My Alternate XP loss rule.

[Bob5th]

Raise dead cause XP debt of 1000 per level of revived.
Ressurection causes 500 per level
True Res has 0 per level

The XP debt is payed back as follows. When a PC gains XP it is split evenly between their debt and their current XP. So If a PC is at 11000xp and has a debt of 1000 they must earn 2000xp point in order to get the debt fully payed off but they will be at 12000xp when they pay it off.

This is so you continue to advance slowly after dieng or makin lots of items. What do you think?

 

[jlhorner1974]

There are a lot of variations on this same theme.

Your system actually follows the spirit of Raise Dead fairly well. Question: what happens if a PC dies while they already have a debt? Do they only earn 1/4 toward advancement now or does the debt just get bigger?

Personally, I feel that a 1000 XP per level debt is a bit hefty -- that's one full level for Raise Dead. At low to medium levels with careful PCs and a well run adventure, this shouldn't be a problem, but once the instakill spells start flying at higher levels, it's very easy for a PC to die several times in a row, even if careful. Three quick deaths in a row will cause REEEEALLY slow advancement no matter what.

I actually posted something similar in another thread. I modified someone else's rule and here's what I came up with (although I'm still thinking about it).

Raise Dead: Gain 2 negative levels
Resurrection: Gain 2 negative levels
True Resurrection: Gain 1 negative level

Each negative level requires 250 * level XP to remove (1/4 of the XP needed to advance to the next level), but the character continues to advance normally during that time (XP is applied to advancement and to the debt simultaneously). No mortal magic can remove these negative levels, but a wish or miracle can allow a character to ignore the effects for an amount of time.

Multiple deaths stack (kinda like a double minor penalty in hockey). For each 250 * level XP earned, one negative level is removed.

I like my version because all characters will continue to advance at the same speed, but the fact that yours is closer to the actual rules appeals to me a lot also.

What do you think?

 

[Bob5th]

XP debts stack. So if you have 500 in debt and occur another 1000 you're now 1500 under. I picked 1000 per level because it goes along with the level loss that the core rules present. And at higher levels I expect the PC to be getting higher level spells. However I may drop this to 500/250. For creating magic items and some xp costly spells it all works out the same in the end but until then you continue to progress forward where as in the core rules you're kind of stuck in place for a while.

 

[jlhorner1974]

So basically, your penalty is that you earn 50% of the normal XP for a certain amount of time.

Yes, I guessed where you got the 1000 XP * level number from. I just think that's a bit harsh myself.

The PH says that it should take about one month to gain a level, so if you game at the frequency listed in the PH, a Raise Dead would impose the 50% XP penalty for a month!

If you die twice in a short period of time, your penalty lasts two months (even though that would be the equivalent length of time it would take you to regain the lost XP by the PH rules)!

Personally, I think 500/250 is enough. I like to create challenging adventures, and I want my players to be daring without being reckless.

I just had another