Ideas for Improving Inspiration

[Bawylie]

When I ran Sunless Citadel recently (TftYP), I set it up where you had a character and a backup character. You earned Inspiration as I described in my "Case for Inspiration" thread, but when you spend it, it had to be on someone else's failed roll and this added +1d6 to it. At the same time, your backup character earned a set amount of XP. The idea here was that the backup characters were in the Yawning Portal telling the story of the "active" characters' adventure and spending Inspiration was someone's backup PC telling other backup PCs, "That's not how I remember it..."

This was wildly successful in getting the players to earn and spend all their Inspiration in a given session. Guaranteed 20 Inspiration earned and spent in a 3-hour session across 5 players. As soon as someone failed a roll, the players were racing to be the one to say "That's not how I remember it!" It was hilarious and fun and played up a group of background characters arguing over the details of a story. It arguably encouraged the players to pay more attention to what other people are doing as well. I probably won't do this outside of running TftYP adventures, but it sure was fun.

This is the method I’ve been using lately and it’s crazy-pants good.

You use it to improve someone else’s roll but you get XP for it. Up to 4 times per session. Players are scrambling to use it.

 

[Aldarc]

You're still just describing a player and a DM who are not on the same page which isn't unique to the Inspiration mechanic.

Not quite, but not important enough to press.

In any case, this thread is "Ideas for Improving Inspiration," which I've already provided upthread. What's your idea?

For starters, decouple Inspiration from Backgrounds. It seems like other factors such as class, race, nation, should be potential sources of Inspiration. Also decouple Inspiration from subjective notions of "good roleplaying." The parameters for "good roleplay" are too ambiguous and contentious for my tastes. I also dislike how Inspiration can be used for anything. It disassociates the mechanic from the fiction.

From there, however, it really depends on what you want Inspiration to achieve. Do you want something more Fate-like? Do you want something more Dungeon World-like? Want hero points? And I think that's part of the problem, it seems like Inspiration doesn't know what it wants to be.

 

[iserith]

For starters, decouple Inspiration from Backgrounds. It seems like other factors such as class, race, nation, should be potential sources of Inspiration.

A lot of the example characteristics in the backgrounds are pretty neutral and could be construed as applying to class, race, nation, etc. As well, the characteristics listed in Background are not exhaustive. Per Basic Rules, page 35: "You're not bound to those options, but they're a good starting point." So, we are empowered to write those characteristics within the bounds set forth for what a personality trait, ideal, bond, or flaw means (also page 35) and which may, at our discretion, factor in class, race, nation, etc.

Also decouple Inspiration from subjective notions of "good roleplaying." The parameters for "good roleplay" are too ambiguous and contentious for my tastes.

Also on page 35, it is said that the "DM can choose to give you inspiration for a variety of reasons... your DM will tell you how you can earn inspiration in the game." So if the DM isn't doing this, he or she is not performing his or her role in my view. It should be very clear how you can earn Inspiration and a conscientious DM will be consistent with awarding it. If it's not clear how to get Inspiration or the DM is being inconsistent, then that calls for a discussion.

As far as "roleplaying" goes, the DMG suggests that Inspiration can be awarded for playing consistent to the character's personality trait, flaw, or bond. It should be "notable in some way" and gives examples like moving the story forward, pushing the party into danger, or making everyone laugh. "In essence, you reward the player for roleplaying in a way that makes the game more enjoyable for everyone else."

For my part, I took all this off the DM's shoulders and put it on the player to make good faith claims to Inspiration within certain limits. Practically every DM who has played in my games and has seen it in action has adopted it for their own games.

I also dislike how Inspiration can be used for anything. It disassociates the mechanic from the fiction.

That is thankfully a hangup I don't have else I would quit D&D entirely.

From there, however, it really depends on what you want Inspiration to achieve. Do you want something more Fate-like? Do you want something more Dungeon World-like? Want hero points? And I think that's part of the problem, it seems like Inspiration doesn't know what it wants to be.

That's just it though, isn't it? It's up to the DM to determine what it's supposed to be. The DMG suggests it can be for Roleplaying (portraying characteristics), Heroism (risk taking), Victory (achieve goals), or Genre Emulation (playing into tropes). I change mine up in various ways between campaigns. That appears to be intended.

