D&D 5E My D&D Next Wishlist: Bring back XP for GP!

[Obryn]

When I was gearing up towards running a 1e game for the first time in 20 years a few years back, I ended up re-evaluating a lot of the things I'd basically disregarded as either too-complicated or too-silly while I was growing up playing the game.

The most striking of these was the XP-for-GP system.

As a middle- and high-schooler, I thought it was the silliest thing I'd ever heard. How in the world can getting money make you better at your job? As an adult, with the help of a few forum discussions, I realized it's a feature of 1e that makes its playstyle unique among the various D&D editions.

XP-for-GP rewards you very directly for a smart, cautious playstyle. Monsters give XP when you kill them, sure, but that's piddling compared to the XP you get from escaping with a ruby necklace or a +1 sword. So, given how lethal combat could be, your best course of action is to infiltrate a dungeon, make minimal deadly contact with monsters, and escape with the loot.

One of the things Next could provide to get it close to 1e in my "top editions" ranking is by incorporating this as an optional module. It was one of the most eye-opening things about 1e for me, and it's one of the main reasons it's my second-favorite edition now.

-O

 

[renau1g]

I thought it was just the Thief that got the xp for gold, didn't the Fighter get xp for HD of monsters defeated? or was that 2e?

 

[Obryn]

I thought it was just the Thief that got the xp for gold, didn't the Fighter get xp for HD of monsters defeated? or was that 2e?

That was 2e, and IMO it was one of the flaws of the edition. Without XP for GP, but using the same advancement tables as 1e, it takes forever to level up.

-O

 

[I'm A Banana]

I would like XP for all sorts of stuff.

XP for slaying monsters, okay.

XP for finding treasure, sure.

XP for completing quests? Yup!

XP for discovering parts of the map? Oh yeah!

XP for talking to certain NPCs? Why not?

XP for character development! Yeah!

All as optional modules, awarded by DMs for what they see fit, maybe even varying with class, I am all over XP awards being something that DMs can stipulate, rather than something that is hard-coded into the game.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Monsters give XP when you kill them, sure, but that's piddling compared to the XP you get from escaping with a ruby necklace or a +1 sword.

Wasn't it XP for non-magical treasure only?

Anyway, judging by the XP scale of the playtest, it looks like it'll have to be 2 XP per CP or so.

 

[jadrax]

I would like XP for all sorts of stuff.

XP for slaying monsters, okay.

XP for finding treasure, sure.

XP for completing quests? Yup!

XP for discovering parts of the map? Oh yeah!

XP for talking to certain NPCs? Why not?

XP for character development! Yeah!

All as optional modules, awarded by DMs for what they see fit, maybe even varying with class, I am all over XP awards being something that DMs can stipulate, rather than something that is hard-coded into the game.

I have always found as a GM, 'XP for buying me Pizza' works well. ;o)

 

[Obryn]

Wasn't it XP for non-magical treasure only?

Anyway, judging by the XP scale of the playtest, it looks like it'll have to be 2 XP per CP or so.

Nope; magic items also gave you XP in 1e, and often quite a lot of it. You also had the option to sell those magic items for GP that earned you even more XP.

IMO, this sort of rule would have to work alongside a reduction in XP for monsters. After 3 encounters (14 kobolds and 19 rats) the party was already a good way towards Level 2. After re-doing those and hitting the Chieftain and his entourage, they were even closer.

-O

 

[johnsemlak]

I think xp for gp would be a great optional rule but I think a lot of people would be against it as a standard rule. I agree with the above poster that there should be a lot of avenues for xp. One I would add, which was in the Companion Set rules, was gaining xp for running a dominion.

 

[Vegepygmy]

XP-for-GP rewards you very directly for a smart, cautious playstyle. Monsters give XP when you kill them, sure, but that's piddling compared to the XP you get from escaping with a ruby necklace or a +1 sword.

I agree. At the very least, this should be an optional rule. Frankly, it should be quite easy to set the expected wealth for each level at the same number of XP needed to advance, which would make it easy to house rule even if they didn't specifically include it as an optional XP rule.

 

[Libramarian]

I love XP for GP (for treasure in general) because it makes treasure into a reward directly, so you don't need a systematic magic economy to make sure the PCs have something to buy with it.

The DM can introduce a magic item seller when they feel like it, and determine what they have to sell. The PCs don't have to liquidate the interesting, situationally useful magic items they acquire adventuring and buy the most utilitarian items.

In my AD&D campaign (PCs are level 4-5), gold in itself hasn't been a reward since the very first adventure. XP for treasure means finding a huge treasure haul still feels rewarding even though the PCs don't really have anything to buy (except for a strongholds and armies, if we get into that, but that's a long ways off). They've had to adventure for all of their magic items, except for a few scrolls and potions. It keeps the focus of the game on adventuring.

I am planning to introduce a magic item shop in the next major city, just for kicks. I am enjoying how much freedom I have over where it is and what stuff they have.