101 Bennies

[Hussar]

What kind of non-mechanical benefits do you give your PC's? I'm not talking about lordships and big stuff, because that does carry all sorts of mechanical benefits (as well as headaches), I'm thinking of small stuff that makes the players happy. The reason I ask this is I'm thinking of starting a sort of mechanic where, when a player does something I want to reward, I have him or her roll on a "Bennie" table. Every player starts with 1 roll that they can use whenever they want and they get another one when I feel like it. If they spend a second bennie, they can upgrade their roll to a major bennie. My problem is, I can't think of that many bennies. (or benefits for those who are playing at home) Here's my list so far:

1. Your next meal is excellent. Major - and a random stranger pays for it in recognition of your deeds.
2. A random person you find attractive wants to physically thank you for your deeds. Major - S/He brings a room key.
3. You find a statue of something that has meaning to your character. Major - You find a statue dedicated to you.
4. You find several pretty flowers.
5. The innkeeper has laundered your clothes while you slept. Major - You find a small token from the innkeepers daughter.
6. An artist wishes to write a song/draw a picture of you.
7. You find several pieces of ripe fruit on a tree.
8. A town crier describes your latest adventure. Major - people recognise you from the town crier's news.
9. You find a kitten.

Ok, I'm reaching here. HELP!

 

[Whisper72]

Well, although these have a little mechanical advantage, here are some more that are also pretty minor:

- the next weapon the PC purchases turns out to be masterwork, but was priced as a regular weapon
- today is a lucky day, you may choose one event (call beforehand) and add a +1 luck bonus to your roll
- in the city/town, a thief who just stole something from a shop bumps into you, allowing you to apprehend him/her easily. The storeowner is very grateful and offers a small reward (depends upon type of store, from a few free pieces of fruit to a small trinket, max value a few sp)
- in the wilderniss, you stumble across a bush with very tasty berries
- in the wilderniss, you stumble across relatively rare herbs/spices
- your next opponent / encounter is in a good mood. The attitude towards your party is one stage more towards 'friendly' than normal
- the next meal you take is exceptionally nice and contains herbs that have a healing side effect, if hurt, you heal one additional HP that day
- the next meal you take is exceptionally nice and contains herbs that have an effect that stops bleading faster. Take one less HP damage in from the first physical wound within the next 24 hours

 

[phindar]

- The character is to be honored at a banquet by a local lord in recognition for some past deed.
- The bard's latest song becomes wildly popular, and the group hears it wherever they go.
- Someone mistakes the characer for someone else, and repays a gambling debt/returns and item/etc.
- When given a scrap of food or petted, a stray animal becomes fiercely loyal to the character.
- In response to charitable donations, town beggars keep a watchful eye on the character, and warn him or her of oncoming trouble.
- The character is pickpocketed of an item, and in the course of going about his or her daily affairs, happens to walk into a shop where the thief is attempting to pawn the stolen goods.
- A noblewoman requests that a character wear her colors.
- A character gains a patron to help in financing adventures, spell research and the like.
- The characters are invited to take place in a contest to increase their reputation.
- Characters notice graffiti in town that recounts their deeds and compliments their prowess (in adventuring or other pursuits).
- A snowball fight breaks out in the character's vicinity. (In summer or spring, subsitute tomatos for snowballs.)
- A local tailor or seamstress offers a character an expensive garment for free if the character will wear it to a court function. (Any number of endorsement deals may follow.)
- A character is thought to be the descendant or reincarnated form of a past hero.
- A character learns of the passing of a distant relative and is willed something like a small cottage or a fishing boat.
- A character's horse is recognized as an ideal specimen and the character is offered money to breed it with another horse.
- A character's mount is an exceptional specimen, it get's max hp or an extra point of intelligence.
- A character discovers his horse loves apples.
- A character is awarded a title of renown (giant-killer, dragonslayer, etc) for something he did... or something people think he did.
- Bandits leap out to attack the character, recognize him or her, apologize profusely and leave.
- Another adventurer wishes to engage the character in a non-lethal duel for bragging rights/a small wager/etc.

