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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sword of Spirit" data-source="post: 6285900" data-attributes="member: 6677017">Hey thanks everyone! Fun ideas. It's taken me longer to get back to this thread than I intended, but I have more thoughts.One of the reasons I've wanted to generally steer clear of the bennies type of system (for D&D, at least) is simply because it increases character effectiveness, and hence reduces game difficulty (unless I either compensate--turning the benefit into an illusion, or anticipate--which feels similar).But I do like the idea of giving authorial control to the players. Here is my current unfinished line of thinking.1. I can hand out a special type of XP that doesn't go into your character's XP total. I'm referring to it as "bonus XP" at the moment, but unsatisfied with that term. Each character acquire a pool of bonus XP as a reward for selected things.2. This bonus XP can be spent to purchase world-customization input. Examples might include:a) Rerolls on items of random treasure, and the character gets the item that I think would be most desirable to him.b) Personal connection requests. "I'd like to have a connection in this next town," and then I create such a connection. It might be a member of his family happens to be there, or a barkeep owes his childhood best friend (who he talks about when drunk) a favor. Or even a nemesis has a spy in that town that is likely to run into him.c) An opportunity. This might mean I design a chance for romance, or an opportunity to open a business, or to a clue to how to find a staff of the magi since the character has wanted one ever since they became a mage.3. These customization benefits are intended to have the minimum impact on actual character effectiveness, and instead reward them with greater connection to the world. Some degree of effectiveness is virtually unavoidable. Having a magic item you can use is better than having one you can't, for instance, even if the items are of similar value. However, things such as potentially cursed treasure, hostile connections, and opportunities with unexpected risks (opportunities for adventure!) should keep the effectiveness increase to a minimum (hopefully).4. These options are always additive. If I had already planned for the PC noble to have a family member in town, it doesn't count as the reward. They would get an additional connection if they bought one.5. Because I like to limit the authorial control aspect in my D&D games, the players never request specifics. Instead, they purchase a category of benefit, and I as the DM determine how it manifests. It also is always purchased ahead of time. Once the PCs have seen the treasure, they can't ask me to reroll it.How does this sound as far as meeting my goals? Any pitfalls I can't see? Suggestions for improvements or categories?Thanks for all the great input!</blockquote>

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