How often do you use the Inspiration rules?

[Aldarc]

We do not at all.

my group has tried all sorts of flavor of "gimmick points" (hero points, drama points plot points, story points) in a lot of different systems and generally find them distasteful. The more the mechanics step away from character the less we like it. So it was gone before we tried 5e. a system which relies on them and incorporates them into its core mechanics (Cypher and 2d20 comes to mind) wont get past the door.

This seems to touch upon a problem that I have encountered with Inspiration. For some preferences, it's gimmick that is too intrusive; however, for other preferences, it does not do its supposed "gimmick" well enough. (I don't think I would do any justice to the positions by ascribing particular playstyles to these positions nor would I recommend that others attempt it.) There are certainly spectrums between, but the multiple sides of dissatisfaction kinda leaves a more pronounced sense of "nah" when looking at the mechanic.

You, for example, come at this from a different end than I do. I like "gimmick points" in Cypher System, Fate, Savage Worlds, etc. but I find the Inspiration (and associated Bonds system) to be uninspiring, lackluster, and half-hearted in its implementation.

 

[MrZeddaPiras]

In my gaming group we use the variant where players can give each other inspiration. If one player awards more than one point in a session, the DM gets one too, and the DM's points stack. This worked pretty well for us: once per evening, each player gets to "pay a compliment" to another and to make a roll with advantage when they normally wouldn't, which can be a lifesaver. This also means that bonds and flaws and so on don't have any mechanical weight for us.

 

[5ekyu]

This seems to touch upon a problem that I have encountered with Inspiration. For some preferences, it's gimmick that is too intrusive; however, for other preferences, it does not do its supposed "gimmick" well enough. (I don't think I would do any justice to the positions by ascribing particular playstyles to these positions nor would I recommend that others attempt it.) There are certainly spectrums between, but the multiple sides of dissatisfaction kinda leaves a more pronounced sense of "nah" when looking at the mechanic.

You, for example, come at this from a different end than I do. I like "gimmick points" in Cypher System, Fate, Savage Worlds, etc. but I find the Inspiration (and associated Bonds system) to be uninspiring, lackluster, and half-hearted in its implementation.

Yup i agree inspirationseems to get the worst of both worlds to me as well.

Far from a robust system integrated into mechanics meaningfully and still the doensides that come from Gimmick points.

Give every sub-class an inspiration-based feature and way to refresh inspiration for instance. Then make using inspiration "for other purposes" an optional variant with ties to ideal flaws etc. Might make it more palatable.

But if gaining inspire for Pally was tied to oath or wizard tied to spell book gaining new spell of max level or warlock to service for patron etc... With specific sub-class defined options for burning it... would be more palatable to us.

Cypher - wanted to like that system - but like 2d20 hard fail on seeing actual gameplay.

 

[ParanoydStyle]

Generally speaking, historically, ALL of my players have been DESPERATE for the agency of having points that allow them to reroll a bad roll a few times a session, so 5ekyu sounds like he (or she) is on a different planet from the one I've been gaming on. Generally speaking, D&D was a harder sell to them than other systems where they had something like the equivalent of Edge in Shadowrun. Like me most of them had done most of their gaming with not D&D. "So I just roll this one die and if it turns out bad I just have to...deal with it?" is how I'd paraphrase their reticence (and I mean, ultimately I never did manage to run a D&D campaign for these folks).

Of course...my players also had the worst dice luck imaginable, so that might be a factor in their lust for reroll points.

I like "gimmick points" in Cypher System, Fate, Savage Worlds, etc. but I find the Inspiration (and associated Bonds system) to be uninspiring, lackluster, and half-hearted in its implementation.

I kind of agree, part of the way. I wouldn't call it uninspired (no pun) because things like backgrounds and motivations and ideals are things the D&D game has really needed badly for a while now IMO, and I'm happy to see them mechanically baked in at long last; it's not exactly a brilliant act of creativity, but I do think that this was, to some degree, an inspired design decision. Lackluster...yes, what it does is a little underwhelming, but my main problem is that most of the time it's not even given a chance. Half-hearted...I'm not sure. The system definitely feels like a possibly-grudging concession to modernity and this kind of roleplaying. It does feel kind of half-assed, and like an afterthought. But I'd like to ACTUALLY PLAY with inspiration before solidifying my opinion.