XP: The Star Wars method in D&D

[RobNJ]

Friends and I have been talking about changing the way we do XP in D&D to make it more like what I've heard the Star Wars method is like. The problem is I don't really know what it is, per se.

Here's what I do know: There's some standard value you get every session (based on a 4 hour session) that is some fraction of what you need to level.

Can anyone provide me more details? Especially specifics on how that fraction is chosen?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

....Star Wars d20 does XP the same as D&D...just terminology differences. Just comparing Challenge Code of the encounter to the average level of the characters...

 

[RobNJ]

....Star Wars d20 does XP the same as D&D...just terminology differences. Just comparing Challenge Code of the encounter to the average level of the characters...

Really?

Hm.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about, then? Maybe it's a variant rule in the Star Wars rulebook? Flat XP on a per-session basis so that you don't have to go racking up bodies?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I started d20 with Star Wars...I've just flipped through the book, and I can't find a single thing like that...where did you hear that? I've never heard of Star Wars d20 doing XP like that...
The only difference that doesn't require you to "go racking up bodies" is that there are a bit of guidelines and help on applying Challenge Codes to non-combat encounters...

 

[RobNJ]

I started d20 with Star Wars...I've just flipped through the book, and I can't find a single thing like that...where did you hear that?

Are you using the Revised rules or the original rules? It may have been something they put in Revised.

I think I heard about it on the DND-L listserv.

The only difference that doesn't require you to "go racking up bodies" is that there are a bit of guidelines and help on applying Challenge Codes to non-combat encounters...

Well, if it doesn't exist already, maybe someone can help me invent one?

You're supposed to have 13 and 1/3 encounters of your level per level. How many encouters occur in each gaming session? How many gaming sessions does the game want you to level in? In my experience, you only get 2 big fights a session, and maybe one random encounter, but these fights are usually bigger than our level.

Does 4 encoutners per session sound right? Thereby, 3 or 3.5 sessions = 1 levelling?

 

[Trainz@work]

Well, here is my X.P. system IMC:

At the end of each game session, each individual does the following calculation:

Character Level x 1000 / 3 = X.P. for that game session.

This way, no matter if the game was combat lite or combat heavy, or if the beast gave too high or two low X.P., you still have a steady character advancement.

What that does IMC ?

The players are not afraid to flee instead of fighting: more realistic. Plus, if they are 10th level, they don't growl at me if I "waist" game time making them fight a bunch of Orcs which, under standard X.P. rules, wouldn't give them X.P. at all.

Since we like a faster level progression, I also give them a bonus to add to the base X.P.: 1d20 x 1d100 (I let them roll) and at 10th level and up, 1d100 x 1d100.

Worked like a charm IMC.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Its the Revised Rules. I really can't think of anything where you heard this, unless it was the old d6 Star Wars game...
I like how the XP system works. Does perfect for my group, not too fast, but not too slow either. Though in the Star Wars games I've played/run, there is a LOT less fighting than with D&D...its just not as combat heavy overall.

 

[Arani Korden]

Its the Revised Rules. I really can't think of anything where you heard this, unless it was the old d6 Star Wars game...

The pre-Revised rules gave a flat rate per adventure, based on adventure length and character level. IIRC, the Wheel of Time rules are the same.

 

[RobNJ]

I like how the XP system works. Does perfect for my group, not too fast, but not too slow either. Though in the Star Wars games I've played/run, there is a LOT less fighting than with D&D...its just not as combat heavy overall.

I don't like how fight-based it is, and how the alternative if you don't want to make it fight-based is very paperwork-heavy (assigning social, role playing events and puzzles CRs) and results in unequal advancement. I would much prefer finishing up the session and knowing I'm X closer to the next level. I might also like to see a "regulator" in there. Some simple number the DM could throw into the formula that would allow me to say, "They were slightly better than average," and modify it thusly, but the more work it is, the less valuble it is (IMO).

 

[RobNJ]

The pre-Revised rules gave a flat rate per adventure, based on adventure length and character level. IIRC, the Wheel of Time rules are the same.

Do you know what these rules are?