I am trying to create a system that will lead to players wanting to engage in non combat scenarios. Whether that be role play or any other meaningful way. My players are stuck in passive mode and not interacting with the game unless something happens TO them...ie. passively waiting for something to happen like watching a movie. It doesn't help that they are young " YouTube generation" players.
Is there a way to create a game mechanic that rewards/penalizes for players for participating?
Old grognard player here. Been playing since the 90's, and i can tell you, this isn't just a "Youtube Generation" thing. Have had players that are seemingly passive and they have had multiple reasons for being so, one of which is Politeness, or the over table version of it. They might be sitting back and letting you tell your story, not realizing that they are meant to instigate as well as participate. That was something i had to overcome when i started with AD&D2E.
Talk to them, have a mini re-session 0, or check in section during a session. See why they are being silent, and only reactive, not pro active. It will help you deterimine the right solution much easier, becuase it is your players explaining their reasons. Are they not taking up space while they learn the ropes? Are they still developing their RolePlay legs and taking it slow? Do they feel like they have no avenue but reaction because the way you describe things of interest isn't registering as an indication that something can be interacted with? Are they staying quiet because they have a different expectation of what it means to be a polite participant? Do they just not find your world worth interacting with?
There are a bunch of reasons, some of which can be easily solved, some of which take longer to work through, but they all start with communication.
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He/Him. Loooooooooong time Player. The Dark days of the THAC0 system are behind us.
"Hope is a fire that burns in us all If only an ember, awaiting your call To rise up in triumph should we all unite The spark for change is yours to ignite." Kalandra - The State of the World
In addition to Gnoll’s excellent suggestion might be worth checking if they even want roll play. It’s not the type of D&D I enjoy to play or run but there’s plenty of people out there who just want to hangout with their friends and kill things and don’t really need much world building beyond “you enter a dungeon, there’s goblins. Roll initiative”
I think puzzles are also a really good idea. I'm not sure what you're setting is, but here are some that I made:
A narrow passage is blocked by a complex web of magical threads or laser beams. The players must carefully navigate the web without touching the strands. Touching a strand could trigger an alarm, a trap, or a magical effect. Players make Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to move through the web. The DC of the checks depends on the complexity of the web.
A room contains several statues arranged in a specific pattern. When the party enters, the statues animate and begin to perform a sequence of movements (e.g., raising a sword, pointing, kneeling). The players must observe the sequence of movements and then replicate it, either by physically mimicking the actions or by manipulating the statues themselves (if possible). The correct sequence might open a door, reveal a hidden item, or deactivate a trap. The DM describes the sequence. Players can make Perception checks to better recall the order. Incorrect sequences could trigger attacks from the statues or reset the puzzle.
The floor of a chamber is covered in tiles, some of which are marked with symbols or colors. Stepping on the wrong tile could trigger a trap or cause harm. The players need to determine the correct path across the tiles. Clues to the safe path might be found in a riddle, a pattern on the walls, or a sequence of events they've witnessed. Players declare which tiles they step on. The DM reveals the consequences.
I think the general sense I am getting is that I need to come up with more things to get the players engaged versus just relying on them to do things....put things in front of them and let them go and deal with it. More work on my end but hey...its the life I chose
I am trying to create a system that will lead to players wanting to engage in non combat scenarios. Whether that be role play or any other meaningful way. My players are stuck in passive mode and not interacting with the game unless something happens TO them...ie. passively waiting for something to happen like watching a movie. It doesn't help that they are young " YouTube generation" players.
Is there a way to create a game mechanic that rewards/penalizes for players for participating?
You can't get blood out of turnip. Many people (not all) don't really care about discourse during D&D. They just heard it was fun and wanted to join for action. I understand most DM's see the actors on Youtube and thinks that how D&D games are supposed to be ran, but those are just actors meant to get people excited to join. I have seen some videos where people have uploaded their videos and tried to mimic those actors.
