D&D 5E XP vs Story Line Progression Leveling model in 5th edition

[Li Shenron]

What are your experiences? Do you use the XP model? or the Story Line model? Which do you prefer?

I like the idea of using standard XP generally, but they often don't feel like matching the difficulty or effort required by a challenge. In any case, I also always give XP for quests, plot achievements and other non-combat challenges, so at least these are all made-up.

Personally I prefer (also as a player) a slow and DM-orchestrated advancement that gives everyone enough time to try out and learn to use all their character abilities before getting new ones. I also think that slow advancement helps to stop thinking about next level and focus more on the 'here and now' of the adventures.

But by "DM-orchestrated" I don't necessarily mean plot-synchronized. I don't like the idea that the adventure is tweaked to match the PC's level, and neither viceversa. I prefer to think that adventures are as difficult as they are, period, and it's up to the PCs to decide if they want to take on a risky one or let it wait and go somewhere else (hint: sandbox).

 

[S'mon]

What are your experiences? Do you use the XP model? or the Story Line model? Which do you prefer?

I like XP; I like rewarding PCs for doing stuff, without having full control of why and when they level up.

 

[redrick]

Personally I prefer (also as a player) a slow and DM-orchestrated advancement that gives everyone enough time to try out and learn to use all their character abilities before getting new ones. I also think that slow advancement helps to stop thinking about next level and focus more on the 'here and now' of the adventures.

This captures my main preference on leveling as well, as a player and a DM. Before characters level up, I want those characters to have really tested the limit of the features and abilities of their current level. I hate leveling up before a character has truly been challenged at his or her current level.

 

[Creamsteak]

While my inclination is to agree with you, I noticed in the 2nd level pre-adventure for PotA that the module is convinced that the three fights in the mini-dungeon are enough to get a party of four to 3rd level (600 xp each) which would only be possible if the multiplier was applied to the encounters with 5-6 small creatures in them. So I'm currently unclear as to the actual rule intention.

Anyone else have any clarification on this point?

I think PotA assumes some amount of random encounters.

 

[Sunseeker]

I perfer story-line progression, which isn't "making progress through the story" grants you XP, but doing things that advance the stories in the world grants you XP.

I find that the leveling method is too fast.

 

[Greyson]

We switched to story-line leveling when we started Princes of the Apocalypse earlier this year. We instantly loved it. It's way, way less work. And it gives us the flexibility to scale with the adventure as the story develops in challenge as well as plot.

Our only other 5E campaign was Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and we used the standard XP track for that. There were occasions when we felt it was a grind to "get to the next level."

YMMV, but we really like the story-line leveling. Princes of the Apocalypse seems to assume random encounters as well as the necessary ones. It all seems to balance out well.

But the most important thing is that it is fun and easier for us.

 

[AaronOfBarbaria]

[MENTION=1465]Li Shenron[/MENTION], [MENTION=6777696]redrick[/MENTION], you two have hit on a point that I am right there with you on.

Well, two, I guess actually.

I too like for players to feel confident about what their character can do, and like they fully understand how to use all the different abilities at the character's disposal, before moving on to the next level. I strive to strike the delicate balance that is everyone being entirely confident and not yet thinking "...when is the next level going to get here?" - because of the other point: I really don't like it when a player seems to be in a hurry.

It's one thing if it is excitement, like wanting to see how the next twist in the tale plays out, or just getting near to reaching something not often experienced (I have players that are thrilled by every level gained in 5th edition because each so far has continued to be fun and there is no sign of the things which drove the majority of our 3.5 campaigns to falter and die incomplete, so phrases like "oh man, it seems like just a few more months and we'll be 15th level. I've never had a 15th level character before."). But another thing entirely if it feels like the table-top equivalent of when my wife says "don't bother pausing this while I'm out of the room," and our friend and I wanting to watch that movie with her share a look that confirms we are both thinking "Should we just stop this and pick something else to watch?"

 

[Shiroiken]

Normally I use straight XP. This particular campaign is similar to an Adventure Path, so I'm splitting the difference. I award XP, but have set level up points. If the party gets XP to level before the point, they get the level early.

 

[sleypy]

Normally I use straight XP. This particular campaign is similar to an Adventure Path, so I'm splitting the difference. I award XP, but have set level up points. If the party gets XP to level before the point, they get the level early.

How does that work out? I wouldn't have though people whold care to track XP once you removed the ability to level up.

 

[Rhenny]

During the playtest, I started leveling up my players every session so that we could get the feel of various levels. I ran entire mini-campaigns like that, and strangely, we enjoyed the super fast leveling by story much more than we thought. Now in my PoA campaign, I roughly use xp as a guide for me to signal to the players when the should level up. It is kind of a hybrid between story driven and xp counting. As long as my players feel progress, they are happy. 3 to 4 sessions at levels 4+ seem to satisfy.