Here's an idea. Boons
A boon can be an item or ability obtained at a critical point in an adventure, or at the culmination, as a reward. Boons may be granted to the whole party by the DM at no cost. This is encouraged if those boons will be necessary for future adventures. For example, the DM can give the PCs Waterbreathing Boons if he plans to set the next adventure underwater, to avoid party members being unable to play. They may also be perchased for [Metagame Currency] at a thematically appropriate moment. It's up to the DM to adjudicate thematic appropriateness.
For example, if the PCs rescue Elinor the Fire-Witch, she might grant them flame-based boons, but she's unlikely to grant them ice-based boons.
Boons purchased with [Metagame Currency] may be sacrificed to refund currency spent. This should be thematically aproperiate for the boon. A magic ring could slip from one's finger and be lost, exposure to intense magical fire burn up fire resistance, or the spell granting it could just fade with time.
Rewarding "quirks" instead of treasure.
Moderator: Moderators