D&D 5E DMG Questions: XP for gold and other xp alternatives?

[Reynard]

The things for which you give XP, and to what degree(s), have a big influence on the play style you see at the table, in my opinion."Monster XP" systems lead to more combat and combat oriented characters, "story XP" systems lead to more goal oriented play and metagaming, and "gold XP" systems lead to full on ransacking. " personally like "Exploration XP" where the majority of XP comes from finding new and interesting things -- which might be a monster, or a plot point, or a treasure chest or anything else. By granting XP for uncovering new areas, wilderness or dungeon or even urban, I get to clearly communicate to my players that I want them to explore the world before them without "promising" to give them monsters to fight, a story to follow or treasure to be had as their reward. Those things are there, but the real reward is the exploration itself.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I never liked giving exp for gold, but found that spending gold for exp worked very well - buying training or research or whatever. It got money out of the PC's and by setting a rate limit (eg 100xp per week) stops anyone just buying themselves lots of levels. Also explains high level wealthy people

 

[MechaPilot]

So there is actually a system to allow XP based on interpretation, Exploration Social Interation? These three aspects are covered each by its own system or there is only a generic rule that covers all situations other than combat?
There is an explanation on how to understand how to determine whether a situation is easy, medium, hard or deadly? There are examples or not?

Thank you for the answer.

Oh no, don't think for a minute that there's a "system."

The DM may decide that a non-combat challenge with a "meaningful risk of failure" had enough difficulty to warrant Xp. The DM looks at the combat encounter Xp table under the appropriate challenge heading (easy, medium, hard, or deadly) and then gives Xp as if it were a combat encounter.

No elaboration is given about what constitutes a "meaningful risk of failure" or even if the failure itself must be meaningful, so you can give a character xp for each hand of poker she plays at the tavern if you want to.

 

[Uller]

I give XP for uncovering secrets or achieving other goals. I run a very sandboxy style game and players are aware of what goals are available to them, their significance to the game world and how difficult they will be to achieve (based on their current level - Easy goals will present challenges below the party level, medium will present challenges at the party level, hard - higher level and suicide for several levels higher).

Minor goals are things that impact only a few people or a small part of their world. Major goals impact lots of people or achieving them will add to the party's renown.

A minor goal is worth an easy encounter for a party of the level and size it was designed for. A major goal is worth a hard or even deadly encounter. So more challenging goals are worth more XP as are more significant goals. Typically my players can complete 1-3 minor goals in a game and it takes 1-3 game sessions to achieve a major goal.

So for instance, here are some goals my players have in Lost Mines (they just cleared the Redbrands' hide out)...

Retrieve Spellbook from Agatha Minor/Medium
Clear Cragmaw Castle - Major/Medium
Rescue Gundren - Minor/Medium
Retrieve Sildar's sword - Minor/Medium
Find Mirna's Heirloom in Thundertree - Minor/Hard
Find Reidoth - Minor/Medium
Investigate Old Owl Well (this will be a hook to a home brew adventure) - Minor/Hard
Find and Clear Wave Echo Cave - Major/Hard
etc...

This results in about 1/3rd more XP than just straight-up combat encounters. I'm okay with that because we don't get together that often so we want one level every 2-3 sessions anyway.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I think that the closest to a story based xp system which has been published by WotC was the one that Monte Cook did in d20 Call of Cthulhu. That was quite good.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I typically use Monster and Objective XP awards. You beat the following monsters? Here's your XP. And you foiled the plot, mapped the trade route, escorted the princess to her wedding? Here's XP for that, too.

I've never understood GP-based XP. Typically you get gold for defeating a monster (already got XP for that) or figured out a scheme to get your hands on wealth (could already be an Objective). GP is a reward unto itself, already. Why should it count for XP as well?

 

[fletch137]

I've never understood GP-based XP. Typically you get gold for defeating a monster (already got XP for that) or figured out a scheme to get your hands on wealth (could already be an Objective). GP is a reward unto itself, already. Why should it count for XP as well?

Ultimately, back in the day, getting gold WAS the objective, so you were basically getting XP for completing your objective.

Personally, I think granting XP for gold rewards characters who have a purpose other than killing things. Sure you can give experience for disarming traps or discovering lost secrets, but I like the granularity of gold=xp rather than the "judgment call" scoring of story-based awards.

Personal preference, 'cause that's the kind of guy I am.

 

[Reynard]

Ultimately, back in the day, getting gold WAS the objective, so you were basically getting XP for completing your objective.

Personally, I think granting XP for gold rewards characters who have a purpose other than killing things. Sure you can give experience for disarming traps or discovering lost secrets, but I like the granularity of gold=xp rather than the "judgment call" scoring of story-based awards.

Personal preference, 'cause that's the kind of guy I am.

Also, if you give XP for gold then it is entirely up to the players how they go about acquiring it. Maybe they are a break down the door, blast everything to smithereens part. Maybe they like to get in and out without making a peep. Maybe they'll sell one group of monsters out to another and pick up the loot after they've killed each other off. There are many different ways to "get the gold" and players will find the most unexpected, IMO.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Also, if you give XP for gold then it is entirely up to the players how they go about acquiring it. Maybe they are a break down the door, blast everything to smithereens part. Maybe they like to get in and out without making a peep. Maybe they'll sell one group of monsters out to another and pick up the loot after they've killed each other off. There are many different ways to "get the gold" and players will find the most unexpected, IMO.

This is the most important part. XP for treasure is neutral in regard to the methods used to aquire it. Exploration/discovery, theft, trickery, or force can all be used and the PCs can use whatever approach best suits their style and the talents of their characters.