspiration is a pretty tricky mechanic. Honestly, I'm still not sure how I even handle it in my games. Sometimes, I want to systematize it so it isn't subjective. Other times I want to award it spontaneously when a player tries something fun and in-character. Sometimes I just wait until after each session and give inspiration if I think a player played the PC in-character. So far, I've only used spontaneous and end of session methods.
(Reply to #8) Ranthalan	Rhenny wrote:
#10 iserith Jan 26, 2015 12:16:01	For what it's worth, the way we're handling it in my games is by empowering the players to take Inspiration as they want. If they choose to make a roll with disadvantage or do something that they can say is a cost or setback, then justify those things by way of their traits, ideals, bonds, or flaws, they can take Inspiration. Effectively, the DM stays out of it.
#11 OoftaMeg Jan 26, 2015 12:13:17	As much as I like the idea of inspiration I tend to forget as well. I find it helps if I have the players tell me when something was inspiring - even if it wasn't their character. There's a couple of variations of that, like allowing players to give an inspiration to another player at any time. If a player hands out more than one inspiration point, the DM also gets an inspiration point for one of his monsters.
#12 Rhenny Jan 26, 2015 12:37:42	@ranthalan, @iserith, @OoftMeg, all make sense. It is quite interesting how this one small aspect of the game has so many variations at different tables. I guess because it is new for D&D, I'm still playing around with it in game and theoretically.
#13 redhollywood Jan 26, 2015 15:03:55	i try to make getting inspiration something special. If they figure out a particuarly hard puzzle or if they come up with some very clever way of using thier abilitys. My problem is that sometimes my players forget to actually use the inspiration they have. I give them special d20s just for the occassion and at the end of the session if they are not used I take them back. After losing it a few times I am sure they will remember lol
(Reply to #13) Rhenny	redhollywood wrote:
#15 redhollywood Jan 26, 2015 16:04:08	Rhenny wrote:
#16 Archon007 Jan 28, 2015 21:06:46	iserith wrote:
#17 iserith Jan 28, 2015 21:10:24	Archon007 wrote:
(Reply to #14) Timborama	Rhenny wrote:

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Rhenny

Jan 24, 2015 12:39:38

I was reading threads on EnWorld which inspired me to come up with an idea about inspiration that I'm going to use in my games.

I'm going to ask each player who fails an attack or a check to narrate what happens. Then I'm going to give them a chit.

When they get 3 chits they can redeem them for an inspiration point.

I like the idea because sometimes I forget about awarding inspiration, plus I like how this makes awarding inspiration more objective than subjective. Additionally, it takes the edge off of failing and may even encourage players to try things that aren't as easy to accomplish.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Feel free to comment or add your own ways to award inspiration.

Nevvur

Jan 24, 2015 14:36:48

Rhenny wrote:

(Reply to #2)

Rhenny

Nevvur wrote:

Archon007

Jan 26, 2015 10:13:51

I personally don't like it. It's the GMs solo responsibility to remember and reward Insperation. I reward players like the book says when they roleplay a bond or flaw, or if they do something neat or heroic. For example a dwarves fighter leapt from a 2nd story barn instead of climbing down a ladder and running around to help save his ally.

If you tie it to a static rule like this after a while it will become a chore for you and the players, and if you keep the max of only 1 then it will be "oh I used my Insperation. I'll just describe a miss and have it back." I personally think leaving it open requires players to keep roleplaing or being in character more because they don't know exactly when they'll earn an Insperation. When you tie it to a rule you'll lose that.

Gaining Inspiration
Your DM can choose to give you inspiration for a variety of reasons. Typically, DMs award it when you play out your personality traits, give in to the drawbacks presented by a flaw or bond, and otherwise portray your character in a compelling way.

Nevvur

Jan 26, 2015 10:49:28

Archon007 wrote:

(Reply to #4)

Ranthalan

Archon007 wrote:

iserith

Jan 26, 2015 11:55:44

Rhenny wrote:

Rhenny

Jan 26, 2015 12:02:31

Inspiration is a pretty tricky mechanic. Honestly, I'm still not sure how I even handle it in my games.

Sometimes, I want to systematize it so it isn't subjective.

Other times I want to award it spontaneously when a player tries something fun and in-character.

Sometimes I just wait until after each session and give inspiration if I think a player played the PC in-character.

So far, I've only used spontaneous and end of session methods.

(Reply to #8)

Ranthalan

Rhenny wrote:

#10

iserith

Jan 26, 2015 12:16:01

For what it's worth, the way we're handling it in my games is by empowering the players to take Inspiration as they want. If they choose to make a roll with disadvantage or do something that they can say is a cost or setback, then justify those things by way of their traits, ideals, bonds, or flaws, they can take Inspiration. Effectively, the DM stays out of it.

#11

OoftaMeg

Jan 26, 2015 12:13:17

As much as I like the idea of inspiration I tend to forget as well. I find it helps if I have the players tell me when something was inspiring - even if it wasn't their character.

There's a couple of variations of that, like allowing players to give an inspiration to another player at any time. If a player hands out more than one inspiration point, the DM also gets an inspiration point for one of his monsters.

#12

Rhenny

Jan 26, 2015 12:37:42

@ranthalan, @iserith, @OoftMeg, all make sense. It is quite interesting how this one small aspect of the game has so many variations at different tables. I guess because it is new for D&D, I'm still playing around with it in game and theoretically.

#13

redhollywood

Jan 26, 2015 15:03:55

i try to make getting inspiration something special. If they figure out a particuarly hard puzzle or if they come up with some very clever way of using thier abilitys. My problem is that sometimes my players forget to actually use the inspiration they have. I give them special d20s just for the occassion and at the end of the session if they are not used I take them back. After losing it a few times I am sure they will remember lol

(Reply to #13)

Rhenny

redhollywood wrote:

#15

redhollywood

Jan 26, 2015 16:04:08

Rhenny wrote:

#16

Archon007

Jan 28, 2015 21:06:46

iserith wrote:

#17

iserith

Jan 28, 2015 21:10:24

Archon007 wrote:

(Reply to #14)

Timborama

Rhenny wrote: