Books for XP? Tired of stingy players

[Von Ether]

I am seriously thinking of putting up house rules that will give players some bonus starting XP (character points, what ever), if they just buy and bring some, not all, of the books I am using in the campaign.

Mostly because no is patient enough to wait their turn with my one book, and yet they don't go get their own. However, I know my players are Pavolvian for XP. They rarely do anything extraneous without an reward attached to it.

The joke -- to a degree -- will be on them. I rarely start games at 1st level, so it will be more like rewarding those who make an effort to more than show up and roll dice. Besides, if poor GM like me can buy the book, my poor players can at least be tempted to do so as well.

 

[Crothian]

Nothing wrong with that, sounds like a good way to reward players for helping you out.

 

[Mac Callum]

Whatever works for you man. It certainly isn't fair that, ceteris paribus, only one person is buying all the books.

Or maybe a simpler rule - if your PCs want a feat, PrC, race for their characters, they buy the book it's in. That way they get something every time they play the character, not just an up front sum.

Snacks & beverages for XP is also a good incentive!

 

[Wolffenjugend]

I think you need to ask yourself some tough questions. For instance, how much do your players really want to play? It's been my experience that players that can't be bothered to buy the most basic of books (i.e. the PH) aren't that dedicated to the game. Also, are your players just cheap, legitimately cash-strapped, or simply know that you'll let them borrow your books. Perhaps telling them to start contributing or stop asking to borrow your books is in order. Maybe they're just mooches.

 

[Leopold]

I think it's a good idea.

Also, my rule is that before they play a class/race/feat/skill/etc for themselves they need to physically OWN the book and bring it for me to look over for a few days and then give my approval.

This prevents them from showing up with "OMG I JUST GOT THIS KEWL BOOK AND OMG I WANT TO PLAY IT!!!1111!!1!!"

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Give players who buy their own books a 10% experience point bonus but then take it away once they all have their own books. That last person will be in a quandry, do they buy a book and ruin it for everyone else or continue to fall behind in XP.

 

[Arnwyn]

I think there's nothing wrong with books for XP, with the assumption that all the players can theoretically afford to make such a purchase.

It's what I did with the PHB (to hasten their purchase, and provide incentive for them to convert from 2e to 3e back when 3e was introduced), and it worked great.

 

[Treebore]

I think there's nothing wrong with books for XP, with the assumption that all the players can theoretically afford to make such a purchase.

It's what I did with the PHB (to hasten their purchase, and provide incentive for them to convert from 2e to 3e back when 3e was introduced), and it worked great.

Charge them a book useage fee. $1.00 per player/gaming session/whatever. After all, they are greatly hastening the time you will need to buy new books. Why should you foot the bill for providing them with a gaming library? I think they are being pretty rude as it is.

 

[Zoatebix]

This looks like a great idea, and it would definately help in my home game. In gaming-rich environments, it's not possible to expect everyone to have various GURPS books, and d20, and Palladium books, and RTG books, etc.

But if they're only playing in your campaign, and you guys don't switch systems? I'd go the opposite route of Calico_Jack73's suggestion: penalize their experience until they do buy the books. That way the last guy doesn't have the hard decision.
-z

 

[MarauderX]

I guess it depends on how much of a fad your game was. If you are starting a new game every month or so, I would be reluctant to by the PHB for that setting no matter how 'cool' it might be.

I like the idea of the DM having a ton of books but if the player wants a PrC from a certain resource, he should have the book too.