DM Fulcrum
Squire
Posts: 46 
Favorite D&D Class: Paladin
Favorite D&D Race: Dragonborn
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Post by DM Fulcrum on Jul 7, 2015 23:33:15 GMT
So, I was having trouble a awhile back with finding ways to incorporate Inspiration into my campaign. I run a combat heavy campaign while the other DM in the group runs story driven and gets better chances to give out inspiration. It finally came to me last week. After the session I clarified with the group on the kill count in the dungeon, sure enough the Folk Hero Fighter brought down the most combatants therefore he was granted the nights inspiration die. Much like in rulebook it must be used before he is granted another. So next week he may or may not get a shot at another one.
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Samuel Wise
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Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 8, 2015 3:53:05 GMT
After the session I clarified with the group on the kill count in the dungeon, sure enough the Folk Hero Fighter brought down the most combatants therefore he was granted the nights inspiration die. Much like in rulebook it must be used before he is granted another. So next week he may or may not get a shot at another one. I am going to use this idea, if that is all right. I rarely use inspiration and this might be a great incentive to my players (though they are pretty trigger happy as it is). Thanks! |
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DM Fulcrum
Squire
Posts: 46
Favorite D&D Class: Paladin
Favorite D&D Race: Dragonborn
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Post by DM Fulcrum on Jul 8, 2015 3:56:16 GMT
After the session I clarified with the group on the kill count in the dungeon, sure enough the Folk Hero Fighter brought down the most combatants therefore he was granted the nights inspiration die. Much like in rulebook it must be used before he is granted another. So next week he may or may not get a shot at another one. I am going to use this idea, if that is all right. I rarely use inspiration and this might be a great incentive to my players (though they are pretty trigger happy as it is). Thanks! Of course that is the reason for such forums and the podcast in general, to inspire and or advise. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2015 5:03:52 GMT
I just stopped using inspiration altogether. I appreciate what it tries to do, and I've read a lot of variants that seem reasonable, but it never felt like a valuable addition to the game.
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Samuel Wise
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Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 8, 2015 5:43:54 GMT
I just stopped using inspiration altogether. I appreciate what it tries to do, and I've read a lot of variants that seem reasonable, but it never felt like a valuable addition to the game. I get that, as all of my games (though I haven't played many to be honest) did fine without it. And really I forget it half the time anyway. I am using this idea, however, because many of my players (when we play) are video gamers. I can use this for "rewards" in battle, without mixing up experience points between them. |
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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 8, 2015 8:14:20 GMT
I like this idea, but agree that the Inspiration mechanic in general is hard to work with. I say that mainly because it takes a decent amount of investment from both sides of the screen to work. Even if the DM has great ideas on how and why to give Inspiration, the players could never remember they have it, or just don't see when they could use it, or hoard the resource and just end up wasting it by not using it. I think that you have to be all in and toss it out like candy until they just use it all the time because you are giving it out all the time, or make it something special like you have described Geekydm.
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Post by friartook on Jul 8, 2015 21:35:09 GMT
I like this idea, but agree that the Inspiration mechanic in general is hard to work with. I say that mainly because it takes a decent amount of investment from both sides of the screen to work. Even if the DM has great ideas on how and why to give Inspiration, the players could never remember they have it, or just don't see when they could use it, or hoard the resource and just end up wasting it by not using it. I think that you have to be all in and toss it out like candy until they just use it all the time because you are giving it out all the time, or make it something special like you have described Geekydm. It is recommended in one of the books (the DMG?) that inspiration should be given out to each player, at least once per session. Which I suppose means its intended to be used during that same session. As I understand it, Inspiration is supposed to be given out when a player makes a decision based on RP rather than intelligent tactics. For example, the selfish, morally ambiguous rogue who abhors slavery places himself in personal danger to save an enslaved family. Not a smart move tactically, and perhaps not fitting with the general rogue template, but its an action that fits with the character's background. I don't go so far as to give it out every session, but I like having it there to throw around when I really like what is happening at the table. Its also saved the PC's lives on more than one occasion. I like it for that too; its a way for the players to decide when a roll really counts. Feels similar to the GM Intrusion mechanic from the Cypher System (which I don't fully understand). I've always thought there was a flaw in the D&D system where that is concerned: prior to Inspiration, there was no way for the players to influence the dice. I like for them to have a resource that enables them influence their own fate/luck. To be clear, I'll allow Inspiration to be used as a re-roll, which I believe is not the RAW. I think it is supposed to be used to gain advantage on a roll, but I've allowed players to re-roll very bad rolls at vital times using Inspiration. I run a campaign in which encounter balance is dubious at the best of times, and where the PCs are likely to encounter challenges beyond their abilities. Inspiration helps me balance that. |
