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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AnotherGuy" data-source="post: 9509119" data-attributes="member: 7029930">This is same for me, as in I do not often get a chance to play sadly.With the current player who is running a game for us, they have a setting with an unfolding event (brought upon by our characters - a plague).When I selected my bard character, I looked at the various nations (I think it is the 7th Seas setting) and formulated a backstory as well as the languages he would know. If the campaign continues long enough, my character may develop personal goals but as of right now, my goals are pretty much party goals and that is likely because of the in-game fiction.Given the underdevelopment within D&D's character personality/drive/alignment system we expanded significantly on the TIBF system, attempting in a similar vein in what you're doing with more polished systems.To give you an example.In our last session the artificer who's personal goal is very much one of exploration and knowledge of science/tech <a href="https://www.montecookgames.com/arcana-of-the-ancients/" target="_blank">(think Numenara)</a> and it's role in the universe, had a meeting with Elminster who has a ward whose origins are along those lines. In any event the social encounter saw him gain a map of a rift which has occurred south of Candlekeep which promises Numenara artifacts/knowledge with the idea that he will investigate same with the ward and report back to Elminster on his findings.This was all done through an easy enough Skill Challenge, but the real reward was that as the ward was escorting him out, she mentioned to him that Elminster has a book on Numenara but that she is unable to remove it from the premises - HOWEVER - she knows that Elminster is set to make an appearance the next day, at the Final Council Meeting before the push against Tiamat and Cult of the Dragon. She has no idea why Elminster has kept the tome a secret from the PC but she is willing (as she took a liking to the PC - real purpose of the Skill Challenge success) to have him access it while Elminster is away at the Council Meeting.The hard choice I presented him being that his party needs him at the Council Meeting to help sway the Council Members.He has a TIBF which states: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilisationNow, he earns an Inspiration point and an Experience Point if he adheres to his TIBF, thus disappointing his party members at the Council Meeting with his absence.To put it into perspective Experience Points are extremely valuable and are one of three ways to increase in level in our campaign, we do not use the standard tables.The Council will deliberate for 3 days, but missing the 1st day may certainly make things difficult for the rest of the party.So, I lean into the TIBF system a lot (and encourage them too), presenting hard choices, but the players ultimately choose what their characters do. Sadly for now, much of the legwork on this is done by me, but they do like these hard choices. The snag being that it requires me to very much be aware of their characters' TIBFs in order to find ways to apply them. For sure it is extra legwork on my side.</blockquote>

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