5e: Product spotlight - Inspiration Cards

Back when D&D 5e came out, the inspiration mechanic was a part of the game I became immediately enamoured with. I loved the idea of rewarding excellent roleplaying with a tangible in-game reward. I also started thinking about other ways a player might affect the plot, similar to other games plot points, fate points, etc.

In the end, I opted to introduce a system of inspiration cards to my game. The cards are broken up into two decks: one deck is equivalent to a point of inspiration, but many of the cards also have a unique special ability that can be used. The card can either be played to use that ability, or as regular inspiration. They are therefore slightly better than the basic inspiration cards that can also be drawn from the deck, in that they have more potential uses. The second deck has more powerful cards, called narrative control. Like the inspiration deck, the narrative control deck contains basic cards and unique cards which can also be spent in any of the basic ways if the player would prefer that to using the card's unique ability. The basic uses of narrative control are to declare a significant fact (subject to some DM oversight), to take an additional action, bonus action, or full movement allowance on the player's turn, or to grant every player advantage on a single roll they make before the beginning of your next turn.

These cards have been a great success in my personal campaign, so I felt it was worth sharing them. If you're interested in replacing the basic inspiration point mechanic in your own game, you can find my inspiration decks on DM's Guild. The default rules for using them are also presented below to help you make an informed decision about this rules option.

Rules Summary

The standard system of Inspiration Points is replaced with Inspiration Cards.

There are two decks of cards, Deck A and Deck B.

• Deck A has cards that either grant powerful effects or allow you license to modify the story.
• Deck B has cards with lesser but still significant effects.

Deck A Cards: Narrative Control

Deck A cards either grant a powerful in-game benefit or allow the player license to modify the story in some significant way.

Spending Deck A Cards:

• Declare a significant fact: Add a detail or embellishment to, environment, object, lore, or NPC. The GM has right of veto, if it would contradict something already established or does not seem appropriate.
• Heroic Effort: Take an additional action, bonus action, or movement on your turn.
• Heroic Inspiration: Grant every PC, including yourself, advantage on a single roll of their choice - the advantage must be spent before the beginning of your next turn.
• Use Card Special Ability: As described on the Deck A card.
• Deck A cards may not be traded or given to other players.

Earning Deck A Cards:

• You may hold only a single Deck A card in your hand at any time.
  
  • If you earn an additional Deck A card while holding one in your hand, you must choose if you want to keep the card in your hand before picking up. If so, you do not pick up. If you choose to pick up, discard the card in your hand.
• The first time in any session someone earns inspiration, that player draws a card from Deck A instead of from Deck B.
  
  • If the player already has a Deck A card, they must choose whether to keep or discard the existing card as above. However, if they choose to keep their existing card they may pick up a card from Deck B instead.
• Cards from Deck A may also be earned at the completion of story milestones.

Deck A Discards:

• Spent or discarded Deck A cards go in a discard pile. The discard pile will be preserved between sessions. When the final Deck A card is spent or discarded, the discard pile will be shuffled and returned to play.

Deck B Cards: Inspiration

Deck B cards grant significant in-game benefits or can be spent in the usual ways for inspiration.

Spending Deck B Cards:

• Gain Advantage: Have advantage for one attack roll, saving throw, or skill check.
• Use Card Special Ability: As described on the Deck B card.
• Unless the card you play specifically mentions an exception you may only spend a single inspiration card from Deck B on any given turn.
• Deck B cards may not be traded but may be awarded to other players as inspiration. It isn't only the DM who is allowed to reward players for doing something cool or playing their character well (see Earning Deck B Cards). If you think a player deserves inspiration and the DM didn't hand one out, you can choose to give them a card from your hand.

Earning Deck B Cards

• You can have a number of Deck B cards in your hand equal to your Proficiency Bonus.
  
  • As a reward, any player who agrees to keep a log of a session will be able to hold a number of Deck B cards equal to their Proficiency Bonus plus one for the duration of that session. They also start the session with one additional Deck B card. If they have cards in their hand in excess of their Proficiency Bonus then they must discard one card, unless they will also keep a log of the next session in which case they keep their entire hand (they may pick up their bonus Deck B card next session if they wish, but must discard one of the cards in their hand to do so as described below).
  • If you earn additional inspiration while holding a full hand, you must decide if you would like to discard a card from your hand in order to pick up, or if you would prefer to keep your current hand.
  • If a card you play allows you to draw cards exceeding your current inspiration limit, you must decide if you would like to discard cards from your hand in order to pick up the full amount, or if you will only draw cards up to your limit.
• Earn inspiration for doing something awesome, epic, or entertaining. Only one may be earned at a time.
• Earn inspiration for great roleplaying of your character, including traits, bonds, and flaws - especially if being themselves is not in the character's best interest but you play them truly. Only one may be earned at a time.
• Whenever the DM declares you earn inspiration, you draw a card from Deck B (except the first time in a session, see Earning Deck A Cards). If a player declares you deserve inspiration, they give you one of the cards from their hand.

Deck B Discards:

Spent or discarded Deck B cards go in a discard pile. The discard pile will be preserved between sessions. When the final Deck B card is spent or discarded, the discard pile will be shuffled and returned to play.

Get inspiration cards for your own game here.