Procedure
- At the end of each session, draw one line of a rectangle around any one element of the character sheet that you meaningfully improved or learned about this session.
- Once an element has been fully enclosed in a rectangle; whatever that element represents gains a benefit based on what has been improved or learned. The table discusses what this benefit could be, but the DM has the final say.
DM-Facing Principles
- Principle 0: Explain the below principles to the players and whether you intend to follow them or how you'll change them.
- Principle 1: Don't add any benefit that specifies modifiers, DC's or somehow alters the result of dices.
- Principle 2: The benefit allows something that previously was not physically or mechanically possible.
- Principle 3: There's a risk when using the benefit, proportional to the benefit.
- Principle 4: Ask what manner of benefit they envision at the end of each session and explain later what needs to change for it to fit within your principles.
What effects could be gained?
- Permanency: An item or feature that previously had a limited amount of uses, now has potentially unlimited, but require you to do something risky to keep it up and running.
- Reverse Weakness: A weakness is changed to be beneficial to you, with some lingering risks.
- Effect: Something has a greater effect, but also a greater risk.
- Open-ended Tool: An entirely new effect is added, allowing a different use for the character sheet element.
Examples:
The following are meant as example benefits that I would use. But you should add your own tailored to your campaign and based on what they did to earn their benefits!
Trepanation Scar:
Mind's Eye Exposed - Whoever gazes into your lidless third eye reveals the last of the seven sins you are guilty of, and you theirs. The only thing shown is the name of the sin, no more.
Good Boy - Buddy now understands human speech perfectly. Buddy takes everything literally and very seriously.
Climbing Equipment:
Creepy Crawler - You can climb upside down without equipment. Anything your hands touch gets stuck to them.
Strength:
Hulk - You are freakishly strong enough to bend steel bars with your hands alone, but you cannot arch your body more than 45 degrees.
Dexterity:
Cartilage Man - You can dislocate joints and bones to fit through anything larger than your skull, but you can only crawl until you've taken an hour to reset your skeleton.
Charisma:
Powerful Patron - You have gained the favour of someone with incredible power; they owe you one favour.
Name:
Five minutes of infamy - Everyone who has not been living under a rock knows who you are.
Armour/AC:
Hardened skin - You gain the benefits of the best armour type you can wear without wearing it, but you lose your tactile sense.
Severed Arm:
Meat Prosthetic - Your arm grows back, it's now all scaly and weird.
Character Portrait:
Just a phase - Your character has gone through an extreme makeover, and you may change any skin-deep detail. Old friends can't recognize you.
Magic Missile:
Seeker - If you know the name of your target, you don't need to see them nor be in range. But you need to scream their name so they can physically hear it.
+1 Sword:
Burning - It now burns with a perpetual flame, illuminating your path. The fire does not cease, and no mundane scabbard will hold it for long.
System Specific suggested rules:
Electric Bastionland
You should give out two lines at the end of each session.
You should give out two lines at the end of each session.
You can also buy lines from specialists, but you'll need more exclusive ones depending on how experienced you are, charging 500£/line multiplied by the number of benefits you have.
Mothership
Mothership
You should give out two lines at the end of each session.
You can also buy lines from specialists, but you'll need more exclusive ones depending on how experienced you are, charging 250credits/line multiplied by the number of benefits you have.
You can also buy lines from specialists, but you'll need more exclusive ones depending on how experienced you are, charging 250credits/line multiplied by the number of benefits you have.
Goblin Laws of Gaming
You can also buy lines from specialists, but you'll need more exclusive ones depending on how experienced you are, charging 200gp/line multiplied by the number of benefits you have.
5E D&D
You can also buy lines from specialists, but you'll need more exclusive ones depending on how experienced you are, charging 300gp/line multiplied by the number of benefits you have.
Notes:
I'm assuming for your chosen ruleset that there's a built-in character progression system already, which is why you only get an upgrade roughly every 4 sessions. But if you're using a system which lacks a progression system or has a minimal one, you might want to give out two lines at the end of each session. Accelerating the pace at which you gain benefits in a game such as 5E means you'll have a lot of complex character abilities to keep track of on your sheet after only a few sessions.
Adding benefits that makes you better at something
This system focuses around horizontal growth, it makes you more interesting, flexible and adds tools to your toolbox, but it does not make you better at something you already knew. As soon as you start adding benefits that make you stronger rather than more flexible you run into the risk of upsetting the careful balance of your chosen system and potentially invalidating future horizontal benefits.
Inspiration:
Die Trying's X system.Credits:
My awesome sister drew the picture, who wants to remain unlinked.
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