Camelot
Adventurer
Introduction (i.e., skip if you don't care)
Giving out roleplaying XP has always been a tough thing for DMs. With RXP, you encourage roleplaying by providing a tangible benefit, in addition to speeding up level ascension when you don't want to grind through endless combat encounters. On the other hand, you risk making players who don't have fun acting forced to pretend to care, or else they fall behind in power compared to the rest of their team. If you don't give out RXP, then the actors feel neglected, and you have to steer the group through endless sidequests that nobody really cares about just so they can be powerful enough to face the lich boss you have planned.
Advice for DMs has always mentioned a storytelling device called "hooks." DMs are encouraged to "drop hooks" to the characters, so they can grab on as you reel them up through an adventure. However, this can easily result in an artificial feel to adventures, because the characters have no connection to it. They end up adventuring simply to gain XP and treasure. The players' roleplaying is wasted, because no matter what motivations they come up with for their characters, it doesn't change the story and they don't get any reward for it.
This system introduces a mechanic to use those hooks for the better of the story in addition to solving the RXP problem. While I post this in the 4e forum, it could be utilized by any system with a similar level ascension with XP distribution, but I will use 4e terms as I see fit. This system has not been playtested and is simply the result of my wandering mind. I think it would be fun and useful, but it may not apply to your game or you may not agree with my philosophies. I am not to be held responsible for any aggravated feelings you get from disagreeing with me. Use this system at your own risk.
Handles
While DMs should be familiar with plot hooks, I have coined a new term for another plot device that this system uses as a mechanical component (or maybe I came across it while reading and thought it sounded awesome; either way).
During character creation, players must create a "handle" for their character. A handle is a motivation or a dramatic complication that interacts only with the story elements of the game, not the mechanics (except for XP distribution). Examples can include bloodlust, a love interest, revenge, spreading peace, and a search for knowledge. This handle can easily be recorded in the Session and Campaign Notes section of your character sheet (because really, who ever uses that section to record campaign notes?), or on another piece of paper. Include the title, and a brief discription if necessary (for example, who your love interest is).
Next to or underneath the handle, leave room for five checkmarks. Each time the DM rewards XP from the handle (explained below), put a check near the handle. You can only receive XP from handles five times per level. Your DM may tell you to check off more than one spot on your handle if he or she awards you more handle XP than normal at once. When you gain a level, you erase all of the checkmarks, even if their is still room for more.
As you progress in levels, the DM may allow you to gain more handles. This represents your character growing more complicated, as well as provides ample material for players and DMs to fashion a complicated story. Obvious points to gain handles would be levels 11 and 21, though you may gain more at smaller intervals, such as levels 6, 11, 16, 21, and 26, or your DM may allow you to gain handles whenever you want. Even though you have more handles, you can still only gain 5 checks worth of XP from handles. Having more handles simply means having more opportunities to gain handle XP, but it does not increase the amount of handle XP you can gain per level.
When the DM drops a hook that would allow you to gain XP from one of your handles, you may decide to make a radical change to your character. You can make a decision that opposes your check in order to undergo character development. If you want to do so, you can dispose of your current handle and replace it with a new one before you make that decision. This way, you gain XP from the decision even though the decision you made was against your previous hook, and now your character has a new motivation or dramatic complication to make the story new and interesting.
Hooks
Hooks are similar to what DMs should be familiar with. A hook is a situation or complication that presents the characters with a choice. It can affect all the characters, some of the characters, or only one. It opens new doors to adventure, and may also close doors that were previously open.
The important thing to understand is that hooks are not just dangled in front of players without reason. A DM needs to fashion hooks that can connect to a character's handle (hence the names). It is then up to the players to actually connect the two, which results in a dose of XP for the character whose handle interacts with the hook. A player does so by making a choice in character. The choice cannot be random, but must be influenced by the character's handle.
When a character makes a decision to interact with a hook that is influenced by their handle, they receive XP. The amount of the XP is determined by the magnitude of the decision. The amount is always divisible by the amount of XP gained from a standard monster of the character's level, and is no more than five times that number. For example, a level 1 character can gain XP from his or her handle equal to 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500. The player puts checks next to their handle equal to the amount of XP they gained divided by the amount of XP a standard monster is worth. Thus, receiving 300 XP from a handle means you jot down 3 checkmarks, and you can receive only 200 more XP from that handle during this level.
