Rewarding experience for roleplaying?

[Umbran]

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.

Um, yes and no. The general point of the game is to act in a manner befitting your character. However, that may not be the objective of the story you're trying to tell.

By the logic you present, folks can become 20th level commoners just by sitting around in a tavern shooting the breeze, because it'd be in character for a commoner.

There's a difference between "being properly in character", and "being properly in character and advancing the story in a meanignful way". Only the latter should qualify for XP.

 

[Fenes 2]

IMHO, as long as the players had fun the PCs get XP. Just take a look at Everquest the online game to see what a game degenerates in when only "meaningful" actions net xp.

 

[Umbran]

Just take a look at Everquest the online game to see what a game degenerates in when only "meaningful" actions net xp.

From what I've been told (I've never played or seen the game), Everquest is a decent example of what happens when only combat gets you XP. Not all EQ combat is "meaningful". There's a huge difference between "killing stuff" and "moving the story along".

 

[Fenes 2]

I had once a player try to tell me "skip the intro stuff, we meet with the noble" when another player was looking forward to roleplay the reception at a mansion's door. In his opinion, roleplaying the encounter with the servants was a waste of time. From a purely adventure-goal-driven point of view he was right - the servants did not give out any useful information nor did they promote the adventure-plot. However, it made for a good ambience, and let the PCs enjoy their fame and fortune. That sort of roleplaying would be discouraged if there was only exp to be had for meaningful encounters.

IMHO, you should not get only exp for moving the storyline along, but for simple roleplaying.

 

[kengar]

I'm using a version of the "Story Based XP" variant. My concept runs something like this:
=============================

Story Award XP:

Sources of XP in play-

- Overcoming challenges while working towards a goal.
Examples:
- "Relevant" combat
- Gathering Information/Clues
- Skill Use (Disarming traps, Bluff, etc.)
- Forming Strategies/Tactics
- Solving Puzzles/Mysteries

XP earned for overcoming these challenges will depend on two main criteria;
1) How difficult the challenge was, and
2) How much overcoming the challenge mattered to achieving a goal.

Factors taken into account might include: physical risk (combat, traps, etc.), DC of any skill checks or saves necessary (Will Save, Bluff, Search), etc. This is left largely up to the DMs judgement. Combat that helps meet goals and progress the story are "relevant," just looking for mosnters to bash isn't.

- Roleplaying and "Story support."
Examples:
- Actions and decisions consistent with character and goals.
- Keeping player and character knowledge distinct.
- "Flavor" injections into game (Speaking in character, etc.).

XP earned for RP is not as much as for challenges and goals, but actions wildly inconsistent with a character's personality, etc. will lessen the value of any stated goals. Also, the campaign will be taking stated PC goals into account, so playing a character consistently will give them more goal-related adventures and thus more opportunities for XP awards. The criteria for determining awards for RP will be based primarily upon how consistently your character is played "to concept" and making an effort at "fitting" the character into the campaign world.

- Achieving Goals.
Examples:
- Story/Campaign goals set by DM. i.e. Finishing a quest, etc.
- Party goals. i.e. Triumphing over a rival group of adventurers.
- Personal goals. i.e. Defeating archfoe, attaining noble rank, etc.

Goals are defined in part by the DM when he makes the adventures and setting. Some goals are defined by the party as they play (i.e. Get items the wizard needs to set up his lab so he can make magic items for the group.). Others are defined by the players when they design their characters (Avenge their father's death, become a knight, marry their childhood sweetheart, etc.). PC-design goals are usually longer term goals. "Get a big-ass sword!" isn't really a goal. "Retrieve the ancestral blade of my clan (after killing the thief messily)!" is a goal.

================================

Since consistency is part of the RP awards, it can encourage staying in character more. Also, I use a general policy of "If you say it, and it isn't describing an action your character takes, then your character says it OUT LOUD." A few instances of a metagamer blurting out "Oh, man! This guy has gotta be the villian! I bet he's just hiring us for this quest to get us away from town!" Means the "villian" just heard this comment by the character and may react accordingly.

This can require a certain flexibility on the DM's part and a willingness to improvise, but it can serve as a good object lesson to the players. Though I highly recommend that you make sure the players know this "you say it, you said it" policy is in effect ahead of time. That way, the party shouldn't blame the DM, they should blame the knucklehead who opened his yap in front of the duke!

EDIT: for added explanations

 

[kengar]

BUMP for edit

 

[King_Stannis]

I use a "chip" system in which I give my players painted poker chips for roleplaying a scene well. Then, they are allowed to either cash them in at a rate of 25xp * level per chip, or hold onto them to help out with dice rolls. For example, giving 2 chips gives you a +2 on any roll, 6 chips turn a normal hit into a critical, 10 allows for a reroll of any dice roll, 12 makes ME reroll any (public) dice roll....

I wrote an article in "Knights of the Dinner Table" magazine a short while ago. If can't remember the issue number, though. I think it was the one with the "Matrix" parody on the cover.

 

[Mort]

I use a "chip" system in which I give my players painted poker chips for roleplaying a scene well. Then, they are allowed to either cash them in at a rate of 25xp * level per chip, or hold onto them to help out with dice rolls. For example, giving 2 chips gives you a +2 on any roll, 6 chips turn a normal hit into a critical, 10 allows for a reroll of any dice roll, 12 makes ME reroll any (public) dice roll....

I wrote an article in "Knights of the Dinner Table" magazine a short while ago. If can't remember the issue number, though. I think it was the one with the "Matrix" parody on the cover.

I'm thinking of doing something similar in my game.

Just out of curiosity, did you get that idea from Deadlands ,or did you come up with it yourself?

 

[King_Stannis]

I'm thinking of doing something similar in my game.

Just out of curiosity, did you get that idea from Deadlands ,or did you come up with it yourself?

Definitely inspired by deadlands and adapted to D20 use. Some other folks use those polished stones instead of chips, but whatever is used, using the old "carrot and stick" system really does work. I couldn't imagine playing without it, now.

It's not only for roleplaying, too. I give chips out for rolling a "20" on key saves or skill checks, as well as for "20's" that end up being critical hits. .

 

[Umbran]

IMHO, you should not get only exp for moving the storyline along, but for simple roleplaying.

Return to - why aren't all the commoners 20th level from sitting in the tavern shooting the breeze? NPCs are supposed to get XP for the same things the PCs do. If the PCs get XP for doing nothing in particular, so should the NPCs...