Handing out XP in your campaigns

[Sir Whiskers]

For XP, I use only story awards - this helps avoids an unwanted focus on killing things. Instead, characters get XP for accomplishments.

For good roleplaying, I give out Hero Points.

I've given XP in the past for players doing extra work (character backgrounds, fleshing out npc organizations, etc.), but I plan to switch that to Hero Points instead.

 

[shilsen]

I just tell the group when they level up. I don't really keep a record of XP, but it is now becoming relevant since one of the PCs casts some XP-draining spells, so the player and I have decided for the time being he will level up after everyone else. Easy.

 

[Thanee]

Using CR/ECL system from FRCS (that's the same as in the DMG 3.5 I think), but not too precise, often generously rounding off or even using ad hoc experience.

Bye
Thanee

 

[nopantsyet]

Well I voted "Mostly XP per encounter, but add some story and/or plot based awards," because I give story and plot based awards. However I I actually follow the CR/ECL rules. I just apply them to non-combat encounters as well, as the rules advise.

 

[swrushing]

I just set a chronological rate... level up every two months real time or three months, depending on the rate of advancement i want.

I also like accelerating this early on, to say a level a month for the first three levels, to give the players both experience and customizing time.

We play an average of three sessions a month for 3-4 hours.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

Our Scarred Lands GM was giving a flat story award per session at the beginning, when we were doing a lot of NPC interaction, investigation, and "town activities." Generally these came out to about 900xp per character per session.

But for the last six or so sessions we've been going through a published module (the Banewarrens, with lots of modifications to its background to fit it into the setting), and we're getting encounter XP instead. Encounter XP seems to be quite a bit more lucrative, albeit more dangerous to acquire.

Probably we'll go back to story awards after this, but I would hope that we'll be getting larger story awards than before to reflect the fact that the people we're interacting with/investigating are going to be a lot tougher than the people we were struggling with at the start of the game.

--
we'll see, i guess
ryan

 

[Crothian]

I give out XP for story, role playing, and encounters. I keep track of the XP the PCs have and just tell them when they gain a level though. If they ever wanted to know how much XP they have I'd tell them, but so far they haven't.

 

[Psion]

NONE OF THE ABOVE

I'm surprised that you missed a variant out of the DMG.

I don't use CR at all (and ECL doesn't figure in handing out XP). I use a tweaked version of the XP per playtime variant in the DMG, and grant bonuses according to player actions and my perception of how difficult the session was.

 

[Ulrick]

Whoops. I voted wrong.

I use Story Awards and the CR/ECL system in the DMG.

But I halve the CR/ECL awards. See, back in the day, gaining a level meant something...

but I digress.

 

[d4]

Well I voted "Mostly XP per encounter, but add some story and/or plot based awards," because I give story and plot based awards. However I I actually follow the CR/ECL rules. I just apply them to non-combat encounters as well, as the rules advise.

this is exactly what i do. i use the 3.5 DMG CR table, and give noncombat encounters and plot points CRs as well.

oh, and i do this when running Star Wars d20!