How do you guys give players an extra bonus for roleplaying? Had a player with an Ork freeboota bosun that left the group in stitches with his mano-e-mano with a lictor. Lictor attacked the RT, Ork jumped in between with the cry 'OI! DAT'S ME PAYDAY YOU DROKKING WIT YA BUGEYED GIT!' Completely in character, and managed to drop the lictor in solo combat. Not sure to give him a bonus fate point or extra XP, how do you guys handle solo bonuses in game?

For that, I'd give a fate point, but only because it's f'ing funny and awesome!

Usually though, I'd give up to an extra 200 XP for good roleplaying, meaning that if you roleplay well, you'll be able to buy an extra skill or a more expensive skill when the bonus is added to the normal amount of XP I give.

Fate point is the best thing. Maybe give it to him secretly and use it when he is out of them and its a real reward. Or you could have him sprout a few free bomb squigs, or give him a better than average snotling or gretchen assistant.

This is getting a bit out of the realm of GM rewards, but why not have the Rogue Trader present the Ork with twin blades made from lictor claws as a way of saying thanks?

At the end of every session I have an "XP defense".

Every player is given a base amount of XP and then they bring up any especially good RP moments and they get a bonus. I usually max it around 200 unless someone did something amazing.

Of course someone always says "I shot that big thing and did 3 gazillion damage!", and I say NO!

Generally, there's two sets of RP rewards in my games. A set amount of XP for playing your character well (which my players get just about every session), and a large number of "soft" rewards.

Soft rewards are things like access to Elite Advances, contacts, easier requisitions, etc. Things that don't generally create an XP disparity in the group, but can greatly enhance a characters flexibility, diversity, and survivability. Fate Points for RP are rare, but happen when a player does something particularly awesome.

Example:

Priest/Inquisitor of the group (True Faith out the wazoo) encounters a vision of the Emperor himself. I play the conversation up just about perfectly, with every scrap of proof that this is the real deal I can muster. Then, when faced with the vision's quest, the Inquisitor nods, makes the sign of the Aquila, and pronounces "Faith defies proof" as he strikes the vision down in while activating "Purge the Unclean" (or whatever the faith talent is called). F****** brilliant. He definately got an FP for that.

Attila-IV said:

That would definitely be a player choice, I ended up giving him a one chance discount on an expert advance he wanted anyways. (Peer: Underdecks) He jumped on it.

Our GM has a system where every player writes down the name of the player (or NPC in some cases =P) who was the most entertaining during the session and gives out extra XP based on the results. Usually it goes for the best roleplayer or if someone had a really epic fight.

Honestly, the other players sitting around the table just call for XP/FP or something to be awarded when we feel that someone had a particularly good role-playing moment. GM will generally give out something like 25 or 50 XP, but basically, it`s primarily meant to as a way for the rest of us to say: "hey, that was awesome and we want you to know it!"

It doean`t happen every session but it happens often enough that it adds up. And most often, that XP comes just in time for that elite advance we've been looking forward to.

However, good role-playing is primarily its own reward in the sense that when you're really in character, you're telling you friends and GM what it is your character is about. Which then makes it easier for the GM to know what storylines to develop and which directions you want to take your PC in.

We also have unofficial GM XP for NPCs. Generally, that translate into free beer or something somewhat less official.