Level Independent XP Awards

Here-here! Fantabulous! I think Anubis and Cheiromancer have a winner here - two winners really: the chi-rho system for 3.0-style experience and the system described in the above post for FRCS/3.5-style experience.

Simply elegant!

Zoatebix, that's pretty much right.

Cheiromancer, your edit works perfectly. I can still do it using power factors in my home game, but for simplicity, the two divisions does the same thing. I suppose we can leave it to UK to decide which is better between using power factors (and simply explaining them better) or diving by the party members and then by level. Either way, you get the same results as:

IF P = #L
THEN N/#/L = N/P

N: Base XP
#: Number of participants
L: ECL
P: Power Factor

So yeah, either way works.

Oh, and as for Level/CR/ECL/LA, that part is done using UK's system straight-up, because that's with regards to CR/EL. By that, CR = ECL, so there is no LA or any of that. The system still works, though, even if you use the core method of LA and ECL, so the system itself is pretty intuitive. Of course people should use my XP system WITH UK's CR system; why fix one without fixing the other, ya?

Anyway, yeah, that all works.

I don't have enough scratch paper here and I've been thinking myself in circles. Is there a quick way to convert the derived values of Anubis's system to a percentage of the resources a party should expend during a given encounter? I don't think there is.

Chi-ro is useful for adventure/encounter planning even if one decides to distribute experience according to Anubis's model.

So that people don't have to go digging through the thread to find this information:


Step one: Add up the squares of the monster's CRs. Divide that result by the sum of the squares of the character's CRs. This gives you a fraction that describes how much of the party's resources should be used up during the encounter. When the party has used up all of their resources (all the fractions add up to one) they party should need to rest/resupply.

Step 2. Convert the fraction in step one to a percentage. Divide this percentage by two and subtract the quotient from 100. This gives you the chance the party has to emerge from the encounter victorious.


On second thought - maybe tables charts are a better tool for adventure design. Thoughts?

*Bump*

Just in case anyone missed the awesomeness the first time around.

And really - does anyone have any thoughts on equations versus tables in terms of ease-of-use for adventure design?

Personally - I've been using the equations, but my regular gaming group is on temporary hiatus so I don't have time restraints.

-George

I enjoy bumping this thread, even though my adventure design queries probably won't be answered.

Zoatebix said:

I enjoy bumping this thread, even though my adventure design queries probably won't be answered.

Click to expand...

Hi Zoatebix!

The problem is that there are three different systems of dividing xp.

1. xp is divided equally. Everyone gets the same xp. (3.0 method)
2. xp is divided based on levels:
. . . 2a. Higher level characters get more xp. Everyone levels at the same rate. (Grim Tales method)
. . . 2b. Lower level characters get more xp. Lower level characters advance much faster. (3.5 method)

Each method requires a different method of calculation, and I think people get confused about what they are supposed to do. In fact, I'm a little hazy. Let's see...

Chi = add up the squares of the monsters CRs, and multiply by 300
Rho = add up the squares of the players CRs.

In a pre-published adventure, you need to print Chi for each encounter. At the beginning you have to lead the DM through the steps of calculating one of three quantities:

Method 1. Total party level
Method 2a. Rho.
Method 2b. number of characters.

These quantities might change during the course of the adventure. Then for each encounter the DM has to choose a method:

Method 1. Divide Chi by the total party level. That's how much xp each person gets.

Method 2a. Divide Chi by Rho. Each character multiplies the result by their level; that's how much xp that character gets.

Method 2b. Divide Chi by the number of characters. Each character divides the result by their level; that's how much xp that character gets.

As a recipe it is not that hard, but I could see people getting their methods mixed up. And if each adventure had to explain each of the three methods... well, that would be hard.

But printing Chi for each encounter- that would be useful, and quite easy to do.

There is a third method that I think is quite elegant. In it, you need 1000 xp to advance a level. If someone has 13500 xp, they are 14th level.

The xp given in an encounter is simply CHI/RHO.

When characters have to pay xp costs (to make items, or cast spells) or receive flat xp awards (story awards, say) they divide by their character level. A 15th level wizard who casts limited wish will only pay 20 xp (300/15). But that wizard will only get 200 xp from a 3000 xp story award.

This method implements the constant advancement method of Grim Tales in a very streamlined, straightforward manner.

I heart all things CHI/RHO!

Nice thread. I do have an easier way of explaining 2b for people interested. I just have a list of numbers for this:

(CR^2)300

I keep a spreadsheet for gaming sessions and always have a number beside each character giving this:

LV*PT
LV = Level
PT = Number of party members

Then I divide one by the other.

That said, I just looked at the CHI/RHO system and I must say that I may be in love! It reminds me of the ONLY good thing to come from Final Fantasy VIII (the XP system) and seems sooo very simple.

In fact, I would say it is superior to my original idea (2b) in every way! Rock on! I think I'll adopt that system in my next campaign!

Anubis said:

I just looked at the CHI/RHO system and I must say that I may be in love! It ... seems sooo very simple.

In fact, I would say it is superior to my original idea (2b) in every way! Rock on! I think I'll adopt that system in my next campaign!

Click to expand...

Thanks Anubis! You just made my day!