Greater Inspiration.pdf (1.1 MB)
Greater Inspiration
Inspiration is a rule the Dungeon Master can use to reward you for playing your character in a way that’s true to his or her personality traits, ideal, bond, and flaw.
Player's Handbook, pg. 125
This rule extension will help you encourage your players to tap into their inner potential, use Inspiration as much as possible and encourage the development of role-playing at your table.
What is Inspiration?
Inspiration is a singular entity: either you have Inpiration or you don’t. You can’t collect it - if you want more Inspiration, use your Inspiration!
And please, use your inspiration. This will encourage everybody at the table to develop crazy new ideas and interact in exciting ways - not to mention giving you regular, concrete mechanical advantages!
It’s such a cool mechanic that is often ignored, it would be great to be able to hand it out like candy.
Getting Inspiration
Initial Inspiration
Every character begins each session with Inspiration.
Claim a Setback
When you don’t have Inspiration, you can Claim a Setback to gain Inspiration. To Claim a Setback you must either:
- Impose disadvantage on one of your own ability checks, saving throws, or attack rolls based on one of your Personal Characteristics
- Make a decision that creates a significant story setback, obstacle, or hindrance. When you want to Claim a Setback, simply ask the GM.
For example:
“I’m easily distracted by shiny objects, so I’m distracted by the giant pile of treasure. Can I Claim a Setback and take disadvantage on my saving throw against the dragon’s fire breath?”
“This guy wants to help us, but I distrust all strangers. I’m going to be rude and accusatory of him. Can I Claim a Setback for that?”
Of course, the GM might have the stranger refuse to help or get offended or start a fight…
After you Claim a Setback, you get Inspiration, which you can use to take an Inspired Action…
Using Inspiration
If you have Inspiration, you can spend it at any time to take an Inspired Action provided that action somehow ties into one of your character’s personal characteristics.
For example: if your Ideal is “I will do anything to save a person in danger,” and you want to swing across a ravine on a vine to rescue someone who is about fall into the ravine and hanging by one hand, that fits: you can claim an Inspired Action.
When you take an Inspired Action, you can:
- Gain advantage on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw
- Give advantage to someone else’s ability check, attack roll, or saving throw - provided you are in a position to assist them directly in some way
- Impose disadvantage on someone else’s ability check, attack roll, or saving throw - provided you are in a position to hinder their action directly in some way.
Whatever it is, the Inspired Action must somehow connect to one of your Personal Characteristics.
“I will take any risk to save a person in danger.” You could do the aforementioned “swinging across the ravine to catch them from falling” thing. Or if they have to attempt a saving throw to avoid a collapsing ceiling, you could throw yourself at them to save them, giving them advantage on the saving throw. Or if a monster is about to attack someone standing near you, you can interpose yourself and give the monster disadvantage on the attack roll. See? Easy.