Rewarding RP

[DwarfFighter]

Usually I tend to bulk out the xp awards for my players with a bonus in addition to the rewards derived from challenge ratings. I usually wing it for the exact amount, but each player gets the same. Why the same? I'm simply not comfortable with appearing to "play favorites". However, there have been repeated complaints from my players that I don't take their "role-playing" properly into account, so I would like to address this.

My first challenge seems to be the subjective perception of role-play. My players are a relatively mixed lot, and as such some are more in tune with my sense of what makes for an enjoyable game. However, just because I like it doesn't make it good role-playing (and vice versa).

Second, I don't want to penalize players for not "getting into character" - the whole role immersion thing just isn't for everybody. For role-playing rewards to be noticed in a positive manner, it must be presented in sch a way that it is clear that it's a reward for performance, and it must be clear that the players that earn no reward or less of a reward aren't being punished.

I've been thinking about using a system that makes these rewards visible, like handing a player something tangible like a poker chip or something whenever he's done something great. Or perhaps even delegate to the players them selves to nominate reward candidates. Also, rewarding RP with xp isn't the only option for me.

-DF

[Comet]

Or perhaps even delegate to the players them selves to nominate reward candidates.


This is the way to go, I've always thought.

When the players are handing out these rewards among themselves, it's more of a "dude, awesome job! High five!" and less of a "your roleplaying pleases the Dungeon Master, your elven wizard may now advance to the next level of Dungeons and Dragons".

[Vladislav]

If awarding XP for individual roleplaying is something you're uncomfortable with, don't do it. Plain and simple.

However, you may want to reward the players that roleplay well in other ways, other than direct XP gain. Maybe NPCs pay more attention to them and spend more time talking to them. Maybe they get a valuable clue this way. Maybe you can comment (ooc) about how awesome that roleplay was. Just something small to encourage good RP (but without disheartening the guys that don't get into character - there's a fine line here, don't cross it).

But, if you want to avoid playing favourites and rewarding different XP for your players, you are 100% within your rights. And don't let anyone bend your hand into it.

[Kajhera]

I once got rewarded by player vote for best RP, with a miniature as a reward. :smallsmile:

[DwarfFighter]

I once got rewarded by player vote for best RP, with a miniature as a reward. :smallsmile:

Nice! But my players have enough miniatures as it is, and I can hardly claim to be the best painter either.

-DF

[Zaq]

Roleplay XP rewards bother me, just because not everyone is good at roleplaying (and they shouldn't be punished for that) and not everyone necessarily gets a chance to show off their RP skills in any given session (and they shouldn't be punished for that, either). Even letting the players give out the rewards doesn't help much. Add in the subjectivity of what is and is not good roleplaying, and . . . yeah. It doesn't sit well with me. I say go with what Vladislav recommended.

[Eldan]

I prefer to reward rules with rules (i.e. doing something successfully gives XP and treasure) and rewarding RP with RP.

Players who get into the RP make more contacts among NPCs, which can give them information or help them out in an emergency (I know this guard officer, who...). Or they could notice a few more details about a situation if they describe their search.

[Cyrion]

If you're going to reward for roleplay, set up a specific list of things that get rewards and how much the reward is worth. Try and make this as objective as possible to avoid the playing favorites tag.

Also, consider rewarding the whole party for good roleplaying, even if it's by one individual. That will foster teamwork instead of competition. This is probably the best way if your reward is going to be XP. Then when they ask about getting rewarded for good roleplaying you can simply say, "I did. I gave everybody X extra experience because you did so well."

Just thinking off the top of my head, maybe make it something where they rack up RP reward points that they can trade in for in-character benefits: they could be traded in for XP, a minor item, an episode of Unaccountable Awesomeness during a session, or whatever they'd/you'd deem as fun rewards that don't upset the party balance.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

I keep a tally of 'cool points' - every time a player does something fun, interesting or just plain cool, I give them a point, which increases their XP award by a certain fraction.

I tailor the awarding of cool points according to the style of each player. One guy is always very funny and witty, so I never give him cool points for that - it's his default setting.

[Kol Korran]

i never knew that people roleplay to get rewards. i thought people roleplayed because it was... you know... fun?

As a DM i try to find in each session something to appeal to each player (preferably to some together). some are power gamers who like to be challenged by a powerful encounter. some are problem solvers who like to explore, think, and come up with clever ideas, some are roleplayers who like to talk their way through, or play their way through, and so on... (most are a combination of course). i try to plan most challenges (or at least sessions) so that they could be overcome in various ways.

i don't give XP for encounters, i give XP for accomplishments. these may be predetermined, but the players can also accomplish strange cool things, which also get rewards.

but i'm babbling. my main point is that i don't reward RP, as i don't reward being funny, or being clever, or bringing the chips, or bringing cool miniatures. or me bringing the adventure. they all contribute to the game, which is it's own reward. we each bring what we can to the table, and it should be enough without going to silly little XP rules :smallsmile:

[stainboy]

A lot of people won't roleplay for mechanical rewards, but they will roleplay with no mechanical incentive if they're not embarrassed to do it.

It's a lot easier for a player to get everyone comfortable with roleplaying than for the DM. Even if the DM says every line in character, you still get players saying "my guy tells the duke about the thing we just did." But one player talking in character makes it OK for everyone else.

[Physics_Rook]

Not giving any reward or benefit for roleplaying doesn't seem like it would encourage roleplaying among players who might be shy or uncomfortable getting that into their character.

By the same token I'm fairly certain that players suffering unfortunate consequences for roleplaying might serve to discourage players from roleplaying.

It seems somewhat straightforward to believe that rewarding players for roleplaying would encourage them to roleplay even more.

Ultimately it would be nice if someone could post examples of how players react to any of these posited models (yours or your players' experiences).

To keep players who don't roleplay very often from feeling like they're being overshadowed by people who might simply be more comfortable then them when roleplaying, it might help to create a system where the roleplaying of one player benefits/has no effect/punishes the entire group.


Also, consider rewarding the whole party for good roleplaying, even if it's by one individual. That will foster teamwork instead of competition. This is probably the best way if your reward is going to be XP.


This idea looks really appealing to me.

It helps to encourage players to roleplay, and at the same time keeps even the non-roleplayers from feeling jipped. Using this system, players might end up encouraging each other to roleplay. Alternatively it could end up that the players only ever encourage their "best" roleplayer to roleplay.

I'd really like to see what sort of effect this has on a group's attitude towards roleplaying.


i never knew that people roleplay to get rewards. i thought people roleplayed because it was... you know... fun?



but i'm babbling. my main point is that i don't reward RP, as i don't reward being funny, or being clever, or bringing the chips, or bringing cool miniatures. or me bringing the adventure. they all contribute to the game, which is it's own reward. we each bring what we can to the table, and it should be enough without going to silly little XP rules :smallsmile:

This makes a lot of sense. I don't think that it would be inappropriate to consider roleplaying in a game anything more than a garnish on top of the game itself. It's something the players choose to do or not of their own accord. I will admit that I still feel inclined to try and provide some sort of encouragement to players to roleplay though.

There is of course the issue that some players play characters that are naturally inclined to not roleplay very much. Characters that have to avoid being seen/interacting with anybody (criminals), or lone ranger types (the lone ranger), or even characters who are supposed to be shy wallflower types (shy wallflowers types).

For these types of characters, their biggest obstacle in roleplaying isn't comfort but the character itself. Would it be right to award roleplaying to these for players being in character and not interacting with people?