D&D 5E Help with a simple exp system for 5E

GameOgre

Adventurer

• Feb 20, 2015

• #1

I looked everywhere and for someone else to have already worked up a system like Paper and Pencils did here http://www.paperspencils.com/2011/10/22/pathfinder-house-rule-simple-experience-points/ but couldn't find anything.

I hate keeping track of exp but is seems to be VERY important to my players so I always look around for a simple system to use.

To be honest I thought about using that same system just cutting the number from 1-3rd in half but I wondered if one of you more math oriented guys had already taken a look at it.

I would like something based on what 5E did already (like the one above was for pathfinder) but I would be more than happy with anything even close.

Thanks for any help you guys can throw my way!

 

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neobolts

Explorer

• Feb 20, 2015

• #2

You could go even easier, and have 4-5 "objectives" be the XP needed to level. Objectives would be a mix of key combat and noncombat events, basically a video game style Quest Log.
- Kill the Bandit Leader
- Locate the Crystal of Specialness.
- Convince Sir Madeupname to back your cause.

One last thought, levels 1 and 2 are accelarated in 5e, so they should be faster than the rest of the progression rate.

 

edemaitre

Explorer

• Feb 20, 2015

• #3

After tracking experience points for individual characters and scenes for years, my games have moved to a group advancement rate of one level every five sessions. Since we meet biweekly for about four hours at a time, that allows the Game Master to run about two or three combat encounters per session and craft homebrew scenarios across multiple sessions.

It's also a good idea to reward good role-playing, reliable record-keeping and attendance, creativity, and teamwork. Individual awards for these things may take the form of magic items, contacts or followers, or in-game information.

 

GameOgre

Adventurer

• Feb 20, 2015

• #4

My players really just love tracking exp for leveling but are willing to use systems like the above instead of the overly complicated default ones.

Just as a note I did give out EXP for role playing ect as well. Normally though it would only be a point or two at most right after some great role playing.

 

Kikuras

First Post

• Feb 20, 2015

• #5

As a player, I tend to get pretty Gollum about XP, so when I DM, I don't mind taking the time to do all the math. There's an easy to use calculator online. That said, I see the benefit of other advancement systems. As a player, so long as the system is explained and I can understand and play to that system, then I'm all for it. The DM has enough on their plate. Or just the way the game goes, it' works better. What I wouldn't do is use a modified system and not tell the players.

 

Mistwell

Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)

• Feb 20, 2015

• #6

GameOgre said:

I looked everywhere and for someone else to have already worked up a system like Paper and Pencils did here http://www.paperspencils.com/2011/10/22/pathfinder-house-rule-simple-experience-points/ but couldn't find anything.

I hate keeping track of exp but is seems to be VERY important to my players so I always look around for a simple system to use.

To be honest I thought about using that same system just cutting the number from 1-3rd in half but I wondered if one of you more math oriented guys had already taken a look at it.

I would like something based on what 5E did already (like the one above was for pathfinder) but I would be more than happy with anything even close.

Thanks for any help you guys can throw my way!

Click to expand...

I do it session-based. I figure roughly 4 sessions for our group (our sessions are shorter than many other groups) = 1 level. So, given that, if you want to assign XP, take the amount of XP needed for the next level, divide it by 4, and you get a session XP amount.

So for instance let's say it takes 1000 XP to get to the next level, and you want 4 sessions to get there. That's 250 XP a session.

But let's say you don't want it to be that rules-lite in nature and want a bit more granularity. If you know in advance one sessions will be more or less difficult than another you can juggle the numbers to account for that. Then you can assign XP roughly based on challenges faced. I'll use lite-challenge and heavy-challenge as descriptions.* If you know session #1 will be lite-challenge in nature, Session's # 2 and #3 will be a roughly even mix of lite-challenges vs heavy-challenges, while session #4 is likely to be heavy-challenge, you can decide to assign 150 XP to the first session, 250 XP to Sessions #2 and #3, and 350 XP to Session #4. Total is still 1000 XP and a level gain, but it feels more related to the challenges faced.

*I think for a lot of tables "challenge" will most often mean combat, while for some others "challenge" could include traps and role playing obstacles and terrain obstacles and such.

 

Bupp

Adventurer

• Feb 21, 2015

• #7

My players love XP, but I hate keeping track of it, so I devised a simple solution.

I simply make up how many XP I hand out based on how fast I want them to advance. I look at how many XP they have and how many they need before making up a number to give out.

It's basically a milestone system, but with the illusion of awarding individual XP.

 

B

Blackbrrd

First Post

• Feb 21, 2015

• #8

Bupp said:

My players love XP, but I hate keeping track of it, so I devised a simple solution.

I simply make up how many XP I hand out based on how fast I want them to advance. I look at how many XP they have and how many they need before making up a number to give out.

It's basically a milestone system, but with the illusion of awarding individual XP.

Click to expand...

Sneaky, and something I should adopt. Who doesn't love xp?

 

D

DMCF

First Post

• Mar 12, 2015

• #9

I plan based on how much I want the highest level (slowest progression) to level in a dungeon. Let's say 85% for a level 3 character. This is 1600*.85 or 1360xp. I multiply this by "X" players and that is my experience pool to start establishing challenges. I can still have an Adult Black Dragon for lower level players but they may find it injured (descriptively and lowered HP/magical restrains) or have sudden assistance that I deem fair enough ensure a challenge. I use the approximate XP value for the challenge I estimate I'm bringing the dragon down to.

I don't sit there with a calculator but I do favor the player's background stories. I usually end up with a few players down but rarely a death.

It is a little harder running a scripted campaign but the easiest answer I've found is to bring the player count to max or even 1-2 above. This gives you freedom in sprinkling monsters or making adjustments without having to restat the monsters found in the adventure.

 

Nebulous

Legend

• Mar 12, 2015

• #10

It would be neat to have a single digits XP system, handed out as rewards or to incrementally boost your character.