Rewards

Experience

Experience is perhaps the most common reward that you will grant to your Players. Generally speaking, just about every challenge that your PCs face should grant Experience in some form (either directly from the encounter or as part of a Story Awards.) Experience represents a culmination of the knowledge that players have gained throughout an adventure and is used to advance a character's level. See Calculating Experience for more details on how Experience should be awarded.

Karma

Karma represents a character's good fortune and the favor gained from overcoming difficult challenges. Players can utilize Karma for a variety of functions, such as to gain Experience, reroll a die, or to fuel Ultimate powers. A Karma is usually granted to each character at the completion of a battle of moderate difficulty or more (i.e. 200+ xp). If the battle was particularly challenging, such as when the PCs defeat a villain or Very Difficult encounter, it may be warranted to grant additional Karma.

Karma may also be granted at the completion of quests, either in addition to the Story Award or instead of Experience (for minor quests). Karma can be granted when PCs perform a particularly good deed, especially when it is something unexpected or unplanned. For example, if the PCs find out that the local Tavern owner is having financial trouble and decide to give him a sack of gold, this may warrant giving the PCs a karma (in addition to granting a Social Event, see below).

Lastly, Karma can be granted to a single player for exceptional roleplay, though this should be done sparingly. The intention of granting Karma for roleplay is to encourage players to step out of their comfort zone a bit and really add life and realism to their character. Therefore, what is considered "exceptional roleplay" will likely be different for an outgoing and enthusiastic player versus a shy and reserved player.

Treasure

Treasure includes coin, equipment, valuable or useful goods, or magic items that the PCs gain through the course of the adventure. Treasure can come from a number of sources and includes what is carried by defeated opponents, what they find in run down houses and forgotten tombs, as well as what they are paid for their services. Valuable items come in many forms and can include gems, jewelry, objects made from precious metals (such as silver platters or candlesticks), ornate furniture, fine clothing and linens, artwork, rare books, and more. Useful goods can include ritual and alchemical components, rare or expensive tools, parchment and ink (relatively expensive and less common than expected), food (even the party needs to eat), and more. Magic items can include trinkets, magical texts (i.e. copies of spells, rituals, or scrolls), potions, and other consumables in addition to more powerful items, weapon, and armor.

In some cases, Treasure will be rolled randomly, while in other cases it makes more sense to have treasure predetermined. Random treasure tables can be found on the Treasure page, and are typically used when PCs are looting items from defeated opponents or when searching in non-specific rooms (i.e. there could be something in this room, but there doesn't have to be). Treasure that the PCs receive in payment for their services is usually predetermined, as is any treasure that is the goal of a quest or plotline. Sometimes it is helpful to give players magic items that will assist them in the fight ahead (for example, if you know the players will be fighting an Incorporeal creature soon, perhaps the Fighter will find a magic weapon before the encounter).

Social Events

Social Events serve to change an NPC's Disposition towards the party (or towards a particular PC), and can be awarded in response to services or good deeds that the party has completed (though they can also be used against the party, if they end up harming an NPC in some way, changing Dispositions in a more negative fashion). These disposition changes can then be helpful to the PCs later on, by modifying an NPCs Social Skills during interactions with the party.

Minor Social Events usually occur in response to small interactions, perhaps just a friendly conversation. Moderate and Major Events occur in response to the PCs deeds and actions. Helping out the town by taking care of the goblin raiders may grant a Moderate Trust and/or Fondness event for the town, while saving the Mayor's daughter from said goblins would constitute a Major event.

Destiny Points

Destiny Points are granted to PCs individually as they make progress towards their Destiny or to the group as a Story Award for completion of Major Quests. When gained as part of a Destiny, a Destiny Point is usually granted whenever a character completes a task or objective that relates to their Destiny. This could include obtaining information, making an important decision, or overcoming challenges and obstacles specific to the Destiny (keep in mind that this may warrant experience for the party as well, especially if a combat or other significant challenge was involved).

At minimum you should plan to give out Destiny Points at a rate of one per two levels (i.e. every even level), though the specific frequency and timeframe that you award Destiny Points is up to you. Ideally you want to spread out when Destiny Points are given, but this is sometimes difficult when Player Character's are driving the story (when one gets particularly focused on completing his Destiny, for example). It's ok in this case to give out a PC's Destiny Points in quick succession, though make sure the player is aware that this means they won't likely be getting more for a while. Likewise you want to try and give out the same number of Destiny Points to each player over time, though it's not necessary (nor really possible) to keep maintain equal numbers of Destiny Points among players at the same time. In the end though, each character should have had the opportunity to obtain an equal number of Destiny Points from their Destiny.


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