* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : "Discretionary" XP awards Started at 08-01-07 04:55 PM by casimps1 Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=898019 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : casimps1 Date : 08-01-07 04:55 PM Thread Title : "Discretionary" XP awards As I've been DM'ing some B-series modules I've noticed that there never seems to be any "discretionary" (for lack of a better term) XP awards given to players. By that I mean XP that follows no strict formula for how much is awarded. Combat XP uses the hit dice and special abilities chart to determine exactly how much any monster is worth. Treasure XP is the simple 1 gp = 1 XP formula. But what about XP for role playing well, solving a puzzle, or getting past some obstacle using a clever solution? It seems like the B-series modules rely on treasure placement as the reward for getting past an obstacle or defeating a creature. This has the side effect of making the PCs very rich as they increase in power. I haven't decided whether I like that or not yet. Do you ever give out discretionary XP? If so, do you have guidelines on min/max amounts you will give out? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : caeruleus Date : 08-01-07 07:39 PM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards I do give out discretionary XP, but there's no formula for it. Basically, if I want to reward roleplaying, clever thinking, etc., I'll pick an amount and grant it. I've also sometimes given extra XP if a combat is more difficult than normal because of terrain or whatever. And sometimes (although rarely) I've granted XP just because I want the PCs to level up a little faster (e.g., because they could really use spells from the next level for what I have in store for them). In all cases, the XP awarded is on an ad hoc basis. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : chatdemon Date : 08-01-07 09:51 PM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards Since the Basic D&D game has no official guidelines, here is the system I use for awarding misc XP. This is adapted from the system used in the Palladium Books rpgs. http://otherworlders.org/chatdemon/miscxp.html -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : Shiftkitty Date : 08-02-07 12:36 AM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards Those are pretty good guidelines. I had read somewhere that successful interaction with an NPC, such as getting the barmaid to like you enough to tip you off to the bad guy upstairs, would net XP equivalent to defeating a monster of the NPC's level. In this case, the barmaid would have the CR of a Commoner1. I like your system better. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : chatdemon Date : 08-02-07 12:39 AM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards Those are pretty good guidelines. Thanks. I think what's nice about a simple system, like the one I posted, is that it is both easily portable to any edition of D&D and easily customizable. Don't like the values I used? Go ahead and change them, whatever works for you and your players. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : casimps1 Date : 08-02-07 11:52 AM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards Since the Basic D&D game has no official guidelines... You know, I thought the same thing until last night. I finally decided that I wanted to purchase the Rules Cyclopedia PDF from Paizo last night. As I was skimming through it I came to Chapter 10 which was a couple pages devoted to discussing when and how much XP to give out to players. So, the "official" guidelines (although I haven't seen these guidelines in any Basic rulebooks other than the RC) state that for achieving a campaign/story goal the players should be awarded bonus XP equivalent to the total XP value of all monsters defeated in reaching that goal. So, essentially doubling your combat XP at the end of an adventure. They also suggested a guideline of awarding 1/20 of the base XP gap between the player's current level and their next level in situations of good role-playing or exceptional actions. I like how your system gives a lot more minor XP to the players. The other big difference I see is that the "official" guidelines suggest scaling the awards to levels... which I guess makes sense because at higher levels a 100 XP award becomes much less significant to character advancement. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Varl Date : 08-02-07 01:33 PM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards The other big difference I see is that the "official" guidelines suggest scaling the awards to levels... which I guess makes sense because at higher levels a 100 XP award becomes much less significant to character advancement. That's one of the keys to the XP system I use too. 100 XPs at 1st level just isn't the same as at 13th. I also award full XPs for creatures to each character that participates. While that might sound like alot of XPs for individual characters, it really isn't, particularly at the middle and high levels. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : Orion72 Date : 08-03-07 10:43 AM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards I throw out the extant XP system and use this instead: Each stage of my campaign (an adventure, a dungeon, sometimes even a level) has a definite start and end point, with a definite result that needs to be achieved to move the story along. Once the players get to that result, they are awarded a predetermined amount of XP (usually gauged by how much the weakest member needs to advance to the next level). Thus, the campaign moves in stages, much like a video game. At the end of each stage, the players level up and move on to the next stage. I try to make each stage fit into a single gaming session. No XP for treasure means otherwise Lawful characters don't need to be greedy in order to advance. No XP for individual monsters means they don't have to go on a kill-crazy rampage - unless they're facing Orcs, because c'mon, that's what Orcs are for. :D You finish the adventure/module/stage/whatever, you get your reward, you move on. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 9] Author : RobertFisher Date : 08-03-07 01:40 PM Thread Title : Re: "Discretionary" XP awards I don't really have an answer to the question, but just some thoughts on the topic: In classic D&D, the fact that the PCs end up rolling in gp doesn't really matter much in my experience. There's just not a lot to spend their money on, unless you make buying magic items common. Another thing to keep in mind is that D&D's gp=XP was a "story award". It just happened that the assumed story of D&D was treasure hunting. It's interesting to know that a couple of years ago Gygax was surprised in an online discussion that oD&D only included guidelines for XP from gold & monsters. He said he'd always given gold for casting spells, using thief skills, & appropriate use of other class functions. He was surprised that he'd left that out. I also have to mention the XP system from Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign in which you only get XP for your gp if you spend it on wine, women, or song. (There was also an option of hoarding, but thieves could then steal your XP as well as your gold!) I think that can work just as well if you count all spending. (Past starting gold.) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:23 AM.