Calling all Grognards

[Particle_Man]

This has risen in my hazy memory, but incompletely.

Some race or monster that advanced, not by gaining xp, but by gaining (or was it eating?) gold pieces or perhaps magic items worth gold pieces/xp.

I think it was in a Dragon Magazine article.

What the heck am I thinking of? I am pretty sure I did not just make it up.

 

[the Jester]

Hmm, in 2e I had a class (that was really basically a prestige class- you had to earn entry) called the dragon priest. Basically, they worshipped a dragon. The only way they advanced was via giving treasure to their dragon- one gp in value = 1 xp.

It was very cool, very antithetical to the 3e 'need magic items/wealth' paradigm.

 

[Fate Lawson]

The Argas from Dragon (#53 I think, the cover's missing from the copy I found after a quick search so all I can say for sure is Sept. 81). Reptilian Humanoids. Gained Powers and HD by eating "magic". Gained AC by eating certain metals.

Edit: Interesting Issue...Includes the *Upgrading the Monk* articles. The Oracle NPC class. Bogatyrs. Triffids and Oculons. And finally, The Garden of Nefaron adventure.