D&D 5E Poll: Experience, Leveling, and Groups

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I also see it in 1e terms but I long ago intentionally chose to ignore the player-control mechanisms suggested by EGG. Ditto for alignment change; alignment in my game is much less hard-and-fast than original 1e would have it.

Alignment is certainly an area where the original concept has changed a lot since its inception, and for the better. XP penalties for alignment violations was something I just could never swallow. I understood that was how it was MEANT, but just not something I could bring myself to inflict. Actually, I found level drain to be similarly inexplicable and inexcusable as far as penalizing PC's experience points with the effect. Again, that would be because if it was supposed to be a player participation control mechanic how has a player offended to the point of deserving the PUNISHMENT of lost xp for his character?

To me, XP are a character reward; and while players enjoy seeing their characters get 'em I very much try not to use them specifically as a player reward.

The things that xp has been used for, how and why they are awarded (or penalized), has changed with each edition as RPG "rules theory" has itself changed. Sometimes for the better sometimes not. I began to seriously question its uses and abuses in the 2E era. In 3E I came to see it as primarily a tool for control of the pacing of advancement (which everybody ignored). I've actually handled it a lot of different ways even within the same edition, even within the same CAMPAIGN.

 

[Lanefan]

Alignment is certainly an area where the original concept has changed a lot since its inception, and for the better. XP penalties for alignment violations was something I just could never swallow. I understood that was how it was MEANT, but just not something I could bring myself to inflict. Actually, I found level drain to be similarly inexplicable and inexcusable as far as penalizing PC's experience points with the effect. Again, that would be because if it was supposed to be a player participation control mechanic how has a player offended to the point of deserving the PUNISHMENT of lost xp for his character?

Where I find level-draining monsters to be prime threats now and then.

Keep in mind too that in 1e there's various things that can also hand out levels on a whim - last weekend I had someone in my game get lucky with a Deck of Many Things and go up 60K XP, a jump of 3 levels. Level-givers aren't generally as common as level-drainers but they are out there. I don't think 4e has anything similar.

The things that xp has been used for, how and why they are awarded (or penalized), has changed with each edition as RPG "rules theory" has itself changed. Sometimes for the better sometimes not. I began to seriously question its uses and abuses in the 2E era. In 3E I came to see it as primarily a tool for control of the pacing of advancement (which everybody ignored). I've actually handled it a lot of different ways even within the same edition, even within the same CAMPAIGN.

I'm not that worried about fine-tuning advancement rates, mostly because I have the dial set to "very slow" and a bit of variance here and there still ends up as very slow in the end.

Lanefan

 

[pemerton]

I don't think 4e has anything similar.

No. In the context of default 4e (see my posts upthread) it wouldn't make any sense.

 

[JamesonCourage]

I see that I'm way in the minority on this, but, I don't fuss it too much. Everyone gets the same share of xp, regardless of whether you came to the session or not. Then again, I play with pretty dedicated players who only miss if something serious came up, so, it's not a big issue. Players who miss several sessions without giving prior notice get the boot, so, I suppose in that sense they don't get xp.

Can't XP yet, but I'm the same way. As always, play what you like