Genesis Roleplaying System 101: Experience

This week Alea Publishing Group is highlighting the Genesis Roleplaying System before launching this Kickstarter project.

If you missed any of them, you can find them here:
Introduction
Subtlety
Wounds

Today, we briefly talk about Experience and its role in the Genesis Roleplaying System.

What was the Goal Behind the Design?
There were several factors we considered when designing the rules around gaining Experience points.

• We wanted characters to use experience immediately, not four weeks down the road - experience is not a savings account.
• However, we also wanted players to use it to advance their characters rather than feel forced to spend it to get out of sticky situations.
• We wanted it to be an important aspect of the game - something tangible and real - not just a number on a character sheet.
• Most importantly, from a mechanical standpoint, we did not want to clog the character deck like Wounds.

What Can Experience Cards Do?
We addressed these concerns by making Experience Cards act as wild cards.

• Characters can use them as any ability card to help you out in a pinch.
• However, instead of using your ability score as normal, you use the central number in place of your ability score.

The Number in the Wax Seal?
You may decide to upgrade an Experience Card.

• This number indicates the number of Experience Points it costs to upgrade. Using the card above, it requires three Experience 1 Cards to upgrade them to an Experience 2 Card.
• It is also counts toward your Experience Point total.

How Characters Earn Experience Cards
Characters gain Experience Cards a variety of ways.

• Defeating monsters
• Monsters grant Experience Cards when using powerful attacks, like dragon breath. Yes, you earn them as you fight and not just after.
• Overcoming challenges.
• Game Master can give out Experience Cards for great ideas and good roleplaying.

Advancement
Now that your character earned a few Experience Cards, you want to spend them. Here a few of the ways you can advance your character.

• Increase your hand size, thus improving your health and increase your options.
• Increase ability scores, which in turn, adds more ability cards to your character deck and you also gain additional skills.
• Gain a new character trait.
• Gain a new spell.
• Creating items.

Sharing Experience
With experience being a tangible part of the game, you can also teach other party members your class specific traits to earn experience. There is no reason why, as characters travel together, a fighter can't show a wizard a thing or two about dagger fighting while the wizard teaches the warrior a few minor spells.