Many roleplaying game rules do not cover character growth beyond experience points, skill levels, and standard equipment purchases.įor example, in D&D 5E character Ideals, Bonds, Personality, and Flaws probably never change during the campaign. And therefore, more compelling characters. This will give you a plethora of details and cues for great roleplay. Soon you’ll be able to summon to mind, in great detail, each character. To accomplish this, practice between sessions picturing each character in their current state. But the point here is, maybe for the first time, the world reacts to the character’s existence.Īnd I’ve found when the world “sees” the characters, players respond in kind. His hand is over his mouth and nose, and he’s looking at you like you might murder him. Two dogs come sniffing around you and one begins to lick the blood on your hobnail boots.Ī boy screams across the street, dropping the basket of produce he was taking to market. Roghan, the smith brandishes his hot tongs and waves them in your direction like he’s purifying the spot you’re in. Yer got some disease, from th’ carnage trough ye be swimmin’ in, no doubt about it! And ye ain’t stinkin up me place!” “Oi, you’re nacht comint in t’here like dat!” How does the PC seem, look, and smell to the fine citizens of Dungeontown?īut in seriousness, if you invest time understanding and imagining the characters, you will include them in play more often in detailed ways sure to engage players.Ĭompare a standard merchant transaction where the character leaves 100 gold pieces lighter carrying some shiny armor, to an encounter where the smith refuses service until the PC is clean. Are they rested? Covered in ichor? Been trapped underground for a week? On the run? Celebrating a victory?Ī trap I like to pounce with is when the party re-enters civilization. Session notes (in case you forgot a detail)Īlso just sit back and picture the PC’s current state.Most powerful abilities (for encounter building).Special equipment (for treasure and puzzles). ![]() ![]() Backgrounds and Origin Stories (for tie-ins).But now, with a camera in every phone and digital tools for players, I can get character sheet snapshots quick and easy.īetween sessions, refresh your memory on: ![]() Go The Extra MileĪ little musing on each character goes a long way.Īside from all the plotting, planning, and map drawing you may do between sessions, also spend a few minutes thinking about each player’s character. Here are a half-dozen ways to help players develop more compelling characters. How can we help players develop interesting and unique characters during play?Ī player who really enjoys playing their character is almost always enthusiastic and makes more fun at the game table.Īnd feeling engaged and excited, plus having fun, is pretty much the best reward of all for roleplaying. I would also be interested in hearing how you reward players during play, aside from the “tangibles” like experience points, skill points and treasure. If you do find them useful, I’ll follow-up by publishing the rest of the “Good Roleplaying Rewards” tips I was planning. So, he inspired me to write an article about types of rewards other than experience points, skill points, and loot.īut, as I began writing about “Rewards For Good Roleplaying”, I discovered that one tip: “Help Your Players Develop Unique Characters During Play”, was worth an issue all unto itself. From personal experience as a player, it *is* rewarding being the center of attention and basking in the glory (of a successful action) or suffering the good- natured jibes from the other players (after a botched action). He explained to me that it’s rewarding for players to have the spotlight at the game table where everyone’s attention is focused on them for a minute or two at a time, while they have their character perform heroic deeds, or amazing feats, or just plain old parleying with a wily NPC.Īnd he’s right. Marcus, a good friend and an awesome roleplayer, recently taught me about a different kind of reward for roleplaying while we were planning a co-GM session.
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