Reward System

[wolfsgrin]

I have decided to start giving out little rewards for various things that players would do throughout games. Especially role-playing and playing their character correctly.
Some of the rewards i have in mind to give after a gaming session:

1. A one time double damage to any attack (must be stated before attacking)
2. A one time +3 to strike on any one roll
3. A one time re-roll a botched or bad roll

the list goes on. I just wanted to see if anybody has done anything like this. Or maybe start a rewards thread.
I think they should have nifty names. Like Hand of God for the "a re-roll of a botched or bad roll".
Maybe randomly rolled once for each player at the end of the game session.

[Astral_Explorer]

I have actually heard of others doing something similiar.

It seems like a nice way to reward outside of XP.

In a Role Master game I was in a long time ago the GM rewarded players for letting him alter the rules. Letting a major villian slip away even when the PC's could kill them etc. For doing so to further his game the players were given small perks like that.

It worked ok for the game since it was something agreed upon before the game started.

I hope it works out well for you.

[SkyeFyre]

I actually had a set up like that once. Basically it went like this: Whenever a player would do something particularly excellent or just made me go... ooooohhh. I would let them draw a card from the deck. Then depending on what they needed or wanted they could use the cards for various bonuses. An example might be...

For every 1 diamond card used you get a +1 to a defensive roll
For every spade you get a +1 to an offensive...etc

Or if they were doing especially good, different card combinations could allow them to "just stumble upon" (Within reason and good role playing) all sorts of wonderful rewards. Oh no, Jimmy's out of ammo, what luck, it looks like this convoy that just got trashed had a bunch of e-clips and some guns laying around. Wait... what was that sound?

You get the idea

[Syndicate]

I've just recently thought about using similiar tactics in my games to add a little "something" to the sessions. Still working out the bugs to streamline the system. Initially, I planned on creating a list of "goodies" that players could "purchase" using XP earned throughout my games. Anything from quests to secret/surprise bonuses could be bought at the sacrifice of XP.

[Noon]

I have decided to start giving out little rewards for various things that players would do throughout games. Especially role-playing and playing their character correctly.
Some of the rewards i have in mind to give after a gaming session:

1. A one time double damage to any attack (must be stated before attacking)
2. A one time +3 to strike on any one roll
3. A one time re-roll a botched or bad roll

the list goes on. I just wanted to see if anybody has done anything like this. Or maybe start a rewards thread.
I think they should have nifty names. Like Hand of God for the "a re-roll of a botched or bad roll".
Maybe randomly rolled once for each player at the end of the game session.

From actual play accounts I've seen, giving rewards after the sessions ended defeats the purpose. Players can't remember what they did. Think of when you train a dog - when they sit, do you wait two hours before giving them a treat, or straight away? I really recommend giving the reward when they perform the deed, as fast as possible - the faster you are, the more impact it has.

Second, from what I've seen generic rewards do not reinforce the behaviour. If your game is about killing slavers, then to reinforce what the reward is about, it's double damage when killing slavers. It's not double damage when shooting your way out of a bar, it's not DD when stealing a ride. It's DD when, and only when killing slavers. Or whatever is the big deal about your campaign.

That said, welcome to the world of rewards - one of the most powerful tools you'll find.

[wolfsgrin]

I use tokens for xp, so that i can remember at least how well they did. That has worked out well so far. I like the idea of using xp to buy certain things. I may let them buy a rol on the rewards table. That may work out better.
The rewards are the same as letting a pc get away with a bad roll. Except now its earned in a more concrete manner than me just giving a player the right of way. Which could lead to looking like i have a favorite. This way i don't always have to let it go their way or flubb a roll, they have an instant they are able to use instead of me coming up with something on the spot. Plus they only get one reward at the end of a session, and they can only use it once in the next session. It doesn't carry over to another session either.
Thanks for the input. Keep em coming. And if you have an reward idea, post it.

[wolfsgrin]

I run a really epic, fictionally realistic (if that makes any sense) complex campaign, so i usually find a way to reward them along the way, maybe with a good bit of luck or something a lot better based on the role-playing they did. If the PCs role-play well, things will pan out well for them, and so far my PCs like it.
I don't know, i guess the idea is alright. To each his own i guess. I prefer not using it because it takes away from the immersion to the game world, creates more of a gamey setting. Also, your going to have a bunch of people trying to over-exaggerate their characters to get bonuses, and the bonuses will become more important than the role-playing aspect.

I would have to agree, that it could take away from the game. XP should be the only reward to motivate people to play their character. Rewards should have nothing to do with playing their character it should be for actually playing the game. IE. reward for not missing any game nights, person who hosted game sessions the most, etc... As a GM I think rewarding players for playing the game. Being a GM I see this as a better reward to show players you appreciate them for playing.

This will allow realism and the random dice to work its magic without the player thinking in the back of his/her mind that they have a trump card to alter events in the game. ie. double dmg, +def roll, magical appearance of items etc...

My opinion as a GM & Player

thats the way I've always ran, just tryn something new. But i like the way you think

[Noon]

Rewards for playing the character work towards a positive end - they don't produce some blasphemous 'just doing that with my character for the points' play.

Has anyone actually got any accounts of it going bad, or is it just a long held fear that it will?

[shiiv-a]

well .. when i GM'd .. a short time and a while ago in the chatrooms .. i would ensure to have an IM to keep in touch with the players ... and while i gave Exp IN the room at the end of the game ... i would do private bonuses for various parts that they did. that way .. everyone knows what the other gets .. plus whatever else i handed out

[Shorty Lickens]

That sounds a little like the Karma system from Shadowrun.