Inspire Me

Question: How do you handle players who don't really try anything inventive with their Boons, Knacks, or Birthright powers? At times, I feel like my players tend to sort of wait for me to tell them what to do, if subtly, but I'd like to see them do the wild and epic stuff I see in your games.

The most important thing to remember about your players is that they're all different from every other player on the planet, and they all have different strengths and weaknesses. Our players are not your players and vice versa; what our players (and I really shouldn't talk about them as a unit anyway, since there are totally different strengths within the group of them) are good at yours might not be, and vice versa. Part of being a Storyteller is figuring out what your players' strengths are and then playing to them - if you have someone who is lackluster at boon usage but loves giant fights, give him plenty of opportunities to pull off badass battle stuns, and if you have someone who doesn't much like saving the world but loves having conversations with NPCs and roleplaying, give her times where she can politick her heart out. Not every player is going to be good at everything, including coming up with unusual ways to use their powers, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Celebrate the things they are good at, and encourage them to do them more!

However, some players just need a little help getting a handle on things, and there are a few things you can do to help broaden their expectations of what power usage should look like and do.

One of the easiest methods is just to have NPCs use their boons in startling ways, but it's also a delicate option, because you have to be careful not to make them feel like the NPC is taking all of the spotlight or, worse, cheating. This always works better if you have a player who is good at creative boons and put him or her in with those who aren't - it always goes down smoother to see a PC get away with something they might not have previously thought possible than an NPC.

Another option is to offer sources of inspiration to your players. Lend or suggest a copy of American Gods or Tales from the Flat Earth, or any other number of fantasy or science fiction books that might help get their creative juices flowing. Get together and watch The Matrix movies (especially good for budding young Devas) or Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Carnivale, or any other number of movies or TV shows that might jog their inspiration. Sure, sometimes you'll just end up with players that are copying what they say in the movies or read in the books without really coming up with anything new, but even if they are, as long as they're having fun and doing things they weren't before, you've succeeded. At best, they'll start thinking in bigger terms and come up with more creative ideas; at worst, you'll have spent some time with your friends. It's a no-loss option.

If players outright ask for help with a stunt or way to use a power, you can always give it to them, but in my experience that's rare, since they usually want their cool feats to be of their own making, not handed to them (even if they're having trouble coming up with them). Players get uncomfortable or surly if they feel like the Storyteller is telling them they're not playing well enough, and they have a right to that feeling - after all, they're there to have fun, not be graded.

In the end, the best thing to keep in mind is, again, that all players are different. Do all the things you can to help your players think outside the box and be as creative as they can, but don't be disappointed in them if they don't do exactly what you'd hoped. They're unique people with unique playstyles and stories, after all - enjoy all the awesomeness they bring to the table and do what you can to encourage and enhance it.