variant XP system - eliminating XP

GlassJaw

Hero

• Nov 15, 2004

• #1

I'm starting a new campaign soon and was thinking about doing something different for XP. I have heard about campaigns where the DM doesn't hand out XP at the end of each session but tells the players when they level up.

I'm interested in any comments about a system like this in-play.

The obvious advantage about a system like this is the DM can control the speed of advancement. I assume the DM should still keep track of the actual experience on his own as a guideline.

I also would like to eliminate the "how much experience did we get last week?" discussions that seem to arise more often than not.

One of the things I'm concerned about though is that players like to know how much more XP they need to advance. I'm not sure how some players would react by completely taking this away from them.

 

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Crothian

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #2

This is what I do and the players just stop asking about it. Even the first few sessions they never talked about XP. Now, if they feel they have had an eventful three or four sessions they will ask, "have we leveled yet?" But most of the times XP is a non issue for us. I do keep track of exactly how much each one has and how much they have gained each session. So, I can asnwer the "how much do we have?" or the "How much do we need?" but they just stopped asking.

 

T

tjoneslo

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #3

I've found players are more than willing to accept the change from handing out xp, to simply telling them when they go up a level. The only time this may become difficult is when players want to create magic items so they don't overdo it.

In my current campaign I give out the experience between sessions. That is the players come to the next session with the new xp totals on their character sheets.

The nice thing about not handing out XP to characters is you can experiment with different XP award systems and have more control over when characters go up in levels. I found the entire CR/EL system entirely wacked for the way I run games, and use a much simpler system. No complaints from the players about bad or unfair XP awards.

 

Munin

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #4

I found the entire CR/EL system entirely wacked for the way I run games, and use a much simpler system.

Click to expand...

Care to explain?

 

GlassJaw

Hero

• Nov 15, 2004

• #5

How do you deal with adsent players with a system like this? In the groups I've been in, you usually get a lower XP award if you are absent for a session. I was actually thinking of just doing away with this completely. I never really liked "penalizing" someone if they couldn't make it. It's supposed to be fun, not a punishment.

 

EricNoah

Adventurer

• Nov 15, 2004

• #6

We do this in my AU game. Works fine. If there were folks who were crafting items it might not work as well. Also removes some of the need to "kill everything" to get more XP; but also there's less incentive to "explore the rooms we missed after the main adventure is over."

 

Crothian

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #7

IMC everyone always has the same XP. It helps we don't have anyone that wants to make magical items or other things that cost XP. It is erasier on me as DM to also just have all of them gain levels at the same time. But I do run a more role playing intensive game so we slide away from some of the rules to help things along.

 

I

Ibram

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #8

Well thouhg I dont give out XP according to the CR system I still do use the XP system. Everyone who attends the session gets some XP (usualy 400) then they get XP based on what they accomplish. I dont give out XP just for killing thugs/goblins/"current speed bump creature" but if the fighter dules with the BBEG's general then he would get lots of XP. The easiest way to rack up the XP is to RP, acting in character even if the player knows that its a bad idea (like having the bard hit on a noblemans daughter, or have the Elf insult the mayor of Dwarftown).

 

T

tjoneslo

First Post

• Nov 15, 2004

• #9

Munin said:

Care to explain?

Click to expand...

I don't run dungeon crawls, my player like the freedom to go where they want to, and I don't like to design my worlds to cater to their level or abilities. I take them into account, but if they run across the army of the undead because they choose to go left instead or right, well they now get to deal with the army of undead.

Or, case in point, the players need to rescue a hostage from a walled town, Inside is a small army of monsters, heavily armed men, and a powerful demon who likes to eat people. Characters are 5th to 6th level. They succeed by a combination of boldness, scamming and sneaking. How do I assign the CR for this "encounter"? Or how do I divide up the scenario as to assign a proper CR and experience? All the rules and explinations I've seen don't handle this sort of scenario. If you've got pointers to rules that better explain the concept of XP for using skills to overcome overwhelming odds, please point them out.

Did you mean, what is the simpler system? 3d4 X 10 X average character level. Applying this gives the rate of level increase suggested in the DMG (13.33 sessions per level). By applying two such increased for finishing important plot points or big combats, the characters would go up about every 7-10 sessions.

 

Last edited: Nov 15, 2004

reveal

Adventurer

• Nov 15, 2004

• #10

I've run my last two campaigns with not giving out XP. The first one was a d20 Modern campaign and this one is Eberron.

I explained to my players that there is absolutely no reason that anyone, except for a character creating items, needed to know their XP. I asked them to give me a good reason that they needed to know, except for the item creation, and no one could beyond "But I'd like to know."

It's left me a lot of flexibility in the CR department. I still keep track of XP for those who do create items but, as a whole, no one asks anymore beyond the joking "Did we gain a level?" at the end of a session. I usually level my players every 3 or 4 sessions and that's what they've come to expect.