trading backstory for some xp?

[Shin Okada]

I have never done this kind of thing. And will never do it.

The main reason is that it may spoil the fun of the gaming session if a DM tries to judge what kind of role-playing or background-story is "good" or "bad". Every player has their own tastes. Also, some players are good at making and writing up story, others are good at making strategy, yet others are good at painting miniatures, etc. I will not try to reward someone with particular talent when the entire play group is just having fun. Because that is the most important thing.

And, as already pointed-out by Runestar, in 3.5e (or 3.0e with FR rules), a lower-level character gets more XPs from an encounter. So one-time XP reward for particular member is often not so meaningful.

 

[irdeggman]

I have never done this kind of thing. And will never do it.

The main reason is that it may spoil the fun of the gaming session if a DM tries to judge what kind of role-playing or background-story is "good" or "bad". Every player has their own tastes. Also, some players are good at making and writing up story, others are good at making strategy, yet others are good at painting miniatures, etc. I will not try to reward someone with particular talent when the entire play group is just having fun. Because that is the most important thing.

You appear to be missing the point of the backstory issue.

It is not for continuous gaming sessions.

It is designed around giving the player something to wrap his character concept around.

Now if all the game is about is hacking and slashing and resetting after every encounter that is an entirely different story. In that case character "history" has no meaning whatsoever.

In the games I play in (and run) this is a one-time award designed to help the player get a good idea of what drives and motivates their PC and not have the PC relegated to a simple stat sheet.

I do not award "extra" for a well-written (or pretty) story. I award based on what is contained. Nor do I award for someone keeping a journal (although some of the DMs do - I don't see that as a role-playing thing or something that should be specially rewarded).

If the player gives me a bulletized sheet that is fine as long as I can tell they have designed the character around something. If they write that they have single-handedly slain giants and gods (as a 1st level character) - I raise the BS flag.

I have had to "nix" character concepts for players who wanted their PCs to be gods for the get-go.

It also helps me keep some out-of-control players in check. I have one who loves to design his PC out to epic level from inception (even when we are starting with 1st level PCs).

This background also helps me when I award role-playing awards, since I have something to compare the PC against. Although since life is constantly evolving so should the PCs so unless they give me a life-long rivalry it is only something used at the very beginning and a tool for judging how the PC is "evolving".

And, as already pointed-out by Runestar, in 3.5e (or 3.0e with FR rules), a lower-level character gets more XPs from an encounter. So one-time XP reward for particular member is often not so meaningful.

And that is the point - it is an "incentive" and not a huge power up.

 

[Runestar]

You appear to be missing the point of the backstory issue.

Actually, I think the point is whether the incentive suggested by the OP is sufficient in enticing players who would normally not be bothered to write a good backstory to do so. Some appear to think so, I am more skeptical regarding its efficacy, in that it really just ends up rewarding the wrong people (ie: those who would be normally writting a good backstory anyways).

 

[Myque]

Character Diaries

If i may offer an alternative...

In my game, I implement a Character Diary mechanic. After every session, players have the option of writing a page of their character's diary and posting it on our game blog. I award XP for diary posts.

I loved the way it worked out. Some of them seemed to enjoy "blogging". And since the diary posts are done in character, I learn A LOT about the characters and the players enjoy fleshing out their characters. They speak a lot about their hopes and dreams fears in their diaries.

I find this is more beneficial than a one time XP bonus since they can write a diary post weekly and every week we find out more and more about the characters. Not just back story, but how they really felt during the encounters (not just what happened on the table).

The rewards are a bit steep. I award up to 10% of the level requirement for a good post. But with the kind of things they write (and now I have a player doing artwork as a diary entry) it really makes the game more entertaining.

I got the idea from the funny diary pages that was circling in the internet a few years back about the characters of LoTR.

EDIT: Someone suggested it earlier in the tread already. Sorry for repeating it.