My advice is just to story tell and limit the dialogue, if your players or even one player chooses not to engage. Trying to force people, or a person, to do something that's uncomfortable could make them shell up even more or eventually quit. 🤷🏿♂️
I am trying to create a system that will lead to players wanting to engage in non combat scenarios. Whether that be role play or any other meaningful way. My players are stuck in passive mode and not interacting with the game unless something happens TO them...ie. passively waiting for something to happen like watching a movie. It doesn't help that they are young " YouTube generation" players.
Is there a way to create a game mechanic that rewards/penalizes for players for participating?
The advice you're already getting is rock solid. But your question was specifically for a game mechanic. There are a few game mechanics that already exist. Consider the following:
Downtime Activities: Xanathat's Guide is an excellent resource for filling out the game when the players aren't kicking down doors, and Downtime Activities can be a great way to spawn sidequests, develop skill sets, and RP.
Bastions: Reward the players for the bravery with a bastion. It can be anything, from a plot of land, a guild hall, a small fortress, a wizards tower, a library... whatever you think the players would be interested in investing time, GP, and energy into. Bastions get turns as well, and you can command your Bastion even while the players are out adventuring.
Guilds: Have them form, or join, a guild. Guilds are a valuable resource for DMs as well, as it provides an easy place for players to pick up quests. By forming a guild, you can even have them RP just to find recruits. Members of the guild pay dues after all. So, they come back to town to find a new chest full of tributes filled by their underlings! Which they can use to build a bastion, satellite guild halls, or expand their current one. Renown plays a role in gaining ranks within the guild, so RP is rewarded by gaining favor with higher ranking members.
*** Some things I have done that aren't built in mechanics ***
They inheret a tavern, inn, or manor: Inhereting a business gives them cause to check in from time to time and make sure the place hasn't been ransacked or burnt down. They come back to town, check on the comings and goings of business, interact with the towns folk, and learn some gossip/consipiracies that cause them to interact more with the inhabitants. Manors practically beg to be haunted or overrun by vampires. And once it's cleared out, they have sweet new digs to store their loot!
Start a religion/cult: I can't take credit for this. One of my players completely derailed Lost Mines by decided to start a cult. I used renown and guild building mechanics to create rules, ranks, and costs for finding converts, recruiting them to her cause, and determining their influence (and what powers they were granted). It was a lot of fun! I had to create NPCs and give them lives in service to my player's deity. Sometimes, the NPCs would get in trouble and send an alert, especially if the players were out adventuring too long and neglecting their duties of leadership. They'd have to march back into town, and bail their NPC out of jail, or rescue them from a noble that got fed up with the NPCs zeal, or just refill the NPCs coin purse so they can continue the good work of tending the altar/shrine/temple (whichever was appropriate for what they'd developped in that town).
Create NPCs with rich personalities: The DMG has a great segment on designing NPCs that I converted into a dice chart, so I could random roll their characters and put it on a spreadsheet. I also used dice to roll for Occupation, and found this exhaustive list on Reddit that gave people jobs I would never have thought of before. Everyone's always a tavern keeper, a barmaid, an evil sorcerer, a lord, or a peasant in most campaigns. But fleshing out unique NPCs with real motivations, personality ticks, and carreers can invigorate your own roleplay and entice the players to interact with them more.
Well, back in D&D Second Edition, I had a 7th level cleric who would scribe cure wounds scrolls for a living. He would sell most of them on the open market, keep one or two for his own backup and live on the income from his sales.
In edition 5.5, any spell caster with proficiency in either Arcana or Calligraphy can do the same.
A PC with proficiency in the Medicine skill will usually be welcome at the local House of Healing. (One of my warlocks with a Celestial patron was introduced to his patron at the temple that housed a House of Healing.)(In the Forgotten Realms, temples dedicated to Lathander, Chauntea, Ilmater and Tymora are the most likely places to host houses of healing.)
Rogues and other non spellcasters who are proficient in Performance or Acrobatics can eke out a living at a local carnival (adventuring probably pays much better than minimum wage at a carnival)
Fighters, especially well known ones, can probably set themselves up as tutors or instructors in the martial arts.
