iserith
Magic Wordsmith
You should play at my table then - it's a huge part of the play experience.
How often do you use the Inspiration rules?
You should play at my table then - it's a huge part of the play experience.
Our table had been using inspiration-like mechanics since late 2nd edition, so 5e’s version was an easy sell for us.
Currently, I hand out inspiration (tokens, to make them tangible) at the beginning of the session, and spent inspiration goes into a pool from which players can dole out inspiration to one another for good play (whatever they decide it means, and with a cap of one time per session). The players can also burn inspiration in the pool (for the remainder of the session) for other effects.
Obviously, inspiration gets used a lot, which is good since it means I can pull fewer punches as DM.
Currently, I hand out inspiration (tokens, to make them tangible) at the beginning of the session, and spent inspiration goes into a pool from which players can dole out inspiration to one another for good play (whatever they decide it means, and with a cap of one time per session). The players can also burn inspiration in the pool (for the remainder of the session) for other effects.
Obviously, inspiration gets used a lot, which is good since it means I can pull fewer punches as DM.
ParanoydStyle
Peace Among Worlds
Pleasantly surprised (slightly amazed) with how this thread blew up. No time to reply to everything but I will TRY to come back and read more individual responses, since it seems like "how" people use Inspiration is just as important as "how often".
If we're discussing a table full of randos at a convention, having that stuff memorized totally isn't part of your job as a DM. In a long term campaign with consistent players? I'd argue that memorizing at least one important ideal/bond/flaw for each of your PCs IS part of your job as a DM.
But of course I come from HERO System (where every PC has a laundry list of disadvantages the GM should try to remember) and before that, Shadowrun (where you had to remember how to roleplay as PCs' contacts, which were a little like bonds, only each PC had several) and also Call of Cthulhu/Delta Green, which had comparable mechanics, so yeah...if you've only ever played D&D I can see how it might seem like a headache you don't need.
See, I'm not comfortable with thinking of it that way because it's D&D 5E's SOLE CONCESSION to the massive Storygame/Rules-Lite/Story-First movement that has been growing and growing and growing in the decade since 4th Edition came out, DungeonWorld, ApocalypseWorld, FATE et al. Whether it's working as intended or not, it's not a fiddly bit. It's kind of a big deal. Because without this one concession to modern trends in RPG design...the entire design philosophy of D&D 5E seems to come from the same exact mindset they had in the year 2000 when 3rd Edition launched. Personally, I am less bothered by this than some others would be, but on some level I do want the hobby and the craft of game design to progress.
***
Anyway, personally, here is what I think I'm going to do (I have yet to actually get behind the screen for a game of 5E but that's another story). I think if it's an ongoing campaign with PCs I expect to know about and care about, I will most likely give out around 2d6 (I'm not actually going to roll dice, I just mean between two and twelve with a strong tendency to be close to seven) to Players each game session.
If I have a table of strangers for a one-shot, I'm going to say, right up front, something like: "There are like eight of you and I can't memorize your characters' Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws in the time we have available to us. Please tell me if you think you're roleplaying your character's Personality Traits, Ideals, and Flaws exceptionally well, and if I agree, I'll award you with Inspiration."
Bonds, incidentally, is the odd one out. I'm not sure I'd award Inspiration for it because having a Bond and invoking that Bond will be its own reward (and the only downside is that you might have to go on an adventure for your Bond in return which is really not a downside at all since as a D&D player you're there to go on adventures in the first place).
If we're discussing a table full of randos at a convention, having that stuff memorized totally isn't part of your job as a DM. In a long term campaign with consistent players? I'd argue that memorizing at least one important ideal/bond/flaw for each of your PCs IS part of your job as a DM.
But of course I come from HERO System (where every PC has a laundry list of disadvantages the GM should try to remember) and before that, Shadowrun (where you had to remember how to roleplay as PCs' contacts, which were a little like bonds, only each PC had several) and also Call of Cthulhu/Delta Green, which had comparable mechanics, so yeah...if you've only ever played D&D I can see how it might seem like a headache you don't need.
