Suggestions for Player Bribes

[Rechan]

In a blog post, a fellow gamer I watch mentioned how he bribed players for background information. Namely, for every page of background they provided (up to 3 pages), he gave a bonus.

An example is given how, when doing this with D&D, he used a +2 to a single stat, a free feat, and a masterwork item.

Though as I think about doing this for 4e, I think giving access to a +2 or a feat might skew things a little, at least for first level characters. If anything, it would take the appeal away from the Human race. If I allowed a free at will or basically the Half-elf's Dilettante ability, that would take away the appeal of thos eraces too.

So, any suggestions of what "Extra" stuff you might appeal to your players with that doesn't skew the system too much?

Note: The Bribe is an option to encourage players to provide background where in other circumstances (like if it was a requirement), it might discourage people from playing in your game. Ergo why it's an incentive, rather than a mandate.

 

[TimeOut]

XP, Skill bonus (not training) in skills related to their background, free unusual starting equipment.

 

[Surgoshan]

You have to bribe players for back story?

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I let players start out at 2nd level whenever they write a page background. With starting an entirely new campaign/storyline for 4th edition, they found this rather enticing.

 

[Rechan]

You have to bribe players for back story?

I was hoping to avoid this question with the Note, but to quote the blog I referenced:

The first thing I tried was to make three pages of character background mandatory: if you want to play in my game, you’ve got to write three pages of background for your character.

Bad idea.

See, I’m a word-whore. I’m a technical writer by profession. I’ll write a thousand words about what I had for breakfast. I toss off three-page backgrounds in my sleep. So, three pages is nothing to me.

Three pages is a lot to some people, though. And when I made it mandatory, I got people promising to get it to me and never delivering. I got players deciding not to play in my game, because they’d have to write the background. Worse, I got people deciding not to play in my game because their significant other didn’t want to play because of having to write the background.

 

[Sanzuo]

For his last campaign, my DM gave us the option of picking 5 "Quirks" and 5 "Secrets" for our characters, giving bonus starting XP for every one. With bonus xp as incentive character quirks and secrets made for much more colorful characters. I don't think there was a single uninteresting player character in the entire game.

Read about it here.

It has hobgoblins, robots, nymphs and polite beholders.

 

[Palladion]

Potions of healing or extra starting gold. Vouchers for discounts on magic item or ritual purchases (in the form of favors owed by NPCs). These should cause only minor deviations in treasure accumulation.

 

[Boarstorm]

Cold. Hard. Cash.

And I don't mean gold pieces, I mean slip 'em a fiver.

 

[szilard]

- Extra gold at character creation.
- The ability to swap out a single class skill for another skill.
- A small amount of XP (so the PC starts out an encounter or two ahead)
- An expendable item (potion, alchemical item, or whatnot)

-Stuart

 

[Fifth Element]

You have to bribe players for back story?

A carrot instead of the stick. Much better for motivation.