When do you grant inspiration?

[Cikomyr]

I kind of like the inspiration mechanic. It's simple and straightforward.

I know the rules suggest to give inspiration for cool actions, but have you ever given inspiration as.. Behavior-rewards?

For example, we have a rotating "bring the Port" responsibility in our group. Well the person whose turn it is to bring it gets Inspiration right off the bat. Suddenly, I've had a player bringing port sooner than was his turn :-P

I am the one who suggested 5e, and j provided documentation to everyone who wanted to learn of their class/archetypes/race ahead of time, but did not expect them to do much. Well, last game when they leveled up, I went around to all players to tell them what they gained and a player just interrupted me when it came to him: "No need, I've studied and know exactly what I have at level 2"

"...gain inspiration for next game"

And I turned to the other players, promising they'd get inspiration too if they learn their stuff in time for next game.

I mean, Inspiration is such a cool reward for players to have/use, and it's relatively cheap to hand out. Add the fact that players can't have more than 1 at the time encourages them to use it relatively soon in the game so they won't hoard it.

I thought of using Inspiration more and more as further behavior shaping. Ex: the player who encourages the others to be a bit less disruptive, or the player who volunteer to take notes/draw maps. It shouldn't just be about doing cool stuff, maybe it should be about being a good player who is willing to go the extra mile to be a positive influence at the table and help the game run smoothly?

Have you good examples of behavior your rewarded with Inspiration?

[Bjarkmundur]

Always (https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-positive-reinforcement-2795412) asdfasdfasdf

I like giving out inspiration when a player sacrifices mechanics for narration:
My Senior Warlock rolled a knowledge check on a construct in order to discern its weaknesses. He rolled a nat 1, so I told the player he knew everything about constructs, but in reverse, and believed psychic attacks to be most effective offense. Next was the Junior Warlock's turn, who without hesitation used a spell slot to cast a psychic spell on the construct. The player knew this would have no effect, since constructs are immune to psychic effects, but was so immersed in the narrative that no other course of action came to his mind. I laughed my ass off, and gave the player an inspiration token.

I also like giving out inspiration to any player willing to reduce my workload. Basically, if a player writes anything down, he gets an inspiration. Once we sold a diamond pickaxe for a hefty sum of gold. My Senior Warlock instantly announced that he'd hold the money, and calculate each person's share. If someone spent any money, that person should let him know, so he could keep track of the group's economy. This saved everyone a lot of bookeeping, and the player got an inspiration.

My players are slowly learning to gift inspiration to each other, but it's mostly just based of the rule of cool.

[GlenSmash!]

When someone ties a choice their character makes to a Personality trait, bond, flaw, or ideal, or there alignment description.

I also let players give other players Inspiration for things they think are cool.

I also allow players to claim Inspiration when they think they've done something cool.

[Man_Over_Game]

Always (https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-positive-reinforcement-2795412) asdfasdfasdf

I like giving out inspiration when a player sacrifices mechanics for narration:
My Senior Warlock rolled a knowledge check on a construct in order to discern its weaknesses. He rolled a nat 1, so I told the player he knew everything about constructs, but in reverse, and believed psychic attacks to be most effective offense. Next was the Junior Warlock's turn, who without hesitation used a spell slot to cast a psychic spell on the construct. The player knew this would have no effect, since constructs are immune to psychic effects, but was so immersed in the narrative that no other course of action came to his mind. I laughed my ass off, and gave the player an inspiration token.

I also like giving out inspiration to any player willing to reduce my workload. Basically, if a player writes anything down, he gets an inspiration. Once we sold a diamond pickaxe for a hefty sum of gold. My Senior Warlock instantly announced that he'd hold the money, and calculate each person's share. If someone spent any money, that person should let him know, so he could keep track of the group's economy. This saved everyone a lot of bookeeping, and the player got an inspiration.

My players are slowly learning to gift inspiration to each other, but it's mostly just based of the rule of cool.

This is pretty much exactly how I like to use it.

I use a combination of Inspiration and extra Experience to reward players for performing beyond mechanics. I use Inspiration to generally bail them out of trouble that they caused, and Experience for when they solved an extra problem that's unrelated to their goals.

Sometimes they create more problems by trying to be cool, and in those cases, they get both. I want my players to do stupid stuff, get themselves into trouble, act in character because it's optimal in terms of rewards, not safety.

Exalted apparently follows this model, multiplying your session's experience up to 190%, based on:


How disadvantageous and dramatic your flaws were in the session
How much did you assist others in maintaining the narrative spotlight

It rewards those who fail, and it rewards those who support. Those who want to hog the spotlight and showboat can do so, but they'll fall behind in experience (and so will eventually become less of a show-off). In a way, it's a negative feedback loop, in regards of heroism. If you're not a hero, you become one. If you're already a hero, you won't change. It's something I try to imitate with 5e's Inspiration/Experience system.

[Cikomyr]

I dont like giving XP as behavioral rewards, because I like everyone being at the same level...

I definetly allow players to give inspiration to each others. It's theirs to give if they want.

[Man_Over_Game]

I dont like giving XP as behavioral rewards, because I like everyone being at the same level...

