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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aramis erak" data-source="post: 6502927" data-attributes="member: 6779310">One of the great revelations for me when I first started looking at RPG theory discussions (around 1999) was the reward cycles. Now, reward cycles are covered in every halfway credible Psych 101 class taught. I'd been subconsciously tailoring my reward cycles to get the effects I wanted... usually, at least.D&D 5E vaguely discusses 3 reward cycles in various places:1: XP/Levels for accomplishing goals and besting foes. In the rules, it doesn't discount for non-combat solutions...2: Inspiration and the play of one's Ideal/Bond/Flaw/Personality3: Treasure and improved gear.It does call them out; it's not strongly dealing with any of them. It's basically just telling you to think about which options to use, and noting that it affects the way things play somewhat.Honest and detailed advice about reward cycles can easily be enough to fill a  college course... it's a complex subject, and a good detailed treatment is a heavy text - or an entire discussion board.But it boils down to this:Players tend to do what is rewarded.If you call it out in play and give it screen time or character or mechanical rewards, it tends to happen more often in the future. For whatever version of It you care for.</blockquote>