The amount of XP you award per level can vary. Perhaps you have a combat heavy campaign; you can choose to only hand out 1 check worth of XP per level. Perhaps your campaign is mostly about interacting with NPCs and making important decisions that change what will happen next; you'll want to try to give each player as much XP from handles as possible. No matter what, a character still has to get at least half their XP per level from combat or skill challenges. This is because the benefits you gain from levelling up are almost entirely combat oriented, so it only makes sense that you need to have a lot of experience in combat to level up.
Though players always have the option to undergo character development and dispose of their old handles, there are no long term benefits for doing so, and some players may want to stick with their handles from level 1 through level 30. Of course, as a DM, you have the ability to encourage them to undergo character development through the hooks you drop. You can't stop giving them a choice; in order to undergo character development, they are required to have had the option to stay the same. What you need to do to encourage character development is make the XP rewarding options from your hooks have negative story repercussions. This will encourage the players without forcing them to give their characters some depth and enhance the story.
Examples
Here are some examples of hooks interacting with handles in case you're having trouble understanding.
How to Create a Handle Based on Motivation
Andrew is playing an eladrin swordmage named Aladeen. Andrew decided that Aladeen was a citizen of an eladrin town that was destroyed by orcs, and now he wants his revenge on the orc chieftain who led the destruction, Bragzar. Because Aladeen is motivated by his revenge, this qualifies as his handle.
How to Create a Handle Based on a Dramatic Complication
Bridget is playing a halfling rogue named Bree. She wants her character to be a well known criminal, and decided that she is wanted by the authorities of a big city. Because this creates a dramatic complication should she encounter authorities from that city, this qualifies as Bree's handle.
How to Connect a Handle to a Hook
After Aladeen's adventuring group dispatches a small clan of belligerent orc slavers, Andrew's DM presents him with a hook: return to the city with the leader's head, or follow the fleeing survivors deeper into the forest. The second option interacts with Aladeen's hook; those orcs could lead them to someone who knows where Bragzar is, if not Bragzar himself. Aladeen persuades the rest of the group to help him track the orcs, gaining XP from his handle. The DM decides to award him XP equal to two standard monsters instead of just one, because Aladeen is putting himself in danger by following his handle.
How to Handle More Than One Handle
When Bree reached level 6, her DM allowed her to gain another handle. Bridget decided that Bree is developing a greed for wealth as she advances through her adventuring career, and decides to gain a handle based on the motive of gaining wealth. She first encounters a decision point involving this new hook when her group is in a dragon's lair, and she gains XP equal to four times a standard monster because she decides to put herself in enormous danger in order to steal a valuable item from the dragon. Later during the same level, she tries to sell that item, but it turns out to be stolen property of a local noble. She has a brush with the authorities when they find out who she is that nearly results in her incarceration, and she gains XP for deciding to come so dangerously close to the authorities. However, she only gains XP equal to one standard monster of her level, because she has already checked off 4 spots for handles this level. She then must wait until she levels up to gain any more handle XP, allowing the other members of her team to put their stories in the spotlight.
How to Undergo Character Development
Chris is playing a half-orc barbarian named Carnaj. Chris isn't motivated by roleplaying, and much prefers tactical battles. Because of this, he gave Carnaj a handle that rewards his reckless slaughter. Carnaj often charges into battle while his allies are discussing how to sneak around the monsters. However, at one point, his DM dangles a hook that gives Carnaj a choice between fleeing a lich much more powerful than he or charging into battle despite the odds. Chris, understanding there was no way they could actually defeat the lich, decides that he's going to retreat. However, he still wants Carnaj to gain from this decision. He decides to undergo character development by discarding his handle and gaining a new one that rewards him when he protects his allies. So, as Carnaj's group flees, he shields his allies from the attacks of their pursuers and has a revelation. The character realizes that if it were not for his allies, he would be dead, and he should stop putting them in so much danger. Chris, aided by the mechanics, comes to a better understanding of how to roleplay while still having fun.
Conclusion
If those examples aren't enough, post your questions and I'll answer them as best as I can. I'll provide more examples if necessary. If you decide to use this system, I greatly implore you to tell me the results. The system should be easy to implement, should be easily understood by every player, should maintain a balance in the current mechanics, and should encourage players to create a compelling story. I want to know if it does not accomplish these goals so I can adjust it.
As I said, this system has not been playtested. Although I took measures to prevent such situations, it could result in characters being too varied in XP or players exploiting the system to gain unwarrented XP. Mechanical balance is just as important as compelling storytelling, and no system should throw one away to make room for the other, this system included.
So I guess what I'm really trying to say here is please evaluate and criticize honestly. And have fun!
