Rewarding experience for roleplaying?

[Milo Windby]

I know I read someone's formula for rewarding experience for roleplaying in D20 a long while ago. I can't seem to find the thread anymore. Any suggestions from the masses? What methods do you use and how well do they mesh with the standard experience rewards for combats and traps set in the DMG?

 

[DWARF]

This?

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36596&highlight=roleplaying+reward

 

[Milo Windby]

That could be it. Thanks Dwarf!

 

[Shadoe's Lady]

I don't have a formula, per se, but I used to have a system whereby anything the players did to advance the play of the game was rewarded with points, though not very many. However, little awards like that can stack up. That way the guy who came up with the idea for doing something still gets some credit for it even if he isn't there when it gets done. I also awarded points to people who used their skills, took advantage of opportunities, etc. Anything they did other than just sitting around waiting for something to happen was rewarded. This required making a list at the end of every session of what was done and by who-that could be a bit cumbersome.

 

[Milo Windby]

Not a bad idea at all, Lady. It would actually help encourage note-taking. My players are pretty new at this and one is playing only because everyone else is, so any motivation I can find is a good thing.

 

[Fenes 2]

We don't use exp anymore, just level up from time to time, but when we still did use exp, all exp was gained for roleplaying. At the end of each adventure the DM gave out as much exp as he saw fit, depending on the duration of the adventure, not the amount of challenges faced or overcome. A session of just hanging around in town and making purchases and pursuing side plots was worth as much exp as a session of non-stop dungeon crawling or combat encounters.

 

[Mark]

This thread on Hero Points might also offer an interesting addition or alternative-

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34618

Hope that helps!

 

[Drawmack]

I do it this way, an rp encounter/event is equal to a bettle of cr = character level. If a character successfully role-plays a situation they get the same experience they would have gotten for a battle at the party's current level.

Keeps it simple for the DM and keeps it easy for the players to understand.

 

[Umbran]

If a character successfully role-plays a situation they get the same experience they would have gotten for a battle at the party's current level.

There's a small problem with this sort of method - it presumes there's a condition we can define as "success". That presumes some goal. Not all role-play opportunities are framed in terms of a specifc task that needs to be accomplished.

 

[Drawmack]

There's a small problem with this sort of method - it presumes there's a condition we can define as "success". That presumes some goal. Not all role-play opportunities are framed in terms of a specifc task that needs to be accomplished.

There is always in objective in a game. To state that role-playing sometimes has no objective is to state that role-playing sometimes has no point.

For Example: The PCs go to a tavern.

This has no goal in the classic sense. But what to the characters do? Is what they do in keeping with their character? Is it logical for each character to do what the player has stated?

The objective or role-playing is always, act in a manor befitting your character. If you do that in any given situation, outside of combat, you get xp.