 

[Kestrel]

*While eating a meal, the pc bites down on something valuable (i.e. Pearl in the Oyster)
*While walking through town, the pcs see kids pretending to be the PCs. The kids are wearing mockups of thier clothing and weapons, arguing about how the pcs act, while fighting some pretend monsters.
*Bartender gives them free drinks from the "good" bottle/keg
*Upon the second visit to a church, the PC is told that due to thier praying there, donations have increased twofold.
*At a bar, the PC is mistaken for someone else and given a tip on a upcoming sport event. If the pc bets according to the tip, he will win 2x/4x his bet.

 

[heirodule]

Party cleric is sought out for his wisdom/advice in a theological dispute or a crisis of faith. His advice is acceptable and helpful, leading to resolution of the dispute.

Prayers of a cleric are sought by a troubled youth. The prayers are answered in a definitive way.

 

[Random Axe]

We call these things "favors" in our campaign: small gifts that go beyond a mere magic-item or mundane gold.

* The local moneychanger agrees to offer his services at a drastically reduced exchange rate, allowing PC's to trade in their found coppers and silvers for those easily portable platinum pieces or 100-gp gems, without paying the egregious 5-10% exchange usury.
* The local armory agrees to repair the PC's armor or weapon for free.
* The party's horses are shoed so that the animals' travel rate is increased by 50% that day, or that they can travel at faster speed without tiring.
* The party is directed to a special "friendly" merchant who will sell goods at a cheaper than usual price, or will buy items from their last adventure at a higher than normal price.

Alternately, these above services or benefits might be "requested" from the town merchants by the local lord or other royal individual, on behalf of the PC's, as part of their gratitude for the PC's service or heroism.

 

[DM-Rocco]

What kind of non-mechanical benefits do you give your PC's? I'm not talking about lordships and big stuff, because that does carry all sorts of mechanical benefits (as well as headaches), I'm thinking of small stuff that makes the players happy. The reason I ask this is I'm thinking of starting a sort of mechanic where, when a player does something I want to reward, I have him or her roll on a "Bennie" table. Every player starts with 1 roll that they can use whenever they want and they get another one when I feel like it. If they spend a second bennie, they can upgrade their roll to a major bennie. My problem is, I can't think of that many bennies. (or benefits for those who are playing at home) Here's my list so far:

1. Your next meal is excellent. Major - and a random stranger pays for it in recognition of your deeds.
2. A random person you find attractive wants to physically thank you for your deeds. Major - S/He brings a room key.
3. You find a statue of something that has meaning to your character. Major - You find a statue dedicated to you.
4. You find several pretty flowers.
5. The innkeeper has laundered your clothes while you slept. Major - You find a small token from the innkeepers daughter.
6. An artist wishes to write a song/draw a picture of you.
7. You find several pieces of ripe fruit on a tree.
8. A town crier describes your latest adventure. Major - people recognise you from the town crier's news.
9. You find a kitten.

Ok, I'm reaching here. HELP!

Just from reading the initial list, why would anyone want anything other than the second option. It has always been my experience that when a PC gets involved in a bar or is looking for a little extra treasure, the extra horny NPC always fills the role perfectly. Finding several pieces of fruit or pretty flowers or, be gad, a kitten, is a sure fire way of having the fruit thrown at the kitten in the field of flowers.

I've been DMing for 25+ years. Trust me when I say, if you made a feat that automatically rolled a 2 on your table, every PC would take it.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

6. An artist wishes to write a song/draw a picture of you.

Major: The artist/songwriter is a Big Name. (Rambrant, Paul McCartney, etc.)

 

[phindar]

Major: the picture gets uglier while you cease to age...

 

[amethal]

When you enter the tavern, they are singing a song about you.

The local constabulary are fans of yours; they automatically assume you are the innocent party in any dispute, and apologise if their duties cause them to inconvenience you.

Aggressive NPCs mumble apologies and leave hastily once they realise just who they have offended.

At a crisis meeting of the town's citizens, the crowd starts chanting your name in response to the question "What can we do about those ogres".

A local pickpocket, sporting a black eye, sheepishly returns your purse which he has "found".

Parents scold their children in the street "Why can't you be more like <hero>".