Giving out roleplaying XP has always been a tough thing for DMs. With RXP, you encourage roleplaying by providing a tangible benefit, in addition to speeding up level ascension when you don't want to grind through endless combat encounters. On the other hand, you risk making players who don't have fun acting forced to pretend to care, or else they fall behind in power compared to the rest of their team. If you don't give out RXP, then the actors feel neglected, and you have to steer the group through endless sidequests that nobody really cares about just so they can be powerful enough to face the lich boss you have planned.
Advice for DMs has always mentioned a storytelling device called "hooks." DMs are encouraged to "drop hooks" to the characters, so they can grab on as you reel them up through an adventure. However, this can easily result in an artificial feel to adventures, because the characters have no connection to it. They end up adventuring simply to gain XP and treasure. The players' roleplaying is wasted, because no matter what motivations they come up with for their characters, it doesn't change the story and they don't get any reward for it.
This system introduces a mechanic to use those hooks for the better of the story in addition to solving the RXP problem. While I post this in the 4e forum, it could be utilized by any system with a similar level ascension with XP distribution, but I will use 4e terms as I see fit. This system has not been playtested and is simply the result of my wandering mind. I think it would be fun and useful, but it may not apply to your game or you may not agree with my philosophies. I am not to be held responsible for any aggravated feelings you get from disagreeing with me. Use this system at your own risk.
Handles
While DMs should be familiar with plot hooks, I have coined a new term for another plot device that this system uses as a mechanical component (or maybe I came across it while reading and thought it sounded awesome; either way).
During character creation, players must create a "handle" for their character. A handle is a motivation or a dramatic complication that interacts only with the story elements of the game, not the mechanics (except for XP distribution). Examples can include bloodlust, a love interest, revenge, spreading peace, and a search for knowledge. This handle can easily be recorded in the Session and Campaign Notes section of your character sheet (because really, who ever uses that section to record campaign notes?), or on another piece of paper. Include the title, and a brief discription if necessary (for example, who your love interest is).
Next to or underneath the handle, leave room for five checkmarks. Each time the DM rewards XP from the handle (explained below), put a check near the handle. You can only receive XP from handles five times per level. Your DM may tell you to check off more than one spot on your handle if he or she awards you more handle XP than normal at once. When you gain a level, you erase all of the checkmarks, even if their is still room for more.
As you progress in levels, the DM may allow you to gain more handles. This represents your character growing more complicated, as well as provides ample material for players and DMs to fashion a complicated story. Obvious points to gain handles would be levels 11 and 21, though you may gain more at smaller intervals, such as levels 6, 11, 16, 21, and 26, or your DM may allow you to gain handles whenever you want. Even though you have more handles, you can still only gain 5 checks worth of XP from handles. Having more handles simply means having more opportunities to gain handle XP, but it does not increase the amount of handle XP you can gain per level.
When the DM drops a hook that would allow you to gain XP from one of your handles, you may decide to make a radical change to your character. You can make a decision that opposes your check in order to undergo character development. If you want to do so, you can dispose of your current handle and replace it with a new one before you make that decision. This way, you gain XP from the decision even though the decision you made was against your previous hook, and now your character has a new motivation or dramatic complication to make the story new and interesting.
Hooks
Hooks are similar to what DMs should be familiar with. A hook is a situation or complication that presents the characters with a choice. It can affect all the characters, some of the characters, or only one. It opens new doors to adventure, and may also close doors that were previously open.
The important thing to understand is that hooks are not just dangled in front of players without reason. A DM needs to fashion hooks that can connect to a character's handle (hence the names). It is then up to the players to actually connect the two, which results in a dose of XP for the character whose handle interacts with the hook. A player does so by making a choice in character. The choice cannot be random, but must be influenced by the character's handle.
When a character makes a decision to interact with a hook that is influenced by their handle, they receive XP. The amount of the XP is determined by the magnitude of the decision. The amount is always divisible by the amount of XP gained from a standard monster of the character's level, and is no more than five times that number. For example, a level 1 character can gain XP from his or her handle equal to 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500. The player puts checks next to their handle equal to the amount of XP they gained divided by the amount of XP a standard monster is worth. Thus, receiving 300 XP from a handle means you jot down 3 checkmarks, and you can receive only 200 more XP from that handle during this level.
