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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BlackMoria" data-source="post: 2016786" data-attributes="member: 424">I have used a 'token' system when starting a new game with players relatively new to the game that has worked well.Tokens are earned by doing something out of the ordinary, such as great roleplaying for a situation, take a risk, doing something heroic - whatever you deem appropiate. A player can use a token to offset some bad luck or a bad decision.  The expendure of a token changes the die roll or the outcome to the minimum required for success for that occasion for new players,  or enables a re-roll for more experienced players.For example, if someone fails a saving throw, they can use a token to ensure the roll succeeds.  If someone gets critical hit, they can use a token to ensure the critical is not confirmed.  That sort of idea.Unlike action point, hero points or luck points - which are sometimes automatically earned by leveling, etc....token awards are controlled by the DM and I use them as rewards.So, to earn a token, someone has to do something out of the ordinary.  This encourages players to assume some risk because there is a tangible playoff - a token.  The token can be saved from game to game and I make them hard enough to earn that they don't ruin the game by having the players think that tokens make them immune to consequences.What I like about my token system is that I personalize the awards to the individual players.  If Player A's character is always a daredevil (because that is how he plays him), then Player A's character has to be an extraordinary or clever daredevil to get a token.  Player B, on the other hand, is more introverted and plays his character very conservative by not taking risks.   Now if Player B's character  suddenly rushes the BBEG despite the obvious danger to save a downed party member (an act not usually in character for him), Player B gets a token (and I award more than one token for a circumstance if it clever, audacitous and shows kutzpah), whereas, Player A may not be a token for the same action because it is typical of what his character would do.I found that players are more likely to take risks or go the extra distance to earn a token, because they know that tokens can help save their characters when it goes badly or ill luck strikes.Once players have become more experienced and confident, you can make tokens harder to earn or you can wean them off the tokens by giving them less and less over time until they barely notice they aren't getting them anymore.My two coppers....</blockquote>

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