Rewarding Roleplaying - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Rewarding Roleplaying

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
thrassoss
Mar 16, 2005 8:47:59 Some people role play characters poorly and some prefer not to role play at all. One reason for this is that that roleplaying a character isn't usually rewarded in the game, and it really should be. With this in mind, if you're willing to do the work, you can alter this behavior.

Yes, you can award xp to players who play their character well but that's really saying that a player can RP a farmer accurately for 6 months and make 20th level. This doesn't seem to be logical. The case here seems to be 'suspension of disbelief'. A player often forgets that his character has drive other than becoming more powerful and thus doesn't think to do things that would make his/her character comfortable in game. This isn't a universal statement just a tendency I've noticed.

A technique I'm developing is actually rewarding characters in a fairly realistic fashion. I am switching over my game to a Vitality/Wound system rather that a Hit Point system. This allows me to give Vitality bonuses to players whose characters are in top form. This means characters that are well-fed, well-rested, and motivated. To facilitate this I had to create more depth to the game than is already there. I had to create cuisine for all the cultures of my world so that characters can chose favorite foods. After all, there's a big difference between a 16 oz sirloin steak and 1 pound of stale salted pork, and a person who is well fed has more energy than one who has subsisted on rations for days.

Well-rested and motivated is a bit easier but still something takes some thought. Does sleeping 8 hours under the sky in September equal sleeping 8 hours on a soft bed in a warm inn? Probably not.

Motivation requires a full backstory for each character to include why he does what he does. It's a convenient excuse for a player to say, "If I get this sword from this crypt I can save more people," but unless that character has some kind excuse to rob a grave it's not feasible for them. Most 'good' religions that are proponents of helping people frown heavily on grave robbery.

In this fashion by creating rule systems for players to use to roleplay to gain an advantage in abilities, players will be guided into the behavior that a DM wants.
#2
nor-morgwae
May 04, 2005 15:50:53 I'm really interested in hearing more about what you did with food/rest and vitality points. If you have already posted it somewhere just post a link. I've been trying to get my group more into their characters and previous attempts have turned out to be less than effective (I think they want to be more IC it's just the environment of the game).
#3
hairfoot
May 19, 2005 12:24:25 Rewarding roleplaying is difficult, but it's one of the areas where a DM proves that he or she is more than a hit-point accountant for monsters. I've micro-managed my players in the past - giving them menus, prayer times, toileting times, making them to spend time maintaining weapons and equipment, enforcing personal taboos and superstitions - but it simply made more unnecessary work for me, the DM.

I measure roleplaying along two axes - alignment and background. For example, if a chaotic-good character is making detailed, procedural plans to attain goals, then they're being lawful, which won't earn XP. If they're more capricious, they can squeeze a bit more experience out of it. Similarly, a LN character who always sides with the good guys, regardless of their methods, isn't sticking to their alignment. (I must say I think neutral-good is a roleplaying cop-out.)

Background is harder to measure. If a barbarian character's background involves a quest for his father's lost magic axe (pulp-fantasy material, but indulge me here), then I would reward the character for pursuing any relevant lost-weapon arcana or local history involving potent axes (or aged barbarians, if it fits). I would hate to see the player hacking away in combat for ten levels before a neon sign appears, saying "this way to your character goal".

Endurance is a DM's prerogative. Asking players to roleplay fatigue is pointless - they'll run their PCs around like Nintendo characters until you start penalising them. And why not? Only the DM can tell them when they've been climbing a mountain for six hours, or slept in 'til 12.
#4
20102000
May 23, 2005 15:57:46 My biggest problem with rewarding role-playing is that with any group the role-playing varies from player to player. And rewarding role-playing often means rewarding one player over others. I do give bonuses for role-playing but only as a small proportion of the xp. I prefer giving xp per session based on what the party has accomplished.
#5
Green
Jun 03, 2005 19:54:14 IME, the best way to reward roleplaying is not to give more XP or even more Vitality/WP, but to increase roleplaying possibilities. Playing your character should be a reward in itself, but in order to make it rewarding, there has to be an incentive to keep at it rather than fading into the background or simply putting numbers on a character sheet. Someone who creates a background full of hooks for the DM to exploit should have a more central role in the campaign than one whose character is little more than a race and a class. A player who acts in accordance to the character's nature, knowledge, and capabilities despite the consequences should have more say in the direction of the campaign than one with a character that is barely anything aside from an attack bonus and an AC. In other words, the more effort a player puts into creating, developing, and portraying a compelling character, the more likely that the player becomes the default "star" of the campaign. While this may seem to go against the party structure assumed in D&D, I have found that in some cases, some players are actually relieved to not be in the spotlight, for various reasons.

