Encouraging Risky Business

Nobody ever became an action hero by playing it safe. If you wanted to tell stories about people staying home, filing taxes, or doing their homework, you don't need any game engine or simulation. Tabletop RPGs are about excitement, adventure, and dynamic storytelling. So the last thing you want is a group of players who are timid and overly cautious about their character actions. You want them to feel compelled by the drama of the game, but not paralyzed with fear.

If your players are too nervous about a trap in the next room, they may linger outside it for far too long trying to find a way around it. If they feel like taking action against a planetary governor will get them into too much hot water, they may not even follow that plot hook. You need to encourage them to feel comfortable taking chances in order to get the most entertainment out of the chosen adventure path.

The method for accomplishing this is two-fold: The old carrot-and-stick approach.

The Carrot is the promise of reward that will drive the players to take more chances. Whether it is loot, character advancement, or the promise of plot-specific rewards like promotions or new allies. It's important for the players to feel that taking chances will pay off in the end, so they will continue to follow the adventurous opportunities that you place before them.

The Stick is the threat of danger posed to the players, but not in a vindictive manner. Instead of threatening to hurt the PCs if they fail to act, I prefer to establish a different kind of conceit... bad things will happen no matter what. Enemies will strike against them, treasures will be lost, NPCs will be endangered... these are all events that may happen in the story no matter what. The key is to show how fighting against these threats and taking decisive action can mitigate their effects. So when your players fail to investigate the ninja monastery, they will surely be ambushed by ninjas when they least expect it. Next time they know better, and will take action before the problem gets out of hand. Better to take on the challenge on their own terms than let themselves be blindsided like that again!

By establishing that bad things happen no matter what, you should remove the overwhelming fear of consequences from the players' thought process. They should be focused less on what is dangerous, and more on what is a compelling course of action.

Of course players should make their decisions based on logical reasoning. Reckless and chaotic gameplay provides diminishing returns in terms of entertainment. But as the game runner, you want them to be willing to face threats and embrace high-risk high-reward actions in order to keep things exciting. So you show them that danger is inevitable and bold action reaps great benefits! By combining these two concepts you will create a much faster-paced and enthralling environment for your players. Put them to use and enjoy the adventures unfolding before you!

Happy ventures!