The 4e DMG2 also suggests something similar - XP equal to a level-appropriate challenge per hour of meaningful roleplay, which at 1st level is 100 XP per hour. I think that may be a bit much for 4e, that means you level after just 10 hours of talky stuff (in 1e at 100 XP/hour it's around 20 hours, depending on class), but for those who don't totally reject the premise of roleplay XP, I was wondering how much you think is appropriate?
XP for roleplay/social accomplishments
- Thread starter S'mon
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The 4e DMG2 also suggests something similar - XP equal to a level-appropriate challenge per hour of meaningful roleplay, which at 1st level is 100 XP per hour. I think that may be a bit much for 4e, that means you level after just 10 hours of talky stuff (in 1e at 100 XP/hour it's around 20 hours, depending on class), but for those who don't totally reject the premise of roleplay XP, I was wondering how much you think is appropriate?
Kaiyanwang
Adventurer
I voted 1/10 level, assuming that the party is active and the challenge is real.
I mean for real challenge not only one where there risks involved if something goes wrong, but difficulty in accomplishing the goal (nothing like: "I want followers. Wanna come?" "Uh, why not").
I mean for real challenge not only one where there risks involved if something goes wrong, but difficulty in accomplishing the goal (nothing like: "I want followers. Wanna come?" "Uh, why not").
Well, a good example from my online City State game yesterday (log at Dragonsfoot • View topic - Wilderlands AD&D: next game Tues 3rd August 12:30 UK (GMT+1) ) was a PC taking up a tavern arm-wrestling challenge, losing honorably, and subsequently befriending the victor, recruiting him for a planned dungeon expedition - the scene probably took 40-60 minutes or so but was interspersed with other PC activities. Since the NPC victor, Orson the Northron, is a powerful NPC who will make the dungeon expedition much more survivable, this was a significant accomplishment, all done through roleplay - there might have been a CHA check but I think the only roll was the failed one in the wrestling contest. Consequences for RP failure could have involved anything from amiable refusal, to making an enemy, to a very lopsided combat against Orson and his friends, with probably lethal results for the PCs.
Kaiyanwang
Adventurer
IMO you behaved right. Moreover, I want to praise you for the fact that you let the thing "flow" and let the player transform it in a success, and made clear the consequences of a possible complete failure.
The starting failure is a good thing, too, because players realized how to catch this guy beyond the arm wrestling contest (cool, classic idea, but linear: the failure lead to a more complex, and maybe enjoyable situation).
The starting failure is a good thing, too, because players realized how to catch this guy beyond the arm wrestling contest (cool, classic idea, but linear: the failure lead to a more complex, and maybe enjoyable situation).
Gilladian
Adventurer
I voted "around 1/20 per hour". Then again, I tend to give low XP for everything. I like a "slow advancement" style of play.
I had never thought about XP per hour before; I think I like it. I'll have to weigh it in my head and see how it would work out during the next session I run...
I had never thought about XP per hour before; I think I like it. I'll have to weigh it in my head and see how it would work out during the next session I run...
IronWolf
blank
I tend to give bonus XP for good roleplaying to really help reinforce that combat is not the be all end all solution to everything and to also let folks know if a scene is roleplayed out well we don't need to roll the dice to determine the outcome if you are going to "work" for it.
I guess I am pretty random in what I reward though and I don't put a lot of thought into a consistent reward amount. If it was an hour or so of good roleplaying similar to what you posted, then 100xp is entirely fair I think. If something rose even above that I would likely be okay with rewarding more for a really spectacular period of roleplay.
As the level of roleplay comes up I would suspect it would start to become considered the norm though and I wouldn't continue to award at the 100xp per hour for what had become the normal level of roleplay, but be back to rewarding levels of roleplay that exceeded the new norm.
I guess I am pretty random in what I reward though and I don't put a lot of thought into a consistent reward amount. If it was an hour or so of good roleplaying similar to what you posted, then 100xp is entirely fair I think. If something rose even above that I would likely be okay with rewarding more for a really spectacular period of roleplay.
As the level of roleplay comes up I would suspect it would start to become considered the norm though and I wouldn't continue to award at the 100xp per hour for what had become the normal level of roleplay, but be back to rewarding levels of roleplay that exceeded the new norm.
IMO you behaved right. Moreover, I want to praise you for the fact that you let the thing "flow" and let the player transform it in a success, and made clear the consequences of a possible complete failure.
The starting failure is a good thing, too, because players realized how to catch this guy beyond the arm wrestling contest (cool, classic idea, but linear: the failure lead to a more complex, and maybe enjoyable situation).
Cheers - Orson/Deod was one of two bits of NPC GMing I was quite proud of that session yesterday - the other being getting into the character of an NPC Paladin deciding whether to give herself to that same smooth-talking PC.
Awards can and should be reduced and increased as appropriate, of course - eg yesterday I had a player turn down an overly generous award (500 XP), he pointed out he hadn't really done anything to earn it! I gave him a more reasonable 200 XP award instead, roughly 50 XP per hour of the session.
Assuming you don't want to get rid of rewarding xp entirely (which is really the best option, imho), I'd first look at how meaningful the roleplaying was to the pcs goals. I.e. I'd only reward roleplaying that helps them to solve their 'quests'. If it does, they gain xp for completing a minor quest.
These minor 'quests' pop all all the time in my games. I usually prepare a couple of quests, but the majority comes from the pcs actions. They actively look for opportunities to complete tasks on the side. Often these are their own rewards, but sometimes they may earn them extra treasure, favors, etc.
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