TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
The old "you need a fixed amount for each level beyond X" meant that advancement could accelerate at higher levels.
D&D 5E 5e XP Chart Progression Question
- Thread starter Darrius_Adler
- Start date
The old "you need a fixed amount for each level beyond X" meant that advancement could accelerate at higher levels.
Pickles JG
First Post
Tradition is doing things in a bad way because that's how they've always been done. I agree with your assessment.
It's weird to see how XP are only given for defeating monsters (or that's all that is being considered here). You are encouraged to fight them rather than bypass them & not encouraged to do other useful things (rescue prisoners etc). Phandelver does have a bunch of plot XP in it though so it's there in the designer's minds at least.
Iosue
Legend
Mearls said way back when they first introduced the "tiers" that there would be guidance on how to change the XP progression rate, so people who wanted to spend more time at the early levels could do so. I don't think there's any question that that will eventually be provided. I think the question now is, will it be in the DMG, or will they put it up online somewhere. Edition conversion guidelines, for example, were originally supposed to be in the DMG, but now it looks like some kind of online release after the DMG drops.
PartyLikeIts1372
First Post
D&D 5e Variant Level Progression by # of Encounters
Please check out the attachments.
I made a quick spreadsheet to set up a variant PC level progressions for 5e. I've set the table in the attachments to take 12 encounters at average difficulty to progress from one level to the next. In other words, with this variant, a party of four 2nd-level PCs will need to kill 12 CR-2 monsters to reach 3rd level. You can set the table up to have non-linear, faster, or slower progressions.
A couple of notes:
1. To allow for "zero-level" play, I have set it so that it takes 200 XP to reach 1st level. If you prefer not to have zero-level adventures for your characters, just assume all 1st-level PCs start with 200 XP, or adjust all the XP requirements down by 200 XP.
2. I've included level progressions through Level 30. It always seems like D&D eventually includes epic-level play, so I've just extended the same logic using CR 21 through CR 30 monster-killing XP rewards.
Changing the Progression
I've included both a PDF and the Excel file so that you can set up your own progression tables.
Linear Progression
If you change the "Apx # Enc." (Approximate number of encounters) in cell F4 from 12 to some other number, the entire table will recalculate. This will allow faster or slower (but still linear) level progressions. Note that if you change this to 9.5, you will get very similar progression to the core rules, but the progression will be linear (i.e. you'll reach level 20 at about 355,000 XP, just like in the core rules, but you'll need only 44,000 XP to reach level 10, instead of 64,000 XP as in the core rules).
Non-Linear Progression
If you want your PCs to spend more (or less) time at certain levels, you can change the "Apx # Enc." for each level (Change all the values in Column F). For example, if you think Levels 5 to 10 are the sweet spot, and want to spend most of your time playing at mid-level, just change the Apx # Enc. in cells F8 to F13 to a higher number (you'll also need to hard-code the other values in column F). For reference, the Apx. # Enc. for the level progression of the core rules is shown.
Hope this helps someone out there.
Please check out the attachments.
I made a quick spreadsheet to set up a variant PC level progressions for 5e. I've set the table in the attachments to take 12 encounters at average difficulty to progress from one level to the next. In other words, with this variant, a party of four 2nd-level PCs will need to kill 12 CR-2 monsters to reach 3rd level. You can set the table up to have non-linear, faster, or slower progressions.
A couple of notes:
1. To allow for "zero-level" play, I have set it so that it takes 200 XP to reach 1st level. If you prefer not to have zero-level adventures for your characters, just assume all 1st-level PCs start with 200 XP, or adjust all the XP requirements down by 200 XP.
2. I've included level progressions through Level 30. It always seems like D&D eventually includes epic-level play, so I've just extended the same logic using CR 21 through CR 30 monster-killing XP rewards.
Changing the Progression
I've included both a PDF and the Excel file so that you can set up your own progression tables.
Linear Progression
If you change the "Apx # Enc." (Approximate number of encounters) in cell F4 from 12 to some other number, the entire table will recalculate. This will allow faster or slower (but still linear) level progressions. Note that if you change this to 9.5, you will get very similar progression to the core rules, but the progression will be linear (i.e. you'll reach level 20 at about 355,000 XP, just like in the core rules, but you'll need only 44,000 XP to reach level 10, instead of 64,000 XP as in the core rules).