Instead of combat-related bonuses, I'd recommend Action Points. However, instead of granting them automatically, you can use them as a reward for roleplaying that really makes the game fun for everyone. Use it as a way to reward the player's own initiative and creativity. In particular, seeking knowledge, making connections, character growth (narratively speaking) and performing deeds appropriate for the character would be the basic guidelines for awarding Action Points. Of course, you would get more if you do these things despite mechanical setbacks and potential injury and/or death. In other words, reward a player's integrity to the character (which is not the same as integrity to the class or the alignment) if it enhances the game. The last thing you want is to encourage a player to make his character into a Jar Jar Binks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 thrassoss Mar 16, 2005 8:47:59	Some people role play characters poorly and some prefer not to role play at all. One reason for this is that that roleplaying a character isn't usually rewarded in the game, and it really should be. With this in mind, if you're willing to do the work, you can alter this behavior. Yes, you can award xp to players who play their character well but that's really saying that a player can RP a farmer accurately for 6 months and make 20th level. This doesn't seem to be logical. The case here seems to be 'suspension of disbelief'. A player often forgets that his character has drive other than becoming more powerful and thus doesn't think to do things that would make his/her character comfortable in game. This isn't a universal statement just a tendency I've noticed. A technique I'm developing is actually rewarding characters in a fairly realistic fashion. I am switching over my game to a Vitality/Wound system rather that a Hit Point system. This allows me to give Vitality bonuses to players whose characters are in top form. This means characters that are well-fed, well-rested, and motivated. To facilitate this I had to create more depth to the game than is already there. I had to create cuisine for all the cultures of my world so that characters can chose favorite foods. After all, there's a big difference between a 16 oz sirloin steak and 1 pound of stale salted pork, and a person who is well fed has more energy than one who has subsisted on rations for days. Well-rested and motivated is a bit easier but still something takes some thought. Does sleeping 8 hours under the sky in September equal sleeping 8 hours on a soft bed in a warm inn? Probably not. Motivation requires a full backstory for each character to include why he does what he does. It's a convenient excuse for a player to say, "If I get this sword from this crypt I can save more people," but unless that character has some kind excuse to rob a grave it's not feasible for them. Most 'good' religions that are proponents of helping people frown heavily on grave robbery. In this fashion by creating rule systems for players to use to roleplay to gain an advantage in abilities, players will be guided into the behavior that a DM wants.
#2 nor-morgwae May 04, 2005 15:50:53	I'm really interested in hearing more about what you did with food/rest and vitality points. If you have already posted it somewhere just post a link. I've been trying to get my group more into their characters and previous attempts have turned out to be less than effective (I think they want to be more IC it's just the environment of the game).
#3 hairfoot May 19, 2005 12:24:25	Rewarding roleplaying is difficult, but it's one of the areas where a DM proves that he or she is more than a hit-point accountant for monsters. I've micro-managed my players in the past - giving them menus, prayer times, toileting times, making them to spend time maintaining weapons and equipment, enforcing personal taboos and superstitions - but it simply made more unnecessary work for me, the DM. I measure roleplaying along two axes - alignment and background. For example, if a chaotic-good character is making detailed, procedural plans to attain goals, then they're being lawful, which won't earn XP. If they're more capricious, they can squeeze a bit more experience out of it. Similarly, a LN character who always sides with the good guys, regardless of their methods, isn't sticking to their alignment. (I must say I think neutral-good is a roleplaying cop-out.) Background is harder to measure. If a barbarian character's background involves a quest for his father's lost magic axe (pulp-fantasy material, but indulge me here), then I would reward the character for pursuing any relevant lost-weapon arcana or local history involving potent axes (or aged barbarians, if it fits). I would hate to see the player hacking away in combat for ten levels before a neon sign appears, saying "this way to your character goal". Endurance is a DM's prerogative. Asking players to roleplay fatigue is pointless - they'll run their PCs around like Nintendo characters until you start penalising them. And why not? Only the DM can tell them when they've been climbing a mountain for six hours, or slept in 'til 12.
#4 20102000 May 23, 2005 15:57:46	My biggest problem with rewarding role-playing is that with any group the role-playing varies from player to player. And rewarding role-playing often means rewarding one player over others. I do give bonuses for role-playing but only as a small proportion of the xp. I prefer giving xp per session based on what the party has accomplished.
#5 Green Jun 03, 2005 19:54:14	IME, the best way to reward roleplaying is not to give more XP or even more Vitality/WP, but to increase roleplaying possibilities. Playing your character should be a reward in itself, but in order to make it rewarding, there has to be an incentive to keep at it rather than fading into the background or simply putting numbers on a character sheet. Someone who creates a background full of hooks for the DM to exploit should have a more central role in the campaign than one whose character is little more than a race and a class. A player who acts in accordance to the character's nature, knowledge, and capabilities despite the consequences should have more say in the direction of the campaign than one with a character that is barely anything aside from an attack bonus and an AC. In other words, the more effort a player puts into creating, developing, and portraying a compelling character, the more likely that the player becomes the default "star" of the campaign. While this may seem to go against the party structure assumed in D&D, I have found that in some cases, some players are actually relieved to not be in the spotlight, for various reasons. Instead of combat-related bonuses, I'd recommend Action Points. However, instead of granting them automatically, you can use them as a reward for roleplaying that really makes the game fun for everyone. Use it as a way to reward the player's own initiative and creativity. In particular, seeking knowledge, making connections, character growth (narratively speaking) and performing deeds appropriate for the character would be the basic guidelines for awarding Action Points. Of course, you would get more if you do these things despite mechanical setbacks and potential injury and/or death. In other words, reward a player's integrity to the character (which is not the same as integrity to the class or the alignment) if it enhances the game. The last thing you want is to encourage a player to make his character into a Jar Jar Binks.