I definetly allow players to give inspiration to each others. It's theirs to give if they want.

You don't have to keep the experience to one particular person. A Wizard might have Fireball'd the entire group of goblins, yet the entire party got the experience. The Barbarian might have charged into the Den of Evil, but his party were the ones to pull him back out of it. Inspiration is better as an individual's reward. But if one person was responsible for the entire team's Experience bonus, you can bet that that guy is getting high-fives and extra pizza.

[Cikomyr]

You don't have to keep the experience to one particular person. A Wizard might have Fireball'd the entire group of goblins, yet the entire party got the experience. The Barbarian might have charged into the Den of Evil, but his party were the ones to pull him back out of it. Inspiration is better as an individual's reward. But if one person was responsible for the entire team's Experience bonus, you can bet that that guy is getting high-fives and extra pizza.

.... Okay yhea. Very very good point.

[Yakmala]

For all sorts of reasons. Here's just a few.

1: The player uses their character background or personality in a way that, while perhaps not the most optimal solution to a problem, perfectly fits with how the player has defined their character.

2: The player attempts something very difficult, knowing a positive outcome is unlikely, describes their actions in a very cool way, and then manages to succeed. Describing how they respond to failure can also gain them inspiration.

3: The player has their character turn a perfect phrase.

4: The perfect pun at the perfect moment.

5: The player has their character make a meaningful sacrifice, either for another player character or an NPC.

6: The player helped a new player at the table prepare for the adventure, either by helping them with character creation or getting them caught up while I dealt with other players.

7: The player brought fresh baked cookies from home and shared with the group.

[Sigreid]

Because we had been ignoring the mechanic I now start each session with each player having an inspiration point. In addition, they can earn during play by doing something I think was well, inspired. This can be a brilliant plan, a hilarious quip or whatever.

[Segev]

I keep meaning to, and forget entirely about the mechanic. I've given it all of once, and the player also forgot about it. I need to figure out how to be better about it.

[Toadkiller]

We have some cheap bead necklaces that were originally collected at a Mardi Gras parade. The players can award a necklace for whatever strikes their fancy once a session and it is then “redeemable” that session as inspiration. The tangible item helps people remember to award and use them. Limiting the use helps make it seem special. It typically comes up a few times an evening though it is variable.

My table usually awards them for role playing and/or particularly striking actions in combat. A super clever tactic, etc. From the DM point of view the players seem to get more out of awarding it than using it. Though there have been some clutch moments where the extra roll has saved their bacon. It adds to our game, I find it fun anyway.

[Bjarkmundur]

I keep meaning to, and forget entirely about the mechanic. I've given it all of once, and the player also forgot about it. I need to figure out how to be better about it.

Starting the session where everyone has one works well. I modified my inspiration to be used in one of three ways:


Reroll a d20
Regain hit points (1 hd+Con)
Make a narrative declaration (be the DM for 1 second)


You can try using one or both changes, and you'll definitely see it used more.

[Anonymouswizard]

I keep meaning to, and forget entirely about the mechanic. I've given it all of once, and the player also forgot about it. I need to figure out how to be better about it.

I haven't even awarded it once. It's just not important enough for me to think about it.

Like personality traits, it's just so tacked on. 'Oh, and the GM can award an Automatic Advantage token if the player roleplays their traits well'. Inspiration and Personality Traits are there because 5e decided to play follow the leader and snap up what made games like Fate popular, without understanding how it works (while the core of Fate is Fudge when it comes to rules, the core of gameplay is that Fate Points flow back and forth to create natural highs and lows). It's like how 5e went 'lighter' by cutting back on a lot of the noncombat rules, although that works better because it brings it closer to pre-3e.

So while I rarely run 5e anymore (I've just got a lot of games I prefer), I have come up with some House Rules for Inspiration:
The Inspiration cap is raised to three, plus one for standard humans or halflings, plus one if you have the Lucky feat. This allows players to build up a pool of Inspiration for really awesome moments, or spend some while still keeping an emergency point.
Characters begin every session with one point of Inspiration, two for Halflings. On the downside Halflings lose their Lucky ability, but gain free proficiency in Stealth.
Inspiration is gained whenever a character's Personality Trait, Bond, Flaw, or Ideal causes the party problems. Players are encouraged to suggest such problems for points.
The Lucky Feat raises the character's Inspiration cap by one, raises their starting Inspiration by one, and allows them to spend Inspiration to give people acting against them disadvantage.

Sure, this makes them more like Fate's Fate Points, but that's actuall the idea. By making them more central to gameplay and allowing players to ask for them you make it more likely to come up while simultaneously reducing the load on the GM to remember. Because players spending Inspiration is fun, and players causing themselves minor problems to get more Inspiration is fun, and I feel annoyed that I've never seen Inspiration actually come up, on either side of the screen.

[Tanarii]

When someone ties a choice their character makes to a Personality trait, bond, flaw, or ideal, or there alignment description.

I also let players give other players Inspiration for things they think are cool.

I also allow players to claim Inspiration when they think they've done something cool.Yeah, players requesting inspiration is really useful sometimes. Even if some players don't seem to like doing it.

