D&D 5E Does your group use inspiration? If not, why not?

[Weiley31]

I do. Infact, I've added the option of using the Adventure in Middle Earth Virtues in my DND 5E games, and some of those require the use of Hit Dice or Inspiration to use said Virtues.

The Virtues may only be selected at Level 15 and you can ONLY have one.*

 

[Fauchard1520]

I do. Infact, I've added the option of using the Adventure in Middle Earth Virtues in my DND 5E games, and some of those require the use of Hit Dice or Inspiration to use said Virtues.

I'm unfamiliar with the mechanic. How does it work?

 

[Weiley31]

I'm unfamiliar with the mechanic. How does it work?

Basically, Virtues are Feats. But while some do their thing like most feats, others need ya to spend Hit Dice or Inspiration to activate em and use em.

For example, Elves have a Virtue where if they spend a Hit Dice, they do an Automatic Critical Hit for any Ranged attack. Sounds awesome, but if you blow through all your Hit Dice and don't have no healing options available while being stuck in the middle of nowhere...

The "Art of Disappearing" which is a Halfling(Hobbit) only Virtue, allows ya to Spend an Inspiration to "disappear" and then you choose when to "reappear" in the scene. DM has the final say if there is any point of concealment in the area. Your "disappearing" is basically finding a convient spot, like a crevaice or something, to fit yourself in.

 

[Unwise]

Simply put, we forget about Inspiration until we need it.

So the fighter rolls a 1 to jump the lava pit, so will fall and die. Grasping at straws he remembers inspiration. He has not used it in the last 3 games. It is now entirely arbitrary and up to the GM as to whether they backdate some inspiration for the PC. He has surely done some stuff in the last 3 sessions to earn some. It is up to the GM now to decide entirely by fiat if the PC lives or dies.

Nobody likes that. It just feels like a Deus Ex Machina by GM decision when it occurs, rather than the intended burst of awesomeness. If we remembered it more often and cycled it through regularly, it would be fine.

 

[The Green Hermit]

Simply put, we forget about Inspiration until we need it.

So the fighter rolls a 1 to jump the lava pit, so will fall and die. Grasping at straws he remembers inspiration. He has not used it in the last 3 games. It is now entirely arbitrary and up to the GM as to whether they backdate some inspiration for the PC. He has surely done some stuff in the last 3 sessions to earn some. It is up to the GM now to decide entirely by fiat if the PC lives or dies.

Nobody likes that. It just feels like a Deus Ex Machina by GM decision when it occurs, rather than the intended burst of awesomeness. If we remembered it more often and cycled it through regularly, it would be fine.

We carry it over from session to session. Once a character has earned it, it is theirs until it is used.

 

[Flamestrike]

Never. I'm not going to reward players for doing what players should be doing anyway.

Guess you dont award XP or level them up when they complete quests in game either.

 

[Fauchard1520]

Nobody likes that. It just feels like a Deus Ex Machina by GM decision when it occurs, rather than the intended burst of awesomeness. If we remembered it more often and cycled it through regularly, it would be fine.

I'm beginning to wonder if that the thing that distinguishes a good metacurrency from a bad one. If it's part of core gameplay, people use it and remember to use it. If it's just bolted on, people forget to use it, ignore it, and so begin to feel like it's extraneous.

In the case of 5e, I think that it may be best practice as a player to lobby for other players rather than yourself: "Dude... That deserves inspiration. If I had one I'd give it to you!" In this way you subtly remind your harried GM that the mechanic exists without coming off as self-serving.

 

[iserith]

I'm beginning to wonder if that the thing that distinguishes a good metacurrency from a bad one. If it's part of core gameplay, people use it and remember to use it. If it's just bolted on, people forget to use it, ignore it, and so begin to feel like it's extraneous.

In the case of 5e, I think that it may be best practice as a player to lobby for other players rather than yourself: "Dude... That deserves inspiration. If I had one I'd give it to you!" In this way you subtly remind your harried GM that the mechanic exists without coming off as self-serving.

My system, linked in my first post, solves most of the issues reported in this thread (outside of general concerns about "meta" mechanics, whatever that means).