SamhainIA wrote:
I have an extreme dislike of formalized Judge rewards that add to a characters power level, I think the intentionally ludicrous posts on this thread have done well to highlight the slippery slope that comes with the possible rewards. There are good ways to reward Judges, but not add to character Powers.
Informal rewards for people that go above and beyond, thats a whole different story, if you get something because you are actually appreciated and people notice what you do it means an infinite amount more than some mechanical reward (just ask an invisible king)
If you have a person come to a convention, using their vacation time and paying their own travel costs, and then that person spends (in many cases) virtually the entire convention judging adventures for you, I would argue that this person is making a huge contribution to your campaign.
I realize that there are many people who live near conventions, but on average it costs me somewhere around $800 just to get to the door of the convention hall. Now, I'm a selfish guy and prefer to play modules at a convention instead of judging, but there are lots of people who travel a long distance and still spend a ridiculous amount of time judging.
As a player who appreciates having judges at a convention, I have absolutely no problem if that person receives a little extra for his own character, even if it does threaten the all mighty 'power curve'. I know that if I devoted all that time to help PCI and only received a firm handshake and a pat on the back, I'd be a little put out.
Any convention needs a reliable group of judges, or the games don't get run. Lets ensure that the rewards are worth it.