Non-Linear Progression
If you want your PCs to spend more (or less) time at certain levels, you can change the "Apx # Enc." for each level (Change all the values in Column F). For example, if you think Levels 5 to 10 are the sweet spot, and want to spend most of your time playing at mid-level, just change the Apx # Enc. in cells F8 to F13 to a higher number (you'll also need to hard-code the other values in column F). For reference, the Apx. # Enc. for the level progression of the core rules is shown.
Hope this helps someone out there.
Last edited:
aramis erak
Legend
Actually, the system EXPLICITLY LIMITS to 20th level - Epic Play is just additional feat-like bonuses after that. It's in the DMG.
PartyLikeIts1372
First Post
Yes. I'm aware of the level cap, and the "feat-like bonuses." The 5e "feat-like bonuses" look like a good game mechanic, and I look forward to trying them out.
I actually find the lower levels of play quite fun, which is why I created the tool to set XP values for slower level progression. You're welcome to change the tool however you like.
Every edition of D&D has eventually allowed for levels above 20th. Since the CRs of monsters go up to CR 30, it was easy to extend the level progression table in the spreadsheet (which uses those CRs) to 30th level.
Wikipedia has a nice little history of D&D level caps. If your'e interested, search Wikipedia for "Epic Level" (I can't put a link in this reply).
aramis erak
Legend
I've played every edition except Holmes... I'm well aware of (and in the past have corrected) errors in that article.
Grimstaff
Explorer
Another thing to consider is there are fewer "power ups" from level 11-20, than there are from 1-10. Typically you're only getting 1-3 new archetype abilities, 1 each of level 6-9 spells, and so on.
My RotRL campaign has just gotten into 12+ levels, it'll be interesting to see how things speed up.
My RotRL campaign has just gotten into 12+ levels, it'll be interesting to see how things speed up.
Huntsman57
First Post
Goddamn sissies these days. Back in my 2E days we had to advance in level barefoot in the snow..uphill...both ways! It took 3 months to gain a single level. Hell if you became a specialty priest, once you got past 10th level the heat death of the universe would occur before gaining another level. Waggles cane. Git off my lawn you gen Y wipper snappers!
blondbauke
First Post
I think your calculation is correct, i still dont understand why my party (party of level 4, Rogue, Hunter, Fighter and Barbarian) went through 21 orcs and a orc war chief in one encounter.
We're playing a non magic campagne, something happened 500 years ago and were trying to find magic back in the world.
But shouldn't we NOT been able to kille 21 orcs (CR 0.5) and a orc war chief (CR 4), even if there were first 3 orcs, then 4 orcs, then 5 orcs, then 4 orcs and then 4 orcs with a warchief.
If I look at the whole encounter, we had 5 small encounters, with the CR of 1.5, 2, 2.5, 2 and 6.
Which make total exp according to the book,
3 orcs = 3x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 600 xp
4 orcs = 4x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 800 xp
5 orcs = 5x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 1000 xp
4 orcs = 4x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 800 xp
4 orcs + warchief = (4x 100 xp + 1100xp) x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 3200xp
600+800+1000+800+3200xp makes a total of 6400xp.
IF u look at a deadly encounter for 4 level 4 chars, thats 4x500 xp, so how can we survive a 3 times as deadly encounter.
After that we killed a group of 19 orcs and warchief and oroc.
After that we killed a group of 10 Ogres.
before we found the first group orcs, we just dinged level 4, and now were almost level 6. Is my math completely wrong?
We're playing a non magic campagne, something happened 500 years ago and were trying to find magic back in the world.
But shouldn't we NOT been able to kille 21 orcs (CR 0.5) and a orc war chief (CR 4), even if there were first 3 orcs, then 4 orcs, then 5 orcs, then 4 orcs and then 4 orcs with a warchief.
If I look at the whole encounter, we had 5 small encounters, with the CR of 1.5, 2, 2.5, 2 and 6.
Which make total exp according to the book,
3 orcs = 3x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 600 xp
4 orcs = 4x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 800 xp
5 orcs = 5x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 1000 xp
4 orcs = 4x 100 xp x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 800 xp
4 orcs + warchief = (4x 100 xp + 1100xp) x2(multiplier for 3-6 mobs) = 3200xp
600+800+1000+800+3200xp makes a total of 6400xp.
IF u look at a deadly encounter for 4 level 4 chars, thats 4x500 xp, so how can we survive a 3 times as deadly encounter.
After that we killed a group of 19 orcs and warchief and oroc.
After that we killed a group of 10 Ogres.
before we found the first group orcs, we just dinged level 4, and now were almost level 6. Is my math completely wrong?