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Post by DM Mitch on Jul 8, 2015 23:43:23 GMT
Even if the DM has great ideas on how and why to give Inspiration, the players could never remember they have it A good way to fix this problem would be to use some sort of physical token, that players can have in front of them as a reminder that they have it. You could literally use a token, or perhaps, as DM, you could have 4 (if you have 4 players) red colored die, that you hand out as inspiration. Then players are like...hey whats this extra red d20 doing in front of.....oh yeah. |
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DM Fulcrum
Squire
Posts: 46
Favorite D&D Class: Paladin
Favorite D&D Race: Dragonborn
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Post by DM Fulcrum on Jul 9, 2015 0:40:42 GMT
Even if the DM has great ideas on how and why to give Inspiration, the players could never remember they have it A good way to fix this problem would be to use some sort of physical token, that players can have in front of them as a reminder that they have it. You could literally use a token, or perhaps, as DM, you could have 4 (if you have 4 players) red colored die, that you hand out as inspiration. Then players are like...hey whats this extra red d20 doing in front of.....oh yeah. During the group sessions I hand that player the large 20 sider at the beginning to remind them that they have a inspiration available. |
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Samuel Wise
Demigod
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Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 9, 2015 0:59:46 GMT
You could literally use a token, or perhaps, as DM, you could have 4 (if you have 4 players) red colored die, that you hand out as inspiration. During the group sessions I hand that player the large 20 sider at the beginning to remind them that they have a inspiration available. Both of these are awesome ways to remember inspiration. I like the dice examples, because it helps to remind both me and the players of inspiration. Different dice for inspiration would be really helpful and that is what I'll shoot for. Thanks! |
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 9, 2015 15:08:06 GMT
I use those super cheap glass beads you can pick up just about anywhere to award my players inspiration. Then when they want to use it they just hand it back to me.
I tend to award Inspiration anytime I think the players have done something that's contributed to the fun for everyone else. That could be a clever tactic, some good roleplay, or it might just be something really funny before we even started the game. I wind up handing out a -lot- of Inspiration over a given session. For our table it's been a fun addition to the mechanic and something my players have enjoyed (especially after they figured out they could gift their Inspiration tokens to one another). It's easily become one of my favorite things about 5e for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest ones is because it's the most immediate and tangible way I've ever had as a DM to reward my players for making things more fun for everyone. XP and gear always come well after the event (usually at the end of the session), but Inspiration comes then and there.
I don't have many alterations to the mechanic in the book. My only house rule for Inspiration is that it doesn't transfer from week to week. Any inspiration tokens at the end of the session are "lost". That's partly to keep us from having to keep track of who has Inspiration from one week to the next. It's also to give more incentive to the players to spend their Inspiration rather than "hording" it like a potion or cure spell.
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Samuel Wise
Demigod
Ready to Help...
Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 9, 2015 15:34:11 GMT
I don't have many alterations to the mechanic in the book. My only house rule for Inspiration is that it doesn't transfer from week to week. Any inspiration tokens at the end of the session are "lost". That's partly to keep us from having to keep track of who has Inspiration from one week to the next. It's also to give more incentive to the players to spend their Inspiration rather than "hording" it like a potion or cure spell. That makes a lot of sense. I'm going to implement this concept as well. I can see almost everyone I have played with (that isn't very much) hoarding inspiration. I tell you what, all of these ideas are "inspiring" (sorry...). |
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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 9, 2015 20:23:58 GMT
I tell you what, all of these ideas are "inspiring" (sorry...). For shame on you Almarianknight! Haha. This thread has made me think more (or has Inspired me!? That's for you Almarianknight, haha) to think more about the Plot Twist Cards I hand out in my Pathfinder game sessions. Great ways to help my players to remember to use the cards before they lose them and get different ones at the next session. I'll put up a sign that says "Use Your Cards!" on the back of my DM screen, haha. |
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Post by friartook on Jul 9, 2015 20:30:28 GMT
I don't have many alterations to the mechanic in the book. My only house rule for Inspiration is that it doesn't transfer from week to week. Any inspiration tokens at the end of the session are "lost". That's partly to keep us from having to keep track of who has Inspiration from one week to the next. It's also to give more incentive to the players to spend their Inspiration rather than "hording" it like a potion or cure spell. I think this is a really smart house rule, especially if you are handing out Inspiration frequently. Several of my guys kept their Inspiration over multiple sessions. Since Inspiration is binary (you either have it or you don't), I couldn't use it for its intended purpose: to reward awesome play, because they already had it. I'll have to hand it out more lavishly, but I think I'll implement this. |
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