Gold and XP Farming

[Mycanid]

Shilsen-

Don't get me wrong! I don't give xp solely for defeated monsters. There is xp for excellent role playing, ingenious solving of problems, and completing overall quests, etc. I certainly don't give xp for treasure ... I didn't even do that in 1e.

But there is certainly precedent for what you are doing too. I just like the above mentioned method.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Do you allow them to resolve this without going on another full on adventure? If so, how?

I give xp per session, not adventure. If they fall a little short of leveling, then they don't level until after the next session.

 

[Agent Oracle]

Player: "I only need (x) Experience to go up a level!"
Me: "Great! well, that should be either your next encounter... or you could go looking for independant work... "
Player: "uhhh... i think i'll stay with the party and level up next time."

Scenario 2.

Player: "Darn it! I only need (x) more gold to buy (item Y)"
GM: You know, you have a lot of stuff in your inventory you don't use, why don't you try selling some of it? I mean, You don't need that harness now that you have slippers of spider climb..."
Player: "Hmmm... good point. I'll sell my...(laundry list of random stuff in bag of holding)
GM: Okay, 50% PHB value for all used stuff, since it's traditional. But I don't think you can sell (Random item of high cost or plot significance) here, the merchants simply aren't wealthy enough.
Player: That's okay, how much do I get for everything else?
GM: "(Amount X plus a bit)
Player: "Sweet! I'm Gonna buy (Item Y)"

 

[shilsen]

Shilsen-

Don't get me wrong! I don't give xp solely for defeated monsters. There is xp for excellent role playing, ingenious solving of problems, and completing overall quests, etc. I certainly don't give xp for treasure ... I didn't even do that in 1e.

But there is certainly precedent for what you are doing too. I just like the above mentioned method.

I figured that was the case, actually. I wasn't implying your method has anything wrong with it, but simply saying that I have a different preference. I'd have to say that I give XP for purely metagame reasons, actually - because players like their characters to become more powerful and develop new abilities over time. I was going to say that I give XP for showing up and having fun, but even that's not really a requirement, since PCs get the same XP even if the player doesn't show up. And before you think I'm really generous, talk to my players They would really like me to be leveling them up a lot more often.

 

[the Jester]

I'm a bastard.

I've been 1 xp short of 2nd level, and I had to wait til next game to level. (Then I died.) So I am without mercy on this one. You're close enough to taste next level? Well, save it for your next meal.

 

[Sandain]

Hi Jester,

Your first 3 words were enough, you didn't have to elaborate.

 

[genshou]

Hi Jester,

Your first 3 words were enough, you didn't have to elaborate.

No, I like the elaboration.

 

[Dagger75]

My players actually HATE just leveling by the skin of thier of teeth. I have a house rule, that they can spend 100 xp to re-roll hit points. So if they are 10 xp over the level they cringe

 

[Mycanid]

Shilsen - no harm done

Different strokes for different folks ... but it seems we agree on something. We like the characters to WORK for their levels (however that may manifest itself according to our systems, it seems).

 

[Quasqueton]

I was actually going to start a thread on this subject, myself, today.

I give xp by the book – no story awards, no role-playing awards, etc. Just xp for challenges overcome. (I want the PCs to do stuff, and adventure.)

I’ve had several times when a PC or four were very close to the next level. I used to say if they were within 1% of the next level, they could go ahead and level up. But then, one time, a PC was about 12 xp short of the 1%. I let him level up too. It became clear to me that the 1% house rule wasn’t really 1%. Why not 2%? 5%? 10%?

And then there was the wizard who made lots of scrolls -- other PCs made the next level, but he was short only a bit because he had scribed scrolls. This showed that there was no real cost for making magic items.

It was then I realized that I was better off just sticking to the straight system – without fudging the level ups. Then, just last game session, one Player said he was just 54 xp short of his next level. I was so very tempted to let him level up. I was very close to letting him, but then he realized that he wasn’t short after all; he leveled up legitimately.

Yeah, it would suck a little to end a game session so close to a level up, but I’ve seen that that is better than bending the rules. It happens rarely enough that it shouldn’t cause too much heartache.

Quasqueton