Simplified Advancement Rule: encounter points

I've forgone using the XP by CR rules for a long time, but am considering ditching XP entirely (and stealing Pkitty's action point rules to handle item/spell xp costs)

We know that the advancement is based on 13 encounters/level. So why not ditch xp entirely and rate advancement in encounters. This leaves us with dirt simple, linear advancement.

If you want to provide for different difficulty, perhaps tune it to 2 "eps" for an average encounter, 1 for easy, 3 for hard. Then set the advancement to 25 eps/level. This would give you a talble like:


You could up or down this number easily, and award for other things (but they'd have to be significant).

Not a bad idea. I think Erik Mona had a really similar idea in his blog which I rather liked.

The only reason I don't stop using XP is because I like hearing "you earn 150 XPs" at the end of the battle. It just sounds more impressive than hearing "you earn 2 EPs."

I designed a similar system albeit with 13 "fate chips" - every time the group completes a "group goal", or advances the story we are playing, they get one of these fate chips. Whenever a character dies, the group decides whether or not to sacrifice a fate chip to "save" him. But then my games did not include "raise dead" analogues either.

People got "hero chips" for achieving personal goals and could spend those on xp for spells/item creation and/or as normal action points. Seems we think in similar ways.

(Uh ... thanks, Berta!)

Regarding the OP: why bother tracking "EPs"? Why not just roll back 25 as part of the leveling-up process? Then you don't need a chart or anything.

I really like this idea. You should suggest it over at Paizo for Pathfinder. Pathfinder got rid of using XPs as a resource, so it would fit perfectly. Moreover, with Paizo's Fast/Average/Slow progression, you'd just use a different "rollback number" for EPs.

(If you don't suggest it, I will, but of course I'll give you credit.)

My method for awarding XP isn't too far removed from the usual scale but my advancement rules are a bit different. I ripped of an optional rule from Monte Cook's World of Darkness.

The basic formula for awarding experience is 100 xp times the total party level per encounter. An encounter is rated as Trivial, Average, or Difficult based on both the stats of the enemies or stakes of the conflict as well as how the party did against it. Trivial encounters are 1/2 value XP, Average x1 value and Difficult x2 value. There is also a Finale encounter which usually gives a x2-3 multiplier depending on how many objectives are involved in the scenario.

I also have a Role-playing XP pool that is equal to 150 xp times total party level. The players receive a portion of this based on their involvement in the game represented by tokens that I hand out throughout the session.

I use a slightly higher XP scale for advancement. However the characters can pick up the benefits of experience faster because I use staged leveling. Basically every time they gain 1/4 of the experience they need for the next level they can choose to advance one of the following.

Base Attack and Hit Dice
Defense Bonus and Saving Throws
Skill points and character level feat gain
Special abilities and character level ability score gain

Caster level and spell slot increases count as a special ability. Character level does not increase until the character has received all four raises. There's a few hiccups regarding feat prerequisites and skill rank limits but nothing that breaks the system. I just make sure and keep an eye on what goes where. Multi-classing has never been an issue since I insist the player announce the intention to multi-class a level before he actually does it so that some manner of training or world view alteration can be role-played over the course of the level.

I rarely charge XP for magic items. Mostly it is just potions and scrolls being made and they have a significant enough gold cost to stop unbalancing mass production. Anytime something more permanent is being made the character tends to go through a lot more rigamarole in game gathering material and performing the crafting both of which can require extensive skill checks.

Spells that cost XP either do ability damage, inflict a temporary condition, or rarely, do ability drain. Our games don't get too high level so none of the truly mighty XP costs ever come into play.