* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Awarding XP - Question for DM's Started at 02-18-04 09:18 AM by Redthorne Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=184516 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Redthorne Date : 02-18-04 09:18 AM Thread Title : Awarding XP - Question for DM's Although there are guidelines within the game for awarding XP, I have always found myself (as well as other DM's) each awarding XP a bit differently. It got me to thinking about how other DM's may treat this tricky subject. On the surface it looks easy: fighters get XP for well...fighting; mages and priests get XP for for spellcasting/ healing/ researching; and rogues get XP for using their theiving skills. It's easy to divide the total XP of slain monsters amoungst the party members, but then it starts to get vague. D&D is not just about killing things, then collecting XP, it's about role-playing your character. So, should an elf who is afraid of undead get experience for running away from a group of ghouls? How much XP do you give a mage who stabs an orc to death with his magic dagger when he could have taken him out with a spell instead? Old rules say to give 1 point of XP = to GP found, but any 0 level dude could stumble across a treasure hoard. So, he finds 10,000 GP, does he instantly gain 10,000 XP? (Personally, I've never been a fan of this rule) What do I do, then? I like to give XP based on the situation. Were the PC's overmatched, but still triumphed = extra XP. Were the PC's opponents way too weak = lowered XP. Did a PC do anything which swayed the tide of the battle in there favor = extra XP. Did the PC role-play exceptionally well even if it meant putting themselves or the party in a worse situation = XP bonus. I also give an adventure survival bonus. PC's who are raised after the adventure obviously don't receive this bonus. There are many other situations as well, but I'd like to hear what other DM's are doing. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : gadjira Date : 02-18-04 10:27 AM Thats where the story awards come from. When I DM, I take the XP from the monsters/spellcasting/thieving/fighting & figure that up for each player, then I award the story xp to all. Usually its for completing the storyline but could be for other things like mini sidequests (helping an old woman cross a river, a specific NPC surviving when he might have otherwise died, etc). Then you can also award XP based on good RP, maybe something clever the group came up with, a great joke that someone made that stopped the group dead in play, etc, etc. It's entirely up to you how you away xp. Personally I HATE the 1gp=1xp thing, thats just stupid to walk into a room & gain xp because you found a bunch of gold. Xp should be gained through trial & suffering, now whether that trial & suffering is mental or physical is up to the individual adventure. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : Wyrmbane Date : 02-18-04 08:30 PM That's pretty much the same system I use (monsters/treasure xp for party, class xp for each player, story award for party). I also give xp for good roleplaying (nothing huge, maybe up to 1000 or so) or good thinking (same deal, 1000 xp or so). -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : LordBloodbringer Date : 02-20-04 01:02 AM I pretty much award XP the same way you do. Now as far as the treasure goes, if someone comes on to 10,000 gp for example lower level characters are not going to be able to carry that out so no they should get that much XP for it, but high levels that have adventured and have acquired portable holes or bags of holding(even these have a limt) are going to be able to carry out more. And as far as the rest of the treasure well thats for someone else to find. But at the end of the adventure when everything is being figured i take what gold they have found and gold that they have gotten from selling what ever items they don't want and add them together and then give them just 105 of the total, and on items i usually give 50% of the XP for that, unless it is a very powerful item then i usually give full xp for it -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : Lord Nap Date : 02-20-04 01:04 PM Giving out XP for gold found is ridiculous and evil, and I don't care what the official rules say. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : Wyrmbane Date : 02-21-04 05:08 AM Not to mention a serious pain in the butt. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Hiryu Date : 02-22-04 10:08 PM Personally, I don't do either. What I do, is to roughly calculate an average of monsters killed, spells used, abilities employed, roleplaying of all characters, their problem solving, their ability to work as a team and number of players in the party. Then I give everyone the same XP awards. I think this not only keeps things fair (I don't know anyone who liked getting less XP than the next guy), but it also encourages players to work as a team as opposed to seeing who can get the most XP. I also adjust this accordingly to the ammount of XP I actually want to give to the players, which sometimes may involve giving a little less XP than they deserve. As a DM, I refuse to give up my right to control the speed at which the players advance and the overal power curve of the game. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : Wyrmbane Date : 02-23-04 03:06 AM Sounds like we're all on the same page of DM music. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 9] Author : Thailfi Date : 02-23-04 09:21 AM Giving experience for gold was ABSOLUTELY necessary in 1e. Expereince for defeated creatures was just way too low and there was no mechanism for story awards. 2e ramped up the expereince for defeating creatures (killing a hill giant was worth about 5 times as much in 2e than in 1e) so dropping gold as experience was logical. What DM is going to allow a 1st level character to just stumble upon 10,000gps? Being given money doesn't generate expereince, the money has to be earned to generate the experience. Magic items came with experience awards as well. You are not going to let a 1st character stumble on +5 plate mail that jumps him to 4th level either. Roleplaying is ONE of the points of D&D. It goes along equally with having a challenging adventure and watching your character develop over time. Story awards are iffy at best. Unless awarded evenly for established adventure goals they can be seen as arbitrary by players and bring accusations of playing favorites whether justified or not. I would be cheezed off if my DM said "Thailfi, your dwarf fighter took out all those ghouls by himself so the party gains experience for defeating the foul beasts. Pansy, your fraidy cat elf was roleplayed really well when he ran away from the ghouls so you get extra experience!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:19 AM.