 

[Shin Okada]

If I want to run a campaign in which all the PCs have full background, I will just talk with players and tell so. And try to help if someone is not good at making his character's background. If players agree with that concept of the campaign, it will be a good campaign. I did so for several campaigns, though most of them were not D&D but GURPS, Call of Cthulhu, Star Wars (WEG version) and such.

If some players don't like that idea, it will be not wise to run such a campaign with those members anyway.

 

[irdeggman]

Actually, I think the point is whether the incentive suggested by the OP is sufficient in enticing players who would normally not be bothered to write a good backstory to do so. Some appear to think so, I am more skeptical regarding its efficacy, in that it really just ends up rewarding the wrong people (ie: those who would be normally writting a good backstory anyways).

And this is the absolute truth and factual.

Would it help? Probably

Would it make a difference for those who just don't want to do it? Probably not.

After a few campaigns where this type of "back story" award system is used most players start to get the idea that they will be behind the first "level up" that the others will. They will most likely start to see a difference in role-playing awards too. But if they simply don't care, nothing will make a difference.

 

[irdeggman]

If i may offer an alternative...

In my game, I implement a Character Diary mechanic. After every session, players have the option of writing a page of their character's diary and posting it on our game blog. I award XP for diary posts.

I absolutely hate games like this.

I played in one like it. Enjoyed the actual game but hated this aspect of it.

What it does is penalize those who have busy Real Life work loads and rewards those with a lot of time on their hands.

It really isn't a matter of creativity but time.

 

[Elethiomel]

What it does is penalize those who have busy Real Life work loads and rewards those with a lot of time on their hands.

It really isn't a matter of creativity but time.

It's a matter of time, yes, but writing such an entry takes half an hour at most. If someone can't take half an hour away from their work and Real Life (tm) once a week outside their gaming session, I don't see how they can fit the gaming session in there at all.

And it's also a question of prioritising time. We enjoy playing roleplaying games. If we don't enjoy roleplaying games enough to take time out of our busy lives to go to a session, of course we shouldn't get XP.

If we don't enjoy writing enough to take half an hour once a week to write about how our character felt during the last session, of course we shouldn't get XP for not writing. But if we do enjoy writing, and it helps flesh out character motivation and background and let the GM fish for plot hooks, why not award XP for it?

If someone does not enjoy writing sufficiently to do so, they can think of something else that will contribute to the game. Buying gaming aids, making food for the group, be the designated Loot Calculator... something. If the GM gives XP for diary entries between sessions, chances are good it's possible to get XP for other extracurricular activities, or extra activities you take on during the gaming session.

And really, is not getting that XP a "penalty"? Writing these entries are a real aid to the game. It fleshes out things for everyone (well, everyone who can take the time to read the entries at least) and gives everyone more to bounce plot off of. If you're not providing that aid and someone else is, is it a penalty not to get the commensurate reward?

Anyway, if you want to be real gamist about it, getting free XP without accompanying in-game loot rewards is actually detrimental to your rate of success against CR-equivalent opponents.

 

[Myque]

I absolutely hate games like this.

I played in one like it. Enjoyed the actual game but hated this aspect of it.

What it does is penalize those who have busy Real Life work loads and rewards those with a lot of time on their hands.

It really isn't a matter of creativity but time.

That's a good point. But for me, it works well so far in the game, but if I had players who objected to such rewards as unfair, I would probably revise it. As it is, the current group enjoys writing posts.

Personally however, I support a reward system that is proportional to creativity and/or time put in. In real life or games.

 

[El Mahdi]

I think this is a good idea. But, the idea that others may feel penalized if they don't have the time or creativity to do this could be a problem. Maybe along with personal rewards, add in a group reward based on the cumulative addition to the campaign from those who were able to make backgrounds. Maybe something along the lines of an IOU from the DM - like a card or note saying it can be redeemed for one secret about the story or BBEG from the DM, or a free Resurection usable by anyone in the group, etc. (and the group has to agree on how and when it gets used).

Also, if you use action points (or want to import them from 4E or SAGA), then you could award an extra action point to players who make a particularly good backstory, or hand them out based on contributions in game.