Experience points for good roleplaying and ideas
- Thread starter Ahokko
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RosenMcStern
Mongoose
a) Hero Points
b) Hero Points
c) Hero Points
You can go as fas as not awarding hero points at all if players roleplay poorly, even though the rules state otherwise. Having a system where there are both Experience Rolls and Hero Points is good. Your character can advance in skill even though you roleplay poorly, and this is realistic, but you can become THE hero only if you act well and get really involved in the plot.
b) Hero Points
c) Hero Points
You can go as fas as not awarding hero points at all if players roleplay poorly, even though the rules state otherwise. Having a system where there are both Experience Rolls and Hero Points is good. Your character can advance in skill even though you roleplay poorly, and this is realistic, but you can become THE hero only if you act well and get really involved in the plot.
frogspawner
Mongoose
Defence.
Award points for good roleplay/ideas/fun, about 2 or so per session. They all add to "Defence" skill, used to luckily avoid damage in any situation - just the way Heroes should.
Roll it as an extra, last-line of (er...) defence in addition to any parrying, armour or whatever: Success avoids 10 damage, special 20 (and, ok, I still use criticals - which avoid all damage).
Your character's Defence percentage is a measure of their Heroism, and a measure of all the good rpg-ing you've done with 'em - which I think is rather neat.
Award points for good roleplay/ideas/fun, about 2 or so per session. They all add to "Defence" skill, used to luckily avoid damage in any situation - just the way Heroes should.
Roll it as an extra, last-line of (er...) defence in addition to any parrying, armour or whatever: Success avoids 10 damage, special 20 (and, ok, I still use criticals - which avoid all damage).
Your character's Defence percentage is a measure of their Heroism, and a measure of all the good rpg-ing you've done with 'em - which I think is rather neat.
weasel_fierce
Mongoose
I just reward a number of advancement rolls based on how much fun we had. The bean counting drives me bonkers
homerjsinnott
Mongoose
weasel_fierce said:
I agree here but for different reasons. I award the group the same number according to how well they played as a group.
If you award individual points who do you give the most to?
1/ the best role player?
2/ the worst player who tried hard?
3/ the person who organised the group?
4/ the person who never does anything (and therefore needs the most encouragement and help) but this session did a very small thing on their own?
Variable individual point totals don't enourage the group to work together and fosters competition within the group and a little jealousy.
Giving everyone the same encourages teamwork and banishes calls of favouritism.
frogspawner
Mongoose
homerjsinnott said:
Yes. Basically I give everyone 1 point per session (unless it was exceptional) but award "Bonus Experience Points" during the game to individuals for specific good rpg/ideas/fun, as and when they happen - so everyone knows they were deserved and there is no dispute (or bean-counting).
You can always get the players to grade each others roleplaying.homerjsinnott said:
Get them to compile two lists...
number 1 in order of the best roleplayer.
number 2 who contributed the most to the session.
Then distribute points as indicated by the list... then they can only blame themselves then
duncan_disorderly
Mongoose
Ahokko said:
Aren't all these things their own reward?
frogspawner
Mongoose
A good roleplaying system should encourage good roleplaying, i.e. reward it.
Ahokko said:
Although I use a different XP system (Hero Points used as XP, roll 100 - skill, minimum = INT, can use Hero Points to re-roll failures) I don't actually reward these things with Hero Points or XP.
Maybe I am a mean GM, but I can't be as I give special abilities and magical items away like sweeties.
Ahokko said:
I don't really reward this as it generally spawns scenarios and session ideas that have their own rewards. Also, people's ideas of good roleplaying differ too much to allow it to be measured properly.
Ahokko said:
They get the rewards from the scenario.
No need to reward them extra for following my simple tasks, better to punish them for not solving the blindingly obvious clues or failing to see the connections painted in fluorescent letters ten foot high.
Ahokko said:
If they have a good idea then that might help them to do something or perhaps succeed at something without a roll. It might even spawn another scenario or plot point.
What it won't do is generate Hero Points or Experience Points (I combine the two for ease of book-keeping and convenience).
