Bonus XP

[Water Bob]

Remember back in 1E AD&D where a character could gain a bonus 10% XP if he had the required number or higher in his class' major attribute?

For, example, I think for Fighters is was a STR 16. If you had that, then everytime you were awarded XP, you gained an extra 10% and advanced a little faster than your comrades with STR 15 or less.

I was thinking about adding something a little like this to my game.

Here's what I'm thinking....



Each time a character receives XP, he makes a WIS check. His bonus or penalty is shown on the chart below.

0- = -10% XP
5- = -5% XP

10 = No change to XP

15+ = +5% XP
20+ = +10% XP
25+ = +15% XP
30+ = +20% XP




Thus, Silaigne plays a sesson and ends up with 500 XP. He's got WIS 10, which means there's no modifier to the d20 throw.

He throws a 17. This means that Silaigne increases his XP award by 5%, earning 525 XP.



Thoughts?

 

[Sekhmet]

Sort of favors Clerics and Druids unfairly, don't you think?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

A system like this would reward single attribute builds and penalize (or at least not reward) MAD builds. It would also not reward creative builds, or non-stereotypical builds. A DEX based fighter is just as viable as a STR one. A Monk would always, always fall behind.

How about the exact opposite? Reward extra xp to the player who builds a Druid with high INT, or any kind of Monk? That Half-orc Paladin idea, bonus xp to the player with the spunk to try to pull it off.

I get the impression a system like this would only reward stereotypes.

With that said, if you were my DM and instituted this rule, I'd definitely be playing a Factotum.

 

[Water Bob]

Sort of favors Clerics and Druids unfairly, don't you think?

I always think of it in Conan RPG terms, so there are no Clerics or Druids. It would favor Nobles and Scholars in the Conan game...and I'm OK with that. It seems "correct".




Given the two responses, this might be one of those things that is OK for a Conan game but not OK for a D&D game.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I always think of it in Conan RPG terms, so there are no Clerics or Druids. It would favor Nobles and Scholars in the Conan game...and I'm OK with that. It seems "correct".




Given the two responses, this might be one of those things that is OK for a Conan game but not OK for a D&D game.

From what I know of Conan games (I've only played one, it was fun!) there are more stereotypes. This system would reward most everybody. Sounds like it would work.

 

[El Mahdi]

I think it penalizes players that make Ability Score choices based on a specific concept (whether mechanical or roleplaying), by giving those that based their character on mechanical system optimization a bonus.

If you're trying to enforce mechanical role optimization, then Bonus XP will do that.

Those that prefer to build their characters based on a non-optimization concept, will probably not like it very much at all.

 

[Li Shenron]

What is the purpose of this house rule?

 

[Water Bob]

The rule brings back the stat bonus I mention in the OP. It also makes every stat the character has quite important to him, no matter the class.

STR, DEX, and CON are all important for obvious reasons, even to a sorcerer.

INT is important for skill points.

CHR is important in my heavily roleplayed game (I use it quite often to guide NPC reactions and attitudes). Thus, if a player wants things to go his way more often than not, he'll not neglect CHR.

And now, WIS will be important to provide the character with XP bonus. Those that have high WIS will level faster than those that don't. Plus, in the Conan game, it's the learned that have high WIS, like Scholars. It makes sense that they would level faster.




Again, this probably isn't a good rule for standard D&D. It seems to fit the human only, fighter dominated Conan game well, though.

 

[Empirate]

I'm not feeling it. Why would a Scholar level faster than anybody else? After all, scholars have this slow-and-methodical stereotype going, right?

More to the point: if it were indeed desirable that some classes are penalized, while others advance in levels faster... what are the mechanical reasons for said playing of favorites?
Are scholars too weak compared to Barbarians? Are Barbarians too front-loaded compared to scholars? Do scholars regularly burn XP, where Barbarians don't? Is Wisdom everybody's favored dumpstat (despite perception checks and will saves being keyed off Wis) - AND somebody is taking issue with that?


When creating a houserule, always ask yourself: is there anything to be found in such a houserule that either a) provides better options, game balance, or general fun for everybody, or b) gets rid of unwanted effects of the current ruleset, or c) adresses a specific problem in your current gaming group, not necessarily found elsewhere? If neither of these are the case, this is just a rules change for the sake of... changing the rules, I guess.


Introducing far-reaching balance changes for the heck of it is dangerous, and may result in the not so favored people feeling their toes stepped on.