Late addition: Warlocks will probably spend their downtime in psychic communication with their patrons. Archfey patrons might physically Gate their clients to the Archfey's castle in the Feywild for a dalliance involving epic tales of wonder, exquisite meals and other things. Sometimes, my Archfey patron permits my character to view a rather quaint play on Her scrying globe about an odd assortment of humans who are marooned on an island and this quaint play is entitled "Gilligan's Island".
I am trying to create a system that will lead to players wanting to engage in non combat scenarios. Whether that be role play or any other meaningful way. My players are stuck in passive mode and not interacting with the game unless something happens TO them...ie. passively waiting for something to happen like watching a movie. It doesn't help that they are young " YouTube generation" players.
Is there a way to create a game mechanic that rewards/penalizes for players for participating?
Old grognard player here. Been playing since the 90's, and i can tell you, this isn't just a "Youtube Generation" thing. Have had players that are seemingly passive and they have had multiple reasons for being so, one of which is Politeness, or the over table version of it.
They might be sitting back and letting you tell your story, not realizing that they are meant to instigate as well as participate. That was something i had to overcome when i started with AD&D2E.
Talk to them, have a mini re-session 0, or check in section during a session. See why they are being silent, and only reactive, not pro active. It will help you deterimine the right solution much easier, becuase it is your players explaining their reasons.
Are they not taking up space while they learn the ropes?
Are they still developing their RolePlay legs and taking it slow?
Do they feel like they have no avenue but reaction because the way you describe things of interest isn't registering as an indication that something can be interacted with?
Are they staying quiet because they have a different expectation of what it means to be a polite participant?
Do they just not find your world worth interacting with?
There are a bunch of reasons, some of which can be easily solved, some of which take longer to work through, but they all start with communication.
He/Him. Loooooooooong time Player.
The Dark days of the THAC0 system are behind us.
"Hope is a fire that burns in us all If only an ember, awaiting your call
To rise up in triumph should we all unite
The spark for change is yours to ignite."
Kalandra - The State of the World
Thank you for this ( Old Grognard of 40 years myself)
In addition to Gnoll’s excellent suggestion might be worth checking if they even want roll play. It’s not the type of D&D I enjoy to play or run but there’s plenty of people out there who just want to hangout with their friends and kill things and don’t really need much world building beyond “you enter a dungeon, there’s goblins. Roll initiative”
I think puzzles are also a really good idea. I'm not sure what you're setting is, but here are some that I made:
A narrow passage is blocked by a complex web of magical threads or laser beams. The players must carefully navigate the web without touching the strands. Touching a strand could trigger an alarm, a trap, or a magical effect. Players make Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to move through the web. The DC of the checks depends on the complexity of the web.
A room contains several statues arranged in a specific pattern. When the party enters, the statues animate and begin to perform a sequence of movements (e.g., raising a sword, pointing, kneeling). The players must observe the sequence of movements and then replicate it, either by physically mimicking the actions or by manipulating the statues themselves (if possible). The correct sequence might open a door, reveal a hidden item, or deactivate a trap. The DM describes the sequence. Players can make Perception checks to better recall the order. Incorrect sequences could trigger attacks from the statues or reset the puzzle.
The floor of a chamber is covered in tiles, some of which are marked with symbols or colors. Stepping on the wrong tile could trigger a trap or cause harm. The players need to determine the correct path across the tiles. Clues to the safe path might be found in a riddle, a pattern on the walls, or a sequence of events they've witnessed. Players declare which tiles they step on. The DM reveals the consequences.
I hope this helps!
I think the general sense I am getting is that I need to come up with more things to get the players engaged versus just relying on them to do things....put things in front of them and let them go and deal with it. More work on my end but hey...its the life I chose
👍🏼😆
You can't get blood out of turnip. Many people (not all) don't really care about discourse during D&D. They just heard it was fun and wanted to join for action. I understand most DM's see the actors on Youtube and thinks that how D&D games are supposed to be ran, but those are just actors meant to get people excited to join. I have seen some videos where people have uploaded their videos and tried to mimic those actors.