 

[Aldarc]

You know what? Inspiration is fine. Inspiration is perfect. I apologize for bothering to voice a contrary opinion.

 

[77IM]

OK, here are the Inspiration house rules I'm using in my current game:

1. You can use it to reroll a d20. You can even reroll the same roll multiple times if you'd like to burn through Inspiration quickly. I made this change because literally every player just thought it worked that way already, probably from playing other RPGs with reroll mechanics.

2. It stacks. You can save up as much as you want. I made this change so players would have incentive to earn Inspiration even if they already have it. You'd think that PCs would hoard Inspiration and spend it only on desperate saving throws, but that mostly doesn't happen. Instead, there's a nice cycle of easy encounters/roleplaying that build up Inspiration, and difficult encounters that tear it down. I also find that when a player has a big stack of Inspiration they're slightly more likely to take risks and generate successes that move the story forward. (I try to move the story forward on failures, too, but often it's a bit easier on a success

3. I hand it out for roleplaying, entertainment, favors and setbacks. Basically, if a player does something that makes the game better, they earn Inspiration; or, if a PC suffers an unfair setback (like getting stun-locked for the whole fight), I give Inspiration as a consolation prize. I made this change because it's just way easier for me to toss around Inspiration for subjective reasons like this, than it is to keep track of literally 35 Characteristics.

 

[77IM]

In the past, I've used a tiny d6 to represent inspiration, and changed the rules so that instead of advantage, you just get +1d6 to a roll. This is MUCH more powerful as it can increase your potential total upside, and in some cases guarantee success. Advantage/reroll is not very useful when your odds of success are already super low, but with +1d6, and the ability to spend multiple +1d6 on a single roll, you can make sure you succeed at important rolls, which I like. Also, I would hand out actual tiny dice to people when they earned inspiration, which was fun for everyone.

 

[Guest 6801328]

For starters, decouple Inspiration from Backgrounds. It seems like other factors such as class, race, nation, should be potential sources of Inspiration. Also decouple Inspiration from subjective notions of "good roleplaying." The parameters for "good roleplay" are too ambiguous and contentious for my tastes. I also dislike how Inspiration can be used for anything. It disassociates the mechanic from the fiction.

It seems like you are getting too hung up on there being some objective, universal definition of "good roleplaying". It's actually whatever your table thinks it is.

The strength of Inspiration (despite its flaws) is that you can use it for anything.

Maybe you give it out to players who voice act really well. Maybe you give it out to players who make the whole table laugh, even if they are totally out of character and their jokes are Star Wars references. Maybe you give it out when players do something strategically questionable but in-character. Whatever. Use it to reinforce how you (and your players) envision the game.

 

[Aldarc]

It seems like you are getting too hung up on there being some objective, universal definition of "good roleplaying". It's actually whatever your table thinks it is.

Then you misunderstand me and talk past me.

 

[Inchoroi]

In another thread some of the (perceived) shortcomings of Inspiration came up, including:

1) Forgetting to use it
2) The improbability of a DM remembering all the traits/flaws/etc. of all the players

Let's brainstorm about ways to improve it.

I'll add that I would prefer Inspiration were an "after the fact" resource, rather than one you have to spend without knowing if you'll actually need it. So one little tweak I make (and the only houserule I use) is that it works more like Lucky: you can spend it to re-roll, rather than rolling with Advantage. (I suppose I would let somebody use it for Advantage if they preferred, for example a Rogue wanting to get Sneak Attack.)

Thoughts?

I also allow Inspiration to be used for a DM hint, in case the players are stuck; I run a mystery/investigation heavy game, though, so your mileage may vary.

 

[guachi]

I am so stealing "that's not how I remember it..."

One thing I like about claiming inspiration and then requiring it be used on allies' rolls is it can help bring a PC group of random players together faster by encouraging interaction and players bringing out their characters' backgrounds.

I got really lucky on my last group of randos from the FLGS. All six initial players were top notch and really fun. But I think better use of inspiration on my part would have got us to that point faster.