The amount of XP you award per level can vary. Perhaps you have a combat heavy campaign; you can choose to only hand out 1 check worth of XP per level. Perhaps your campaign is mostly about interacting with NPCs and making important decisions that change what will happen next; you'll want to try to give each player as much XP from handles as possible. No matter what, a character still has to get at least half their XP per level from combat or skill challenges. This is because the benefits you gain from levelling up are almost entirely combat oriented, so it only makes sense that you need to have a lot of experience in combat to level up.
Though players always have the option to undergo character development and dispose of their old handles, there are no long term benefits for doing so, and some players may want to stick with their handles from level 1 through level 30. Of course, as a DM, you have the ability to encourage them to undergo character development through the hooks you drop. You can't stop giving them a choice; in order to undergo character development, they are required to have had the option to stay the same. What you need to do to encourage character development is make the XP rewarding options from your hooks have negative story repercussions. This will encourage the players without forcing them to give their characters some depth and enhance the story.
Examples
Here are some examples of hooks interacting with handles in case you're having trouble understanding.
How to Create a Handle Based on Motivation
Andrew is playing an eladrin swordmage named Aladeen. Andrew decided that Aladeen was a citizen of an eladrin town that was destroyed by orcs, and now he wants his revenge on the orc chieftain who led the destruction, Bragzar. Because Aladeen is motivated by his revenge, this qualifies as his handle.
How to Create a Handle Based on a Dramatic Complication
Bridget is playing a halfling rogue named Bree. She wants her character to be a well known criminal, and decided that she is wanted by the authorities of a big city. Because this creates a dramatic complication should she encounter authorities from that city, this qualifies as Bree's handle.
How to Connect a Handle to a Hook
After Aladeen's adventuring group dispatches a small clan of belligerent orc slavers, Andrew's DM presents him with a hook: return to the city with the leader's head, or follow the fleeing survivors deeper into the forest. The second option interacts with Aladeen's hook; those orcs could lead them to someone who knows where Bragzar is, if not Bragzar himself. Aladeen persuades the rest of the group to help him track the orcs, gaining XP from his handle. The DM decides to award him XP equal to two standard monsters instead of just one, because Aladeen is putting himself in danger by following his handle.
How to Handle More Than One Handle
When Bree reached level 6, her DM allowed her to gain another handle. Bridget decided that Bree is developing a greed for wealth as she advances through her adventuring career, and decides to gain a handle based on the motive of gaining wealth. She first encounters a decision point involving this new hook when her group is in a dragon's lair, and she gains XP equal to four times a standard monster because she decides to put herself in enormous danger in order to steal a valuable item from the dragon. Later during the same level, she tries to sell that item, but it turns out to be stolen property of a local noble. She has a brush with the authorities when they find out who she is that nearly results in her incarceration, and she gains XP for deciding to come so dangerously close to the authorities. However, she only gains XP equal to one standard monster of her level, because she has already checked off 4 spots for handles this level. She then must wait until she levels up to gain any more handle XP, allowing the other members of her team to put their stories in the spotlight.
How to Undergo Character Development
Chris is playing a half-orc barbarian named Carnaj. Chris isn't motivated by roleplaying, and much prefers tactical battles. Because of this, he gave Carnaj a handle that rewards his reckless slaughter. Carnaj often charges into battle while his allies are discussing how to sneak around the monsters. However, at one point, his DM dangles a hook that gives Carnaj a choice between fleeing a lich much more powerful than he or charging into battle despite the odds. Chris, understanding there was no way they could actually defeat the lich, decides that he's going to retreat. However, he still wants Carnaj to gain from this decision. He decides to undergo character development by discarding his handle and gaining a new one that rewards him when he protects his allies. So, as Carnaj's group flees, he shields his allies from the attacks of their pursuers and has a revelation. The character realizes that if it were not for his allies, he would be dead, and he should stop putting them in so much danger. Chris, aided by the mechanics, comes to a better understanding of how to roleplay while still having fun.
Conclusion
If those examples aren't enough, post your questions and I'll answer them as best as I can. I'll provide more examples if necessary. If you decide to use this system, I greatly implore you to tell me the results. The system should be easy to implement, should be easily understood by every player, should maintain a balance in the current mechanics, and should encourage players to create a compelling story. I want to know if it does not accomplish these goals so I can adjust it.
As I said, this system has not been playtested. Although I took measures to prevent such situations, it could result in characters being too varied in XP or players exploiting the system to gain unwarrented XP. Mechanical balance is just as important as compelling storytelling, and no system should throw one away to make room for the other, this system included.
So I guess what I'm really trying to say here is please evaluate and criticize honestly. And have fun!
