"But I'm THIS close to a new level..."

[Byrons_Ghost]

The thread on players arguing over xps amounts led me off on a tangent- most of the time, requests I've seen for more xp aren't due to what's been killed or accomplished in the session. They're due to the fact that someone (perhaps even everyone) is only very close to a new level- maybe by a couple hundred points or so.

So, wheedling is probably more common than outright arguing. In our old college group, we had a rather odd tradition (I can't remember how it started) of bring a "gift" to the DM next session in order to make up the xp gap (again, this would only work for small amounts, and not for someone who was already ahead of the party). We're talking only a few dollars here, generally a food item (Ben & Jerry's was the standard, since it was sold at the student store next door to the dorm).

Anyway, since everyone was in on this, and since it was mostly a sort of joking way of getting the DM a little bit of respect, it never caused any problems. I was just wondering if anyone else did similar stuff, since I'm sure that the "small amount for next level" situation has come up in virtually every campaign.

 

[Crothian]

in the old edition when you needed like 25,001 for the next level we had lots of times when npeople were 1xsp short of that level. I had a rule, if they were withing 100xp of a level after 5th level they could gain the level but they didn't gain any XP. So, it was a level one session early. Without that rule, I'd have people climing walls for a level or killing ants for a level....

 

[Catavarie]

My group has the Standing Beer Rule, where who ever brings the DM the most Beer from the fridge that night gets extra XP. You should see some of the fights that have broken out when the DM takes that last swig from his Killians, its like everyone's eyes get as big as saucers and people start jumping over the couch and shoving each other out of the way. And I just sit back and think, "Man its good to be the DM."

 

[AIM-54]

I've seen it done. It's usually not a big deal, as in my experience it hasn't cropped up until the middle levels when an additional 1-200 xp isn't that much or the character getting it was a level behind or something. I freely admit, however, that I hate the wheedling.

 

[Glyfair]

Ages ago, if one player was very, very close to the next level and the campaign was at a breaking point, the DM would come up with a brief adventure for that one character. Sometimes another character would join them, if the player was available. Of course, this was back when we had a lot more free time between the scheduled gaming sessions.

 

[twofalls]

Consumable XP

I award consumable xp to the group. Whenever a member brings a food item to share with the group he/she earns extra xp that goes into a group pool. That group pool can be used (though a majority vote) to bump characters who are close to the next level, pay the xp cost for magical items, or what have you. This has become so popular that there are actually two game groups that I run that participate. I have a cedar chest in the game room we affectionatly call the treasure chest. Each group has been very good at keeping it supplied with chips, cookies, bottled waters, and assundries, while I keep it stocked with hard candies (that my kids get one of for their after dinner treat). This has resolved the "but I'm only 50 xp away" issue.

There is one other thing that I do that I haven't heard of other groups doing before, and that reinforces the roleplaying athmosphere in the game. Once I give the "signal" we are no longer allowed to use our mundane names, but only character names for the rest of the session. So for example Marco my best friend is called Gnaut the name of his fighter, and that strongly reinforces that character's identity in the game. However I enforce this rule. If a player speaks to another using a mundane name once that signal has been given, the first player who calls them on it gets his own level x50 in xp directly from the offending players character sheet! If I was the offender I immediatly award the person who caught me with the same. I never personally call other players out on using mundane names as I would be seen as competing with them. It's worked very well and people have been good natured about it and haven't ever abused it.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

I used to give out extra xp to players who keep track of initiative for me, that and players who keep a calander or journal. I'm a lazy DM. Oh, and I used to game with a DM who could phone up a local pizza place and get free pizza for xp...good deal in my books.

 

[Altalazar]

When I DM, I keep track of the XP for all of the players, and try to arrange sessions such that when XP is given out, that situation almost never comes up. The only rare time it might is when players with a bit of extra XP (from Journals or other means) end up far enough ahead to almost get a level ahead of everyone else.

But generally, I know as a player how much it sucks to get XP and be SO CLOSE to the next level, so I try not to let that happen as a DM. Aside from just being nice to the players that way, it also tends to work better for efficient use of gaming time - since then leveling can be done between sessions as opposed to a player getting enough XP after an hour of playing to go up a level and then wanting to take care of it all then. (One could, I suppose, as DM just make them wait til the end of the session, but in the end, that is just cruel and not about having fun, as far as I'm concerned).

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Another player in the same group I was in a long time ago did. She whined that he wasn't being fair. So he told her that her character was getting less XP. She whined again. He told her that she wasnt getting any XP. She threw afit. He told her that her character was now one level lower. She screamed. He told her to take off another level. Before she could have another outburst he said "Keep whining and complaining and I'll continue to take levels off your character". She shut up.

After that night, I vowed to never say a word to any DM about the amount of XP my character got.

I will never evr argue or raise concern about XP with any DM.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

We had a character that was 30 odd XP short compared to his companions - too bad for him was my attitude then. The session just been yesterday, his character levelled up after a reccie in force, I timed it to coincide with the dinner break.

I guess what I am saying is that I won't bend the rules, XP is precious, but I'm not trying to 'punish' anyone. To the player that wants to level up I say just to hold on for a little longer.