See, I'm not comfortable with thinking of it that way because it's D&D 5E's SOLE CONCESSION to the massive Storygame/Rules-Lite/Story-First movement that has been growing and growing and growing in the decade since 4th Edition came out, DungeonWorld, ApocalypseWorld, FATE et al. Whether it's working as intended or not, it's not a fiddly bit. It's kind of a big deal. Because without this one concession to modern trends in RPG design...the entire design philosophy of D&D 5E seems to come from the same exact mindset they had in the year 2000 when 3rd Edition launched. Personally, I am less bothered by this than some others would be, but on some level I do want the hobby and the craft of game design to progress.
***
Anyway, personally, here is what I think I'm going to do (I have yet to actually get behind the screen for a game of 5E but that's another story). I think if it's an ongoing campaign with PCs I expect to know about and care about, I will most likely give out around 2d6 (I'm not actually going to roll dice, I just mean between two and twelve with a strong tendency to be close to seven) to Players each game session.
If I have a table of strangers for a one-shot, I'm going to say, right up front, something like: "There are like eight of you and I can't memorize your characters' Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws in the time we have available to us. Please tell me if you think you're roleplaying your character's Personality Traits, Ideals, and Flaws exceptionally well, and if I agree, I'll award you with Inspiration."
Bonds, incidentally, is the odd one out. I'm not sure I'd award Inspiration for it because having a Bond and invoking that Bond will be its own reward (and the only downside is that you might have to go on an adventure for your Bond in return which is really not a downside at all since as a D&D player you're there to go on adventures in the first place).
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Aldarc
Legend
No, thank you. I'm not interested in buying snake oil.
The Crimson Binome
Hero
If that's the sole concession, but it's also a tiny bit that's easily ignored, then I'd think that says something significant. Namely, that the designers aren't willing to pay more than lip service to that whole design philosophy, because they don't think it's important to this game. I'm sure that many people agree with them.
Progress doesn't mean blindly following every trend that comes along. It's okay to recognize some innovations as mis-steps, and to move around them on your way to the future.
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
Snake Oil: a substance with no real medicinal value sold as a remedy for all diseases.
I'm not seeing it. I certainly did not take the position that Inspiration is a remedy for, well, anything. It can be a great incentive for players to portray their characters to established characteristics.
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
Even in one-shots with pickup groups, I trust the players to claim Inspiration on their own within the limits I described upthread. I don't want to be involved in "approving" someone's claim to Inspiration and, as long as players are engaging in good faith, there's never a problem. So I'm effectively outsourcing keeping track of everything to the players which reduces my overhead as DM and gives the players a reliable resource they can get by simply portraying their characteristics, which enhances the game experience.
Having tested this consistently in every game for four years, one thing I've noticed that is really fun is that the players will work hard to claim Inspiration at the "perfect" moment and there's often something like a competition to be the guy or gal who just *nails* it that session. It does remarkable things for the session as a whole.
LOL. This is the kind of reply that should get someone a ban or at least a time out. Especially since you didn't even bother to give any reasons why.
It's uncalled for and not worthy of respect.
I don't think it's my job as DM to tell you if you're playing your character well or not. Are you playing the character or am I?
While it's useful for a DM to know a PC's traits I'd rather leave the ultimate decision to the player. In fact, I think everyone at the table should know the other PCs' traits so we can play to them or suggest when we think they've been played well. But I'd rather leave the ultimate decision up to the player.
It isn't just that DMs repeatedly forget to grant Inspiration it's that I don't think it's my job to play your PC for you. I've already got everyone else in the game world to run.
I'm only one session in to my current campaign but I'd like to see how putting Inspiration into the hands of the players works when implemented from the very beginning. We played for two hours in session one after finishing up PCs and starting a bit late but two instances of Inspiration were awarded, which is roughly two more times than I would have otherwise granted Inspiration.
I used it towards the end of my last campaign but we had been playing for over a year and awarding it by that point was easy. Or would have been if the players hadn't been playing their PCs for so long that we didn't even realize when PCs actually played their traits. It was just who they were. The players were so into their characters we'd have to retroactively award it.
It may not be for everyone, but it does work to get more inspiration awarded.
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