Giving out Experience Points

[Paul_Klein]

I'm just curious if you give your players their experience points at the end of every session, or only at the end of each adventure (if an adventure takes more then one session to complete).

Thanks!

 

[Weeble]

per session, but usually my email after. We only meet twice a month, or sometimes 2-3 months per adventure.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Definately at the end of every session. Sometimes greater challenges in adventures almost demand that XP is given out mid-adventure. Sometimes I give XP in the middle of a session too, like when we take a break to eat or there is a part of the adventure that only involves part of the party.

 

[NemesisPress]

Experience points for killing monster and getting treasure are to me one of things that take away from the roleplaying the most.

Instead, I give out levels based on a character's roleplaying, their and the group's achievement of their goals, and as part of the overall storyline.

I also customize things like equipment, spell lists, and feats the same way. I work with the players to make sure they get something that they like, they can use, and that is consistent with their character, but I don't just let them pick what they want from the rulebooks like it's from some giant smorgasbord.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Rewards after each session.

 

[TheDood]

NemesisPress, if you give out whole levels instead of experience points. How do you handle the creation of magic items?

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

It's my old skool upbringing--after every adventure I give out XP. Every once and a while I'll give out some during the middle of a session or at the end of a session just because it's a good place to do it.

 

[Breakstone]

I give out XP whenever it seems a time, after much adventuring, for the PC's to look back and see what they did. It could be in the middle of the session, such as when after a fight (and flight) against hundreds of wolves in the middle of the forest, the characters took refuge in an old hermit's cabin and made further plans during the night.

Or it could be after the entire adventure, when the PC's are resting in the INN.

I suppose my answer is:

I give XP whenever it feels right...

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Generally after each session. That way, I don't forget to give xp for something the party faced and I don't forget exactly when the PCs got xp and give them xp for something twice.

 

[S'mon]

Generally after each session. That way, I don't forget to give xp for something the party faced and I don't forget exactly when the PCs got xp and give them xp for something twice.

I give out XP whenever there's a natural break in the action - if we're playing an 8-hour session, 2-3 times is typical. Now it's 3e the PCs can go up levels without training, so I'm careful to give out XP whenever there's a chance someone might go up a level. It's hard enough to survive at low levels in 3e (and the party have no access to raise dead) without being stuck at low levels too long. If you're running a long adventure it'd be crazy not to award XP before completion, many published scenarios are predicated on advancement during the game. Rem PCs are expected to go up a level after about 13 typical encounters in 3e, that's not much!