How does one encourage XP disparity? And what else can it be used for?

[Humanophile]

First, I'll admit my bias. I'm a caster fan, and I'd like to see more use of item creation feats. For the purposes of this discussion, we'll assume that using IC feats is fully balanced in the rules as given.

However, one of the major problems I've had with creating items is the feeling/knowledge that doing so will leave me permanently behind the XP curve, and while in and of itself paying XP is "fair", it hurts a lot more when it looks like everyone else will have N XP, and you'll have n-100 for the rest of the game. (This is even worse with DM's who like to send everyone evenly to the next level, which is pretty common, but there's nothing you can do to stop them.)

So for a game I'm setting up, I'm already allowing noncasters do voluntarily donate their XP, but I'd find it easier to stomach an XP hit if there was no baseline, if everyone was just around whatever number but nobody was exactly there. So besides the general "give out roleplay awards", what specific ideas does anyone have to keep up a small but continual stream of nonstandard rewards?

Also, and this is just off-the-cuff, what other uses would a non item creator be able to use XP for? I kind of like the idea of fate/luck points, but I'm looking for good trade in rates for XP.

 

[Grendel]

You are joking right?

read through any of the smack down reports. almost all of them are centered around specific magical items (ususally non-standard items, so watch those)

compare two owtherwise equivelant characters, one with his choice of magic items, one without (or with random items). You will quickly see that magic is all important in the numbers game.

Those xps spent are a small price to pay, and infact very rarely become an issue at higher levels. I had a fighter/wizard who took many item creation feats. Only one adventure was he a level lower than everyone else, however with the magic items he created for himself he was easily ahead of the curve.

He had magic items nearly twice the value of anyone else in the party and is a dominant force in the party.

 

[Victim]

Attendance issues can cause an XP difference. Ressurection and levels drains can also happen.

Spending a few hundred XP, or even a few thousand at high levels, will rarely make a difference when leveling. The boost in power from magic items is almost always worth the cost in XP.

I've found the cost in gold to be much worse than the cost in XP.

 

[Echoes]

I usually encourage an XP disparity simply by having the group break up to go on different aspects of a quest multiple times during a campaign. I try not to be too forceful with this, but I do sometimes subtly build in instances where it would be better if the party split up for a little while to accomplish things more quickly. Sometimes the party decides to do it on their own, which is always a good thing.

RP bonuses are a good idea too, and I also might suggest specific story awards that go only to the character/characters who do the actions needed to get the award (vs. giving a story award to the whole group, even if they didn't think of the idea).

Laters,
-John-

 

[Kichwas]

I use story based XP and reward players based on their level of participation and how much they try to get the other players involved in the game as well.

So everyone always ends up with different XP amounts. However so far it's never favored anyone who's played an arcane caster in one of my games. As the players behind such characters have tended to be wall flowers despite my repeatedly using plots that center on the actions of and troubles caused by NPC mages.

 

[Darkness]

If these XP are really costing you a level, it'll even out in the end because you'll get more XP in the next couple fights/traps/etc. (because the way the table works).

 

[hong]

You can also use the XP rules in FRCS, which base the award on your own level, rather than the average party level.

 

[Altalazar]

Another option is offering ways for players to get more exp if they want.

What I do is I give a 10% bonus to experience from an evening of adventuring if the player writes up some sort of journal about it. It can be any form - first person, third person, letters home.

I like it because:
1) Players who do it learn more about their character's in doing so
2) It helps remind everyone what was done in previous sessions
3) It gives the opportunity to make up for exp lost in other areas - such as missed sessions, item creation (though this has never happened except for potions and scrolls) and even multiclassing penalties. Sure, all players could do it, but in my experience, not all do.

(I started this in Shadowrun where I'd give an extra 2 Karma for journals)

 

[Hecatæus]

If you have several spell casters, and each have seperate item creation feats, then you can virtually credit xp used to create items with each other.

If you go the donation route, (not a bad idea, I am interested myself in this for campaign reasons) consider making it a usually evil act. Someone on these boards made a magic item which does this.* That is, most PCs or NPCs will not willingly give up their own life force. Casters must often, but not always seek victims. And make it an inneficient process, ie only some fraction of the XP drained can be used by the caster. This way, one cannot use Restoration or Wish spells to fix the XP loss. This method could be the basis for Vampirism in you campaign if you wish.

* This item had to be ingested for force fed into the victim. The item then sucked at the xp of the victim until he or she was dead. The Evil mage could then recover the Gem by cutting up the carcass. Perhaps some kind soul could search for that thread...hmmm?