Keeping a party at the same xp level

[Leopold]

the game I run i hand out xp like normal and let the pc's handle the xp that they get. Is it a bookeeping nightmare? No. Why? I use pcgen and force all my players to now. It keeps track of all their material and items and xp and gives makes it oh so simple to manage. I award bonus xp for good roleplaying and for the best roleplaying for the night ala Old One style.

As for pc's catching up in level, it will happen. Just pass out the xp according to the chart and it will work itself out. Usually the lower levels will gain 20% more each time and gradually catch up. When they die they come in at (TotalPartyAvg/2)-1. This keeps those PC's on their toes knowing they will die and they will come in lower level. When they get higher level death becomes rarer and rarer with spells such as reincarnate and raise dead but it still drops them in level nonetheless.


Use the system, run the system, love the system, it works and works well.

 

[Voadam]

I would give players who solo xp for their soloing, and let the levels separate naturally. Would you give xp to a character who missed a couple of games to keep him even? Would a character who died get bonus xp to make up for the lost level? Higher level characters need more xp to level up so the lower level ones will advance quicker with the same xp award.

I have played in games with vastly varying level differences and they worked out well. Granted these were more roleplaying focused games than combat but it is fine to have everybody not be equal or balanced.

I would rather gain xp for things I did rather than for things that others did while I wasn't there.

I just wouldn't let solo activities take up group game time, that is the big unfairness. Either have everybody say what minor activity they do on downtime which does not need to be rp'd out or have adventures that involve everybody interrupt downtime so that everybody is involved in the game at the table.

I don't mind playing with a lower level character than the other PCs, I do mind not getting to play during the game.

 

[Squire James]

It's a taste issue... I don't see anything wrong with giving the rogue all the XP, or with splitting the XP. As a DM, I'd split the XP among those sitting at the table with the intention of playing (which may be different than "those sitting at the table").

The rogue gets all the LOOT from those guys, right? What if it throws the money/level ratio out of whack?

 

[Vaxalon]

If someone isn't around for a game session, then their character doesn't see play and doesn't get experience.

This means that over time, someone with dedication to the game will be higher level than someone who only shows up once in a while.

That's fine with me.