My advice is just to story tell and limit the dialogue, if your players or even one player chooses not to engage. Trying to force people, or a person, to do something that's uncomfortable could make them shell up even more or eventually quit. 🤷🏿♂️
The advice you're already getting is rock solid. But your question was specifically for a game mechanic. There are a few game mechanics that already exist. Consider the following:
Downtime Activities: Xanathat's Guide is an excellent resource for filling out the game when the players aren't kicking down doors, and Downtime Activities can be a great way to spawn sidequests, develop skill sets, and RP.
Bastions: Reward the players for the bravery with a bastion. It can be anything, from a plot of land, a guild hall, a small fortress, a wizards tower, a library... whatever you think the players would be interested in investing time, GP, and energy into. Bastions get turns as well, and you can command your Bastion even while the players are out adventuring.
Guilds: Have them form, or join, a guild. Guilds are a valuable resource for DMs as well, as it provides an easy place for players to pick up quests. By forming a guild, you can even have them RP just to find recruits. Members of the guild pay dues after all. So, they come back to town to find a new chest full of tributes filled by their underlings! Which they can use to build a bastion, satellite guild halls, or expand their current one. Renown plays a role in gaining ranks within the guild, so RP is rewarded by gaining favor with higher ranking members.
*** Some things I have done that aren't built in mechanics ***
They inheret a tavern, inn, or manor: Inhereting a business gives them cause to check in from time to time and make sure the place hasn't been ransacked or burnt down. They come back to town, check on the comings and goings of business, interact with the towns folk, and learn some gossip/consipiracies that cause them to interact more with the inhabitants. Manors practically beg to be haunted or overrun by vampires. And once it's cleared out, they have sweet new digs to store their loot!
Start a religion/cult: I can't take credit for this. One of my players completely derailed Lost Mines by decided to start a cult. I used renown and guild building mechanics to create rules, ranks, and costs for finding converts, recruiting them to her cause, and determining their influence (and what powers they were granted). It was a lot of fun! I had to create NPCs and give them lives in service to my player's deity. Sometimes, the NPCs would get in trouble and send an alert, especially if the players were out adventuring too long and neglecting their duties of leadership. They'd have to march back into town, and bail their NPC out of jail, or rescue them from a noble that got fed up with the NPCs zeal, or just refill the NPCs coin purse so they can continue the good work of tending the altar/shrine/temple (whichever was appropriate for what they'd developped in that town).
Create NPCs with rich personalities: The DMG has a great segment on designing NPCs that I converted into a dice chart, so I could random roll their characters and put it on a spreadsheet. I also used dice to roll for Occupation, and found this exhaustive list on Reddit that gave people jobs I would never have thought of before. Everyone's always a tavern keeper, a barmaid, an evil sorcerer, a lord, or a peasant in most campaigns. But fleshing out unique NPCs with real motivations, personality ticks, and carreers can invigorate your own roleplay and entice the players to interact with them more.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
What do the PCs do when they are not adventuring?
Well, back in D&D Second Edition, I had a 7th level cleric who would scribe cure wounds scrolls for a living. He would sell most of them on the open market, keep one or two for his own backup and live on the income from his sales.
In edition 5.5, any spell caster with proficiency in either Arcana or Calligraphy can do the same.
A PC with proficiency in the Medicine skill will usually be welcome at the local House of Healing. (One of my warlocks with a Celestial patron was introduced to his patron at the temple that housed a House of Healing.)(In the Forgotten Realms, temples dedicated to Lathander, Chauntea, Ilmater and Tymora are the most likely places to host houses of healing.)
Rogues and other non spellcasters who are proficient in Performance or Acrobatics can eke out a living at a local carnival (adventuring probably pays much better than minimum wage at a carnival)
Fighters, especially well known ones, can probably set themselves up as tutors or instructors in the martial arts.
Late addition: Warlocks will probably spend their downtime in psychic communication with their patrons. Archfey patrons might physically Gate their clients to the Archfey's castle in the Feywild for a dalliance involving epic tales of wonder, exquisite meals and other things. Sometimes, my Archfey patron permits my character to view a rather quaint play on Her scrying globe about an odd assortment of humans who are marooned on an island and this quaint play is entitled "Gilligan's Island".