Should Roleplay Determine Character Advancement?

[onedtwelve]

My question is simple in theory. Should roleplay determine character advancement? What I mean is, should roleplay be the only thing that determines character advancement? Should XP and other mechanical means of advancing characters be thrown out and replaced with roleplay only advancement?

For example, a player fights and kills five goblins, but that makes no difference on how far his character advances. Instead, he is judged by whether he stayed in character during the combat.

A player uses his character's skills to get past a trap, but does not advance because of that. Instead, he is judged by how he used his skills to get past the trap and whether he did what his character would do.

This would, hopefully, encourage players to make well thought out characters with actual personalities instead of relying on their numbers to get them through every situation. What I want to know is - is this a good way to measure character advancement? Should XP be thrown out for a more roleplay focused advancement methods?

What do you think? Is this a good idea, or is traditional XP advancement a better mechanic, or are they uncomparable? Is it apples and oranges? Does this idea downplay roleplaying and turn it into just another mechanic to take advantage of; is it not well-guided enough to function properly or without bias?

 

[Umbran]

What do you think? Is this a good idea, or is traditional XP advancement a better mechanic, or are they uncomparable? Is it apples and oranges? Does this idea downplay roleplaying and turn it into just another mechanic to take advantage of; is it not well-guided enough to function properly or without bias?

I don't think there's a general answer - it isn't that one way is objectively better than another. The two ways have different consequences, and will give the games different "look and feel", and you should choose based on what you want to come out of the game, and what your players like to do.

I have long used a hybrid - some XP comes from overcoming the challenges, and some comes from colorfully playing your character.

 

[Diamond Cross]

You might want to check into White Wolf's Minds' Eye Theater for ideas. It's rules for LARPing, which, is essentially pure role playing.

 

[the Jester]

The very first thing the OP made me think of was "My character wouldn't do that!" situations.

That makes me think this is a bad idea, at least for some groups/individuals.

 

[Balesir]

Hmm, so you want to keep xp and levels - which inherently encourage players to game to get xp and thus become more powerful killing machines - but have the xp awarded for 'roleplaying'. I would expect the players to compete to do whatever the person judging the 'roleplaying' competition thinks 'roleplaying' is. Those able to guess this best (and match it) win.

The problem is twofold - (1) 'roleplaying' is a rather wooly and subjective term, and (2) I suspect that the root of the issue might be that you want a less competitive, more "exploratory" game all around. If (2) is the case, I suggest looking at a different system.

 

[onedtwelve]

Hmm, so you want to keep xp and levels - which inherently encourage players to game to get xp and thus become more powerful killing machines - but have the xp awarded for 'roleplaying'. I would expect the players to compete to do whatever the person judging the 'roleplaying' competition thinks 'roleplaying' is. Those able to guess this best (and match it) win.

The problem is twofold - (1) 'roleplaying' is a rather wooly and subjective term, and (2) I suspect that the root of the issue might be that you want a less competitive, more "exploratory" game all around. If (2) is the case, I suggest looking at a different system.

That's what I'm worried about is quantifying roleplaying in too general a sense. The idea that I'm tossing around in my mind is having the players give their characters certain traits - much like aspects in the Fate system - and judging them by those traits. Whenever they play their characters according to those traits, they are allowed to advance.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

In my games that I DM, I highly encourage role-playing and I do things a bit differently in terms of experience and how I reward my players for good role-playing.

1) I advance my group a level every 2 sessions.
2) To encourage role-playing I give out special rewards and Action Points (which they have to use by the end of the session and can't keep accumulating through the current session and into the next).

I've never played a game where advancement was done solely through role-playing and probably wouldn't participate in a game that did that, but that's my personal opinion and I won't knock any body else's methods of advancement.

 

[Umbran]

Hmm, so you want to keep xp and levels - which inherently encourage players to game to get xp and thus become more powerful killing machines - but have the xp awarded for 'roleplaying'.

That is not necessarily a problem. Some folks get huge amounts of fun at the tactical game portion of D&D. For some, it is its own reward.

I would expect the players to compete to do whatever the person judging the 'roleplaying' competition thinks 'roleplaying' is. Those able to guess this best (and match it) win.

So? Those best able to play a tactical skirmish game win in the combat format, don't they? If I'm not a tactical genius, I'm at an inherent disadvantage, just like the ones who aren't good at guessing and performing what the judge things roleplaying is.

The point being that whatever reward system you use, some folks will be better at it than others.

 

[howandwhy99]

Technically roleplaying refers both to performing the class role and/or a personality role. So, in regards to advancement, I think you mean increasing class abilities - the first meaning. "Advancing" one's personality isn't something typically rewarded by the D&D game, but it could be in other games or with house rules. Character progression is normally up to the player.

 

[onedtwelve]

Technically roleplaying refers both to performing the class role and/or a personality role. So, in regards to advancement, I think you mean increasing class abilities - the first meaning. "Advancing" one's personality isn't something typically rewarded by the D&D game, but it could be in other games or with house rules. Character progression is normally up to the player.

Yes, I'm talking about advancing the class abilities.

I have another question after reading these posts. What is everyone's favorite system for leveling up? I've seen a lot of different systems do it a lot of different ways: GM choice, XP, random chance, etc. What do you prefer?