Sometimes, a particular PC might get a bonus for doing something extremely heroic, which catches the eye of the cult or whatever, in which case they might get some free training or a spelll taught, or they might get a free ability.
frogspawner
Mongoose
That is a good idea, which I use too.soltakss said:
When I say good roleplaying is rewarded with "Bonus Experience Points", I mean points of Defence, in my system described above. (They are most like Hero Points in MRQ, although they can't buy super-abilities, wishes or 'get-out-of-fumble-free cards'. I don't give experience points in the sense of MRQ-style Improvement Rolls, either - skill increases have to be earned in the time-honoured way of gaining ticks.)
PlayWithBob
Mongoose
I use this system in my D20 games. While I have not GMed RQ yet, I'm sure the idea can be adapted.
First I give each player 10 poker chips. The chips are color coded and each player gets a color. The color and player is recorded on a cheat sheet somewhere.
Next we game. The players then reward each other with chips for good RP and heroics.
When the adventure is done I tally the entire experience total then subtract 25% of that total. This leaves 75% which is divided equally between the players.
The last 25% is then divided by the number of chips that were available. Each chip is worth 1 share of the remaining xp. A player does NOT get any xp for his own chips.
So the players decide who gets the 'bonus' xp for RP.
First I give each player 10 poker chips. The chips are color coded and each player gets a color. The color and player is recorded on a cheat sheet somewhere.
Next we game. The players then reward each other with chips for good RP and heroics.
When the adventure is done I tally the entire experience total then subtract 25% of that total. This leaves 75% which is divided equally between the players.
The last 25% is then divided by the number of chips that were available. Each chip is worth 1 share of the remaining xp. A player does NOT get any xp for his own chips.
So the players decide who gets the 'bonus' xp for RP.
homerjsinnott
Mongoose
Exubae said:You can always get the players to grade each others roleplaying.homerjsinnott said:
Get them to compile two lists...
number 1 in order of the best roleplayer.
number 2 who contributed the most to the session.
Then distribute points as indicated by the list... then they can only blame themselves then
To my mind this still fosters favouritism and ill will, my players didn't want to do this as it made them compete amongst themselves and encouraged a "tit for tat" environment.
If the group as a whole gets the same, dependent on how they all perform then they all feel that they have contributed for good or bad.
I did the individual thing for over two years with RQ III and didn't like it,
too much like VtM ie everyone at each others throats (sic).
frogspawner
Mongoose
Sorry, it seems too complex and open to abuses for me. Players could selfishly hoard chips and use them to bribe other players ("Cure my magic-user, not the dwarf, and I'll give you 10 chips!").PlayWithBob said:
Sorry, but that's too much to expect of players. And I doubt there'd be enough time for such bureaucracy when everyone's packing up and going home at the end of a session.Exubae said:
Just give 'em all 1 point each at the end (unless it was truly great or dire, in which case 2 or 0), and during the game give the odd extra one to individuals who do a notably good bit of rpg. Simple.
PlayWithBob
Mongoose
frogspawner said:
No worries. Its not a perfect system but it works well for our group. The players enjoy the system and while they do sometimes take slight advantage, it has yet to be horribly unbalanced.
frogspawner
Mongoose
Glad to hear it works for you. Happy hacking!
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
I liked Frogspawner's idea about "defense". That might work. And the "Instant Bonus Award" is usable aswell. I'm using "Players' Award Bonus" in which the players vote for the best actor, roleplay or quote.
I was a bit surprised about some comments:
"If you award individual points who do you give the most to?"
(My group: the players will determine what is good roleplaying. If counting the bonuses and throwing the dice is "good roleplaying" for somebody - that's fair enough. Not for me. Here's our groups system
After the basic XP award, I will award bonus for:
- Good acting (or roleplaying). Your hero's character (attitudes and position) is determined before the game. If you are shy, you are assumed to play shy character, if you are a noble – you are assumed to play like that, and so on. So you might get big award for great acting without killing monsters or hoarding treasure.
- Good ideas/solving problems. The one who sits silently, does not give any ideas,and only throws the dice to kill somebody wont be rewarded.
My system encourages acting and inventing creative ideas through out the game. So I reward players with wit and social skills more than "the dice-roller-players. But the award should be something else than a bonus to your skill. Well, I let you know when I'll invent it.
I liked Frogspawner's idea about "defense". That might work. And the "Instant Bonus Award" is usable aswell. I'm using "Players' Award Bonus" in which the players vote for the best actor, roleplay or quote.
I was a bit surprised about some comments:
"If you award individual points who do you give the most to?"
(My group: the players will determine what is good roleplaying. If counting the bonuses and throwing the dice is "good roleplaying" for somebody - that's fair enough. Not for me. Here's our groups system
After the basic XP award, I will award bonus for:
- Good acting (or roleplaying). Your hero's character (attitudes and position) is determined before the game. If you are shy, you are assumed to play shy character, if you are a noble – you are assumed to play like that, and so on. So you might get big award for great acting without killing monsters or hoarding treasure.
- Good ideas/solving problems. The one who sits silently, does not give any ideas,and only throws the dice to kill somebody wont be rewarded.
My system encourages acting and inventing creative ideas through out the game. So I reward players with wit and social skills more than "the dice-roller-players. But the award should be something else than a bonus to your skill. Well, I let you know when I'll invent it.
Trifletraxor
Mongoose
I think the whole idea stinks. Some people are more into acting out there character. Some people like to hack and slash. If I should consistently award XP to the one I think "played" the best, it would not sit well with those who weren't rewarded. Why on earth does it need a reward from the GM anyway?
The new experience system is way too much like AD&D. It reminds me of one time me and one of my RQ friends were playing with an AD&D group. We had two low-level dwarfs who increased their swimming skill on a trip through the desert. I'm never gonna abondon the skill check system, it's definitely the best experience gain system around.
SGL.
The new experience system is way too much like AD&D. It reminds me of one time me and one of my RQ friends were playing with an AD&D group. We had two low-level dwarfs who increased their swimming skill on a trip through the desert. I'm never gonna abondon the skill check system, it's definitely the best experience gain system around.
SGL.
frogspawner
Mongoose
You're welcome, Ahokko, I'm glad to help.
I agree with with Trifletraxor about the "ticks" system being best - only increase the skills you've actually used. Hence XPs add to the special Defence ability, not any skill you fancy like MRQ Improvement Rolls.
Bonus XPs don't have to be only for character-acting, they can be for anything that adds to your group's fun. Encouraging that is surely a good thing.
I agree with with Trifletraxor about the "ticks" system being best - only increase the skills you've actually used. Hence XPs add to the special Defence ability, not any skill you fancy like MRQ Improvement Rolls.
Bonus XPs don't have to be only for character-acting, they can be for anything that adds to your group's fun. Encouraging that is surely a good thing.
Verisimilitude
Mongoose
I'm mean. I admit it freely. My players are used to it.
I will give out lots of Hero Points for many and varied things, HOWEVER the players will not know about any of them beyond the two freebies at the start of the game. I have always used this system, no matter the RPG we've played.
Anything that might be beyond those two points and I make them tell me what they want to do, say, pray, etc, and it happens or it doesn't. They are never quite sure if they spent HP or not. But good RPers catch on fast and enjoy it anyhow.
When they gain more experience, they might want some great ability, etc..
I tell them they can quest for it... as their character would... but they might get there only to find the answer is "you are not ready yet"... I find it lends itself to the RP aspect immensely.
[edit: added much later ]
Though I know none of my players come here, so I will post a few of my pet bonus items:
1) Full background story that gives me some names of people and places and connections to the player I can toy with, er, that flesh out the character's past.
2) Hand-drawn picture of your character, best effort from non-artistic types tends to endear them to my style.
3) For RuneQuest specifically, showing me live in front of everyone one of your character's native dances or singing me a native song. hee hee
.
I will give out lots of Hero Points for many and varied things, HOWEVER the players will not know about any of them beyond the two freebies at the start of the game. I have always used this system, no matter the RPG we've played.
Anything that might be beyond those two points and I make them tell me what they want to do, say, pray, etc, and it happens or it doesn't. They are never quite sure if they spent HP or not. But good RPers catch on fast and enjoy it anyhow.
When they gain more experience, they might want some great ability, etc..
I tell them they can quest for it... as their character would... but they might get there only to find the answer is "you are not ready yet"... I find it lends itself to the RP aspect immensely.
[edit: added much later ]
Though I know none of my players come here, so I will post a few of my pet bonus items:
1) Full background story that gives me some names of people and places and connections to the player I can toy with, er, that flesh out the character's past.
2) Hand-drawn picture of your character, best effort from non-artistic types tends to endear them to my style.
3) For RuneQuest specifically, showing me live in front of everyone one of your character's native dances or singing me a native song. hee hee
.
