Campbell
Relaxed Intensity
For a while now I've been grappling with how to handle experience gains in 3.x. Coming from a background that includes a significant amount of gaming in systems with more static experience metasystems, I'd like to include elements of those systems in my games. While the variant included in the Wheel of Time where you gain level x [X] for adventures of certain length makes serious headway, I'd like to determine experience on a per session basis. But this alone is still a little unsatisfying.
Tangently, I'd like to ditch alignment in my games. While I am not a fine of the particular allignment system in D&D, I like how it reinforces consistency of action. To replace alignment, I'd like to provide a vehicle that encourages sticking to a character concept, while allowing for change over time. I'd also like it to support widely divergent play styles.
My initial thoughts on the matter are to have three distinct elements that a player defines during character creation, but that they can change between sessions if character growth necessitates it. Let's call these three elements Passion, Virtue, and Vice. A character's Passion would entail what morally neutral motivation drives them the most. Examples might include Wanderlust, Tactics, Survival, Excellence in Battle, etc. A character's Virtue would entail the moral element which drives their moral decision making process more than any other moral virtue. Examples might include Loyalty, Compassion, Friendship, Appreciation of bueatiful women, Honesty, Justice, etc. A character's Vice would entail what their largest moral shortcoming is. Examples would include Intemperence, Greed, Lust, Violence, etc.
Generally what I'm looking for is a means to tie a more static experience gain with Passion, Virtue, and Vice. I'd like to reward staying with a character concept, but not to the point where characters remain static. In general I'd like for experience gains to be slightly slower than the PHB dictates, but not so slow that it takes more than 8 or 9 sessions to level. Any ideas?
Tangently, I'd like to ditch alignment in my games. While I am not a fine of the particular allignment system in D&D, I like how it reinforces consistency of action. To replace alignment, I'd like to provide a vehicle that encourages sticking to a character concept, while allowing for change over time. I'd also like it to support widely divergent play styles.
My initial thoughts on the matter are to have three distinct elements that a player defines during character creation, but that they can change between sessions if character growth necessitates it. Let's call these three elements Passion, Virtue, and Vice. A character's Passion would entail what morally neutral motivation drives them the most. Examples might include Wanderlust, Tactics, Survival, Excellence in Battle, etc. A character's Virtue would entail the moral element which drives their moral decision making process more than any other moral virtue. Examples might include Loyalty, Compassion, Friendship, Appreciation of bueatiful women, Honesty, Justice, etc. A character's Vice would entail what their largest moral shortcoming is. Examples would include Intemperence, Greed, Lust, Violence, etc.
Generally what I'm looking for is a means to tie a more static experience gain with Passion, Virtue, and Vice. I'd like to reward staying with a character concept, but not to the point where characters remain static. In general I'd like for experience gains to be slightly slower than the PHB dictates, but not so slow that it takes more than 8 or 9 sessions to level. Any ideas?
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