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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 6821624" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>However, and to me just about as important, levels are also a measure (one of many) of the PCs compared to each other.</p><p>But when they're a metric comparing PCs they also become a reward...again, one of many as you so well point out...</p><p></p><p>...here.</p><p></p><p>However, whether combat or not I want to recognize the characters who participate rather than stand back or stay at the inn. That's where xp come in.</p><p></p><p>All good, but nothing at all says xp can't go on top of all that. The characters involved in the diplomacy get xp for it; the ones who rifled the wizard's tower get xp for that, and those who helped knock down the griffins get xp for that. This allows for a greater reward for a character that was involved with all three activities than in just one, or none.</p><p></p><p>Side note regarding your wizard's tower example: in our games its a long-standing player-driven tradition that all treasure and booty is divided equally, meaning it's quite rare that a DM can use acquired treasure as a reward mechanism like you suggest here.</p><p></p><p>So what do you do with all the things that can change an individual character's level on the fly? For example: I have level-draining undead in my game. Decks of many things and the like can give or remove a pile of xp on the spot. Wish spells, rare though they may be, can give or take levels if done right.</p><p></p><p>Also, how do you handle characters who die, stay dead for an adventure, then come back? Do they get equal xp or levels for being dead? (if yes, this seems kind of ludicrous)</p><p></p><p>One can assume that anyone else in the game world who is above 1st level is already busy doing other things... <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>That said, I don't subscribe to full-on ES@1; but I do insist that new or replacement characters* come in either a level or two below the party average, or a level below the lowest, or at a floor level, depending on the campaign. There's lots of other levelled entities in the game world and lots of ways to gain levels other than adventuring; adventuring just happens to be by far the fastest way. But when Kallie the Thief dies and the party go looking for a replacement it's almost certain the replacement will be lower level than Kallie was.</p><p></p><p>* - unless it is a player's FIRST character in that campaign, in which case it comes in at the party average.</p><p></p><p>Yes, I agree there's holes with strict ES@1 which is why I don't do it; though with that said it's trivially easy to dream up a logical in-game rationale for it if desired, which might go:</p><p></p><p><em>The only true free-agent adventurers are those fresh out of their 1st-level training. To adventure in the field, these characters must first sign on to an Adventuring Company (of which the PCs-as-a-whole are one), and once signed their allegiance may never change on pain of death; this is strictly enforced by the Companies themselves to prevent recruiting wars, defections, and what the modern business world calls headhunting. Thus all experienced adventurers are signed to a Company, and if your Company finds itself shorthanded its only recourse is to recruit raw 1st-level free agents. For taxation purposes, the King's agents are constantly kept advised of the membership of each Company.</em></p><p></p><p>To think that up took as long as it did to type it; it's not perfect, but more thought might give better ideas.</p><p></p><p>Lan-"if you ever get a 1st-level version of Drizz't in your party, do us all a favour and kill it immediately"-efan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 6821624, member: 29398"] However, and to me just about as important, levels are also a measure (one of many) of the PCs compared to each other. But when they're a metric comparing PCs they also become a reward...again, one of many as you so well point out... ...here. However, whether combat or not I want to recognize the characters who participate rather than stand back or stay at the inn. That's where xp come in. All good, but nothing at all says xp can't go on top of all that. The characters involved in the diplomacy get xp for it; the ones who rifled the wizard's tower get xp for that, and those who helped knock down the griffins get xp for that. This allows for a greater reward for a character that was involved with all three activities than in just one, or none. Side note regarding your wizard's tower example: in our games its a long-standing player-driven tradition that all treasure and booty is divided equally, meaning it's quite rare that a DM can use acquired treasure as a reward mechanism like you suggest here. So what do you do with all the things that can change an individual character's level on the fly? For example: I have level-draining undead in my game. Decks of many things and the like can give or remove a pile of xp on the spot. Wish spells, rare though they may be, can give or take levels if done right. Also, how do you handle characters who die, stay dead for an adventure, then come back? Do they get equal xp or levels for being dead? (if yes, this seems kind of ludicrous) One can assume that anyone else in the game world who is above 1st level is already busy doing other things... :) That said, I don't subscribe to full-on ES@1; but I do insist that new or replacement characters* come in either a level or two below the party average, or a level below the lowest, or at a floor level, depending on the campaign. There's lots of other levelled entities in the game world and lots of ways to gain levels other than adventuring; adventuring just happens to be by far the fastest way. But when Kallie the Thief dies and the party go looking for a replacement it's almost certain the replacement will be lower level than Kallie was. * - unless it is a player's FIRST character in that campaign, in which case it comes in at the party average. Yes, I agree there's holes with strict ES@1 which is why I don't do it; though with that said it's trivially easy to dream up a logical in-game rationale for it if desired, which might go: [I]The only true free-agent adventurers are those fresh out of their 1st-level training. To adventure in the field, these characters must first sign on to an Adventuring Company (of which the PCs-as-a-whole are one), and once signed their allegiance may never change on pain of death; this is strictly enforced by the Companies themselves to prevent recruiting wars, defections, and what the modern business world calls headhunting. Thus all experienced adventurers are signed to a Company, and if your Company finds itself shorthanded its only recourse is to recruit raw 1st-level free agents. For taxation purposes, the King's agents are constantly kept advised of the membership of each Company.[/I] To think that up took as long as it did to type it; it's not perfect, but more thought might give better ideas. Lan-"if you ever get a 1st-level version of Drizz't in your party, do us all a favour and kill it immediately"-efan [/QUOTE]
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