Houserules

[Mr_GrinReaper]

That rule would be fun to use, but a little too open ended, definitly needs some dm descretion, after all, what would happen when people start creating wish spells......

 

[Blade of Desecration]

I personally think that the experience charts are bogus. I mean, I know that other people like being high-level, but I think that the speed at which PCs gain power is completely unrealistic.
[rant] Of course, these thoughts might have something to do with the fact that I like being low level. See my thoughts are that the lower the level, the more fun. I mean, a first level PC is going to get more satisfaction, IMHO, from going "Booyah! We totally kicked those orcs' collective ***es!" than a forty-bajilionth level PC saying "Yay, we saved the world... again." When I play a game, I'd like to stay around the same level for a long while, so that by the time I finally hit a high level, my character is completely fleshed out. Unfortunately, for most people I've met, their idea is "Bigger numbers= more fun". [rant]
Anywho, I was wondering if anyone had any good houseruled XP charts that take at least a bit longer to level up.

 

[Evilhalfling]

nope
but I hear giving half the calculated XP gimick works just fine. You just need to 1/2 the treasure as well to keep it even.
Also figuring out how often (in # of sessions) you want to advance and then giving a flat rate of xp, to meet that goal. This work intermitantly for my last game.

My problem is that I tend to set up villians who are to powerful to take at first, and the players need to advance a good clip to handle those challanges. For example possible Villians -
Evil psionist - cr 8, Aboleth cr 9, Ghoul king cr 9, minor neighborhood dragon cr 10, Demons cr 11-18, major neighborhood dragon cr 14.

The players are 4th and 5th level. they started at 3rd six sessions ago. They can face a villian who is ecl +3 but chose to avoid the psion (last session) I am aiming for 1 lvl per 3 sessions -
and pretty close to that, even without adjusting xp at all. I think I will cut down XP when they reach 7th - so we stay in my favoriate levels longer.

 

[ChaosEvoker]

AS far as levels go: STARTIGN at high lv will fix that problem. Say your character has been in war, studies under a famous Archmage, was in the blood wars, something that would grant expereince, but it wasn't "saving the world."

This way when they go and save the world its still new and you get to play with the higher-end stuff.

 

[Mr_GrinReaper]

The point BoD is making is that he thinks that it is too short to level early on, and is looking for a way to make it last longer. He is saying that he doesn't want high levels till a long time....

Personally I disagree, part of the fun of playing is when you level up! But one way to solve that is to use the static exp system in Unearthed arcana, and then modify the exp values to your liking....

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

 

[DarrenGMiller]

I have used the 1/2 XP effectively at lower levels, but IME it tends to bog down past level 8 or so. It kept advancement at about 1 level per 3-5 sessions, depending. At level 8, I dropped it and levelling stayed about the same.

We have played about a dozen sessions in my latest campaign and the party is at 6th level. They seem to average a level per two sessions, but since different groups play sessions of differing lengths, I would say that with our play style, which has become more cohesive and effective since group membership was forcibly changed by me a few sessions ago, the PC's gain a level per 8 hours of actual gaming. IMO, this is a bit quick, but the players are having a blast, so any cool ideas I don't get to use this time will be saved for the next campaign.

DM

 

[Blade of Desecration]

The point BoD is making is that he thinks that it is too short to level early on, and is looking for a way to make it last longer. He is saying that he doesn't want high levels till a long time....

Personally I disagree, part of the fun of playing is when you level up! But one way to solve that is to use the static exp system in Unearthed arcana, and then modify the exp values to your liking....

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

Yeah, thats why I stopped using that rule. You guys just couldn't wait to get all your shiny new XP. *sigh* I really do prefer a much slower and more relaxed rate of play, and having a party you can actually get to know before they get too high level to play anymore. And in my opinion, I'm much more satisfied if my levels were earned slowly and with difficulty. I'd rather my PCs do a good deal of stuff before he gets powerful. Its just that in the current XP system it feels like gaining levels and power is common, and it doesn't really feel like I've earned it. Sure, its a major boost to your power, but especially at lower levels it feels like they're being given to you. At first level, kill a grand total of ten goblins and you are now level two. That just seems a little too easy to me, and not only when I'm DMing, but when I'm playing too. Also, because you level up so quickly, it feels like you never really get to know the character. It feels like it's just a bunch of numbers you rattled off to use for a few months then toss it. I just prefer to slowly develop my character.
Anyways, sermon over.

I remember when you implemented the x10, and then the reduced x6 modifier on the exp for leveling up... That took excruciatingly long.....

Yeah but, I don't know about you guys, but to me it felt like you guys had really earned those levels when you did get them. And you gotta' admit, you guys were a good deal more excited about leveling up than you normally would have been, since it was rare, instead of just happening every few sessions.

 

[derbacher]

My biggest house rule has to do with experience as well. I generally award experience based on where I want the players to be. My general guidline is two sessions to get to 2nd lvl, three to four each for levels 3 through 5, then between 6 and 10 per level thereafter. They level when its appropriate for the story, not when they've killed X number of orcs, goblins, demons, bunnies, or whatever. I've had no complaints on this in many years, since I always give out some kind of experience every session. My players see advancement coming, and concentrate on playing the game rather than earning the next "level".

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Mission continues.

 

[Nightcloak]

My biggest house rule has to do with experience as well. I generally award experience based on where I want the players to be. My general guidline is two sessions to get to 2nd lvl, three to four each for levels 3 through 5, then between 6 and 10 per level thereafter. They level when its appropriate for the story, not when they've killed X number of orcs, goblins, demons, bunnies, or whatever. I've had no complaints on this in many years, since I always give out some kind of experience every session. My players see advancement coming, and concentrate on playing the game rather than earning the next "level".

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Mission continues.

I use to do that back in 1E. I stopped in when I figured out some classes were balanced by taking longer to advance (like the original Barbarian).

I may need to reconsider that idea now that 3E has all classess balanced.

 

[Mr_GrinReaper]

Well... Fudling with Exp. Is kind of annoying, I perfer to just play the game, eh? No point in mussing with the rules if they do work.
One of the things I do remember, and don't try to deny it, BoD, Is that those first couple of fights in the whatsit campaign, the crazy wierd one with the planar prison and wierd succubus looking lady.


The first couple of fights were kind of large in ammount of monsters and whatnot, I also think that adding Roleplaying Exp. would be nice, If you felt the need to lower exp./raise tnl exp.

~
GrinReaper
"The Counterattack"