Best DND rewards that aren’t gold or magic items

Key Takeaways Unconventional rewards such as bases, minions, and pets can enhance your Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Inspiration points, blessings, and knowledge can be valuable rewards in gameplay. Common items, fancy food, clothing, future character perks, etc. are unique rewards. Dungeons & Dragons parties often receive gold coins or magical items as rewards for their adventures. The problem with this (at least in D&D 5e rules) is that there aren’t a lot of useful things you can buy, and magic items tend to pale in comparison to basic class abilities. Related D&D What classes should a party have? I say never leave a tavern without a cleric, but based on the groups I’ve DMed over the years, every party needs a rogue. It seems to be common knowledge that there is. If your DM is tired of the standard rewards handed out in every D&D campaign, you should try some of these unconventional treasures to hand out to your party. Players tired of the standard loot found in many official campaigns may appreciate the unconventional approach to rewards. 10 A Base Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft Cover Art, by Anna Podedworna Many adventures in D&D involve epic journeys, but what about a campaign to protect one location from harm? Frodo destroys the One Ring He could have, but his allies had to defend the fortresses of Rohan and Gondor. Here, DMs can take advantage of campaigns centered around maintaining bases. How to use bases as rewards One way is to go through the Suikoden 2 route. Players clear out enemy castles, claim them as their own, and begin filling them with allies. DMs can also flesh it out using the Bastion rules in D&D’s 2024 update. 9 Inspiration Dawnbringer Cleric by Lie Setiawan It makes no sense for gold to rain from the sky if a player tells a funny joke during a battle. Instead, the DM can use inspiration points, which give advantage on future attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks, to facilitate future adventures with better dice rolls. How to use inspiration as a reward This is given whenever a player makes a group laugh, does something really cool, or thinks outside the box and solves a problem in an unconventional way. You can The DM will then give you Inspiration Points that can be used later, either during the current session or throughout the campaign. 8 Minions Circle Knight Summons Ancestors via Wizards of the Coast Owning a base is one thing, but you need a staff to maintain day-to-day operations. These NPCs can act as your party’s squires, assisting you during your travels, and maintaining your fort or tower in your absence. RELATED: What is your favorite magical item in Dungeons & Dragons? This may be controversial, but I love “Deck Of Many Things.” Don’t think of it as derailing your campaign, think of it as creating an entirely new campaign. How to Use Henchmen as Rewards As your party grows in prestige, they will have cronies who will help them and siphon glory from them. Here, the DM can give the hero access to soldiers, mercenaries, cooks, squires, traveling musicians, scouts, apprentices, and medics. Even better, give players some level of customization to make it more memorable. 7 Pets Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes by Bram Sels Having humanoid minions is all well and good, but the party is far more likely to form emotional bonds with the animals they encounter in the wild. “Friendly dogs waiting to attack the party” is one of the oldest tricks in the book, so some of these may attack them, but the rest are real Could be an ally. How to use your pet as a reward It’s easy to find companion animals in the wilderness or rescue captive animals from the clutches of bad guys. The player can then keep them as allies, helping with food foraging, and acting as early warning detectors whenever the undead approaches. 6 Blessings Cleric Of The Forge (via Wizards of the Coast) The gods of the D&D Multiverse are quick to throw their weight behind their most active worshipers. In a D&D campaign, the DM can reflect this in the blessings listed in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. These are literally boons from heaven (or hell, depending on who the party serves), and they can be extremely powerful. How to Use Blessings as Rewards Blessings are the ideal reward if your adventure involves discovering, protecting, or rebuilding a temple. Alternatively, defeating a rival god’s followers can also be a great excuse to give a blessing, especially if the player serves a war god. 5 Clothing Strixhaven by Carolina Gariba If Baldur’s Gate 3’s wealth of clothing mods has taught fans anything, it’s that people love great fantasy clothing. This is a bit difficult to emulate in D&D, given that it’s all about the theater of the mind, but if you’re an artistic DM, you can surprise your players with artwork depicting duds found in dungeons. You might be able to do that. Related How rare should magic items be in Dungeons & Dragons? I’m pretty stingy when it comes to magic items – low grade potions and +1 trinkets pop up here and there, even if they’re listed as rare in the DMG The more powerful ones want you to feel wonderful and special, even if it’s just being there. How to Use Clothing as Rewards Clothing is great when the party is trying to impress NPCs, especially in urban campaigns. The local baron may not want to have a band of fetid murderers in his keep, regardless of how many spell slots he has, but dressing up for the role is a good idea. This is an easy way to open a door. 4 Fine Food and Drinks Bard Artwork (via Wizards of the Coast) People who spam Goodberry spells to avoid tracking their food supply may not be interested in fine dining, but , most people don’t want to live on one berry every day, especially if they’re out there. It’s better than what grows on trees. Much of human history revolves around the food and drink trade, and the same is true in the world of D&D campaigns. How to Use Fine Food and Drink as Rewards Giving your character fine food and drink is a great explanation for providing temporary hit points and other benefits to your character. The search for unusual ingredients for signature dishes is itself the hook for great adventures and campaigns. Three benefits for wizards of future character revisions from Billy Christian and Wizards of the Coast This can be a great incentive for overlapping tables. Play different games over time. Completing tasks in the current game will earn you something in the next game. Related Dungeons & Dragons: Merry Magic Items Dungeons & Dragons would be nothing without a huge list of items, weapons, and lore. But these items are really interesting. How to Use Future Character Perks as Rewards In the context of D&D, your current character may be the future parent or mentor of a future hero. Successful quests allow you to better assist the next generation of heroes with bonus feats, stat points, or access to a wider range of spells. Two Common Items Concept Art for “Key to the Golden Vault” via Wizards of the Coast Most D&D parties crave gold and magic items, but the Player’s Handbook lists other useful items. still has many advantages. Vials of Oil may not be Hackmaster +12, but they can still be used to deal damage in combat, set traps, and keep your party alive in cold weather. How to use common items as rewards Instead of finding traditional loot in treasure chests, find equipment such as alchemist’s fire, caltrops, healer kits, holy water, perfume, various poisons, bags of iron spikes, etc. . It’s up to the player to find a use for them. 1 Knowledge Art (via Wizards of the Coast) Knowledge is power, especially in a D&D campaign. Dragons may be susceptible to magic and swords, but what about a corrupt duke? Well, he might get stung, but the party will be arrested in no time. It’s much better if players can uncover the crimes of their enemies than going the Grand Theft Auto route. How to use knowledge as a reward Information is essential to the success of many D&D stories. If your campaign has political intrigue, a stealth mission to sneak into a guarded fortress, or your players need to understand a hidden language, uncovering clues is the best thing the DM can give them. It’s the best reward you can get. Dungeons & Dragons Original release date 1974-00-00 Number of players 2 years and up Recommended age 12 years and up (although younger age groups can play and enjoy it) Length per game 60 minutes to several hours . Franchise name Dungeons & Dragons Publishing Co Wizards of the Coast Brand Dungeons & Dragons Expand