ZEITGEIST Zeitgeist: Player motivations

Crispy120286 · Oct 7, 2012

This is to the DM's currently running Zeitgeist.

The group i will be running Zeitgeist for i am currently playing with (we're playing Carrion Crown) and i came to the realization that a few of them are exp hungry and loot hungry. Not to say they wont roleplay when the time comes but after ever session its all "how much exp?" or after every battle "i loot the bodies". I know Zeitgeist isn't like that as much and its narrative is much more complex than Carrion Crown.

What should i do to motivate my players for better roleplaying? or steer them away from the traditional loot and exp route and more storyline?

Thanks,
-Crispy

gideonpepys · Oct 8, 2012

I don't think this advice applies specifically to Zeitgeist. If you don't think your group will adapt to the changes (in both XP and treasure distribution), or that - even if they acquiesce in the first instance - they will be demotivated as a result, you can simply resort to handing out XP at the end of every session. Just work out how much they need in total and roughly how many sessions the adventure will take and give them a portion thereof. Job done.

Even better, make sure you tell them how great a percentage of that award was earned from quest XP - and how important roleplaying and investigative achievements are to the campaign. How pursuing storyline elements earn them both XP, treasure and Prestige. (Try to introduce that system early and make it clear how they benefit from earning prestige with specific groups.)

Treasure distribution is fairly straightforward too, as each adventure lists what an independent group would earn from each encounter. Simply have that treasure drop, and invite your players to do with it what they will: buy it, or turn it in to the RHC if they don't want it.

They can even cheat and keep more than their fair share, but then the audit in adventure 3 will almost certainly catch them out (which can be fun too).

But before you start just check why your group is so XP hungry. Perhaps that is because they see XP as a measure of how much progress they have made and a useful indicator of success. After all, going up levels is half the fun of roleplaying games. Maybe if you simply explain that levels in Zeitgeist accrue at certain points in the campaign (certain story-related points) they will be less concerned about itemization or book-keeping.

Crispy120286 · Oct 8, 2012

Thanks! Definitely will be a help

d2OKC · Oct 8, 2012

Gideon's ideas are all very good.

I've noticed my players are really enjoying the investigative aspects so far, and it's become like a game to them (I mean, I guess it is a game to them), to figure it out so that they can feel clever. This is a group that is usually very XP/Treasure Hungry.

I think the biggest thing with my group has been preparing them out of game for something different. This isn't a typical D&D setting, so they were more willing to step outside the typical tropes of the game. Plus, I warned them a few times, "guys, there's not as much combat in this campaign as usual, don't expect as much of it" and they seemed to take that rather well. I did a few warm up cases for them before getting to Skyseer (Axis actually has a lot of good combat potential!) and now that they understand how to do that job well, they're more content with it, and not as worried about fighting stuff.

I've been generous with XP out of combat as well, and have let the artificer have a pretty easy time creating items. It won't be as easy for him now that they are on a time crunch, but I've made sure to let them feel like they're getting the XP and Treasure they want.

I feel like I rambled a bit. Sorry if this isn't any help.