The biggest problem with the inspiration mechanic is the cognitive load it places on the DM. Even with notecards for each players personality traits, for player groups that change regularly, and players regularly changing PCs, keeping them all in mind while running the entire rest of the game world is extremely demanding. Especially for my pickup sessions (i.e. whomever shows up), or if for some reason the players didn't tell me specific PCs they plan to use when they scheduled a closed session, it becomes next to impossible.

Like many things in 5e, it seems best suited to the more modern play style of one group of players of one group of characters for an entire campaign. That gives the DM plenty of time to learn and memorize the character's personality traits, certainly long before they leave T1.

[Gryndle]

we do inspiration slightly different at our table. We have these 5 over-sized d20 that the DM keeps. When one of the players says or does something that cracks up the entire group, or something that "wows' us all, that player gets one of those over-sized d20...that he can roll at any time to add or subtract from ANY die roll made that session. You can never have more than one of those d20 at a time.

We've seen those dice rolls added to a paladin's smite on a crit for big damage, to tank a big-bad's saving throw, to turn a killing blow against a PC into a miss, and a host of other rolls. Its a mechanic our group has grown to love.

[Tanarii]

I like the Forbidden Lands version better, it's called Pride. The player chooses and describes something as their Pride, something they don't fail at often. They decide when it's triggered after they've failed a check, subject to agreement by the GM. Then they roll a special die, one that has a 7/12 chance of at least one success. If they fail, their pride is razed, and after a whole session without it, they choose something different.

In 5e terms, it'd be the player choosing when to gain advantage based on a single category of things they choose to be good at, but if you still fail you lose the ability to use it for an entire session and need to choose something new.

Of course, this can totally be optimized. One of the sample Prides is "I never miss my target" for the ranger-style character. Obviously in a combat heavy game that's a powerful ability, although if it's used too often it'll go away pretty fast.

[Cikomyr]

I just outright lend one of my dice to the player who earned inspiration. :-P

[Bjarkmundur]

Yeah, players requesting inspiration is really useful sometimes.
The biggest problem with the inspiration mechanic is the cognitive load it places on the DM.

I have it written on each of my player's character sheet. They all pick one RP or narrative related thing that grants them Inspiration. Things like "if I say 'geronimo' before willingly taking falling damage" and '
"whenever I trigger a trap" or "Whenever I attempt to spread my cleric' s faith".

You of course have to make with your DM, but that really gives the DM the chance to use it as a tool to set the atmosphere. By simply having different inspiration-givers you can change a campaign from looney tunes to dark and gritty. "Whenever I gain insanity I also gain one inspiration" or "whenever I break a promise" can make a campaign really dark, really fast.

[GlenSmash!]

I just outright lend one of my dice to the player who earned inspiration. :-P

I hand out Big Red Inspiration d20s and encourage my players to use them quickly.

I think one of the problems is the instinctive urge to hoard the inspiration when you need it, rather than spend it and try and get it again.

I think once a table gets in the habit of gaining and spending it often it becomes easier.

[Segev]

I hand out Big Red Inspiration d20s and encourage my players to use them quickly.

I think one of the problems is the instinctive urge to hoard the inspiration when you need it, rather than spend it and try and get it again.

I think once a table gets in the habit of gaining and spending it often it becomes easier.

One trick to encourage quick spending might be to give +1 XP when it's spent. It's not a lot, but 25 of those is a CR 1 encounter.

The trouble I have is as a DM: it's very hard to remember to hand it out. If anybody has ideas for helping to remember it's there, without also eliminating its purpose (rewarding cool and/or in character actions and ideas), I'm in the market.

[GlenSmash!]

One trick to encourage quick spending might be to give +1 XP when it's spent. It's not a lot, but 25 of those is a CR 1 encounter.

The trouble I have is as a DM: it's very hard to remember to hand it out. If anybody has ideas for helping to remember it's there, without also eliminating its purpose (rewarding cool and/or in character actions and ideas), I'm in the market.

In a physical game I keep a bowl of inspiration dice right in front of me. Over the web I have a much harder time.

[Callak_Remier]

Good Roleplay - choosing a suboptimal choice because thats what my character would do.

Comedy- if you can make a good joke or pun based on the situation and make several players laugh

Tactical Brilliance- Fortune favours the Bold with Inspiration.

[Particle_Man]

I am a harried and lazy DM but I know this about myself, so I make it a rule that characters regain inspiration after every single encounter.

[Misterwhisper]

Been playing since beta, never once have I ever seen a dm use it at all.

The vast majority do not even know there are rules for it.

[Tanarii]

Been playing since beta, never once have I ever seen a dm use it at all.

The vast majority do not even know there are rules for it.
For once, I don't feel like your play experience is completely off the norm. :smallamused:

[Kane0]

I make a reminder for myself to grab my stack of inspiration tokens to hand out for my current game. My rule of thumb is you get one every time I would normally say 'good idea' or 'well played', but you can't have more than one so use them fast!

[GlenSmash!]

I started using it more after running Adventures in Middle-Earth which has more uses for Inspiration. There it's required to trigger certain magic item effects.