Unearthed Arcana WotC's Mearls Presents A New XP System For 5E In August's Unearthed Arcana

I have to say...not terribly impressed with this month's article...

http://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/UA-ThreePillarXP.pdf

I think my thread should be closed. So I repeat myself here:
Streamlined and probably very useful. I think level 1 and 2 should get an accelerator. Should be considered tier 0 probably.

 

[Raunalyn]

August's Unearthed Arcana, from WotC's Mike Mearls, offers a new experience point system based on D&D's "three pillars" - combat, exploration, and social interaction. "With all three pillars in mind, Mike Mearls presents an alternative system for awarding experience points, offering a streamlined XP process based in equal part on defeating monsters, exploring dangerous sites to claim the magic and wealth found there, and interacting with NPCs to shape the flow of the campaign."

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The two-page PDF uses a different XP economy. You gain one level with every 100XP, and an encounter (combat, social, exploration) can earn between 10 and 40 XP.

 

[Patrick McGill]

I really like the idea behind it, but I am unsure about the rate. I would want it based on 1-3 xp for a monster of a challenge (0 xp for chumps and minions).

All in all though, very interesting take. You would think about your XP as a percentage value. "I am 50% to level 2" before having to reset it. Also, treasure as XP has a nice retro feel to it.

 

[Satyrn]

I prefer this over the default way.

I'm totally confused by the pointlessness of subtracting 100XP from your total when you level, though, and I'd rather measure combat XP by encounter overcome instead of per monster defeated.

 

[Satyrn]

You would think about your XP as a percentage value. "I am 50% to level 2" before having to reset it.

Well that clears up my confusion.

Geeze, I feel like I got superninja'd on that one.

 

[chunkosauruswrex]

I prefer this over the default way.

I'm totally confused by the pointlessness of subtracting 100XP from your total when you level, though, and I'd rather measure combat XP by encounter overcome instead of per monster defeated.

I can imagine some 10th level Rogue edgelord sneaking out at night and killing 50 chickens and taking a level. This system is silly

 

[Satyrn]

I can imagine some 10th level Rogue edgelord sneaking out at night and killing 50 chickens and taking a level. This system is silly

The chickens are worth as many XP in this system as they are in the standard.

 

[Patrick McGill]

I can imagine some 10th level Rogue edgelord sneaking out at night and killing 50 chickens and taking a level. This system is silly

That's a simple fix.

"No, that's stupid."

 

[Patrick McGill]

One thing about this simplified system is a DM could tinker and adapt it to their game. In an RP heavy group, the DM could award an XP or two for a great scene of RP between the characters and/or NPCs. In an exclusively dungeon-crawl group, you could award an XP for each difficult lock and trap conquered.

 

[chunkosauruswrex]

That's a simple fix.

"No, that's stupid."

If a DM has to houserule it to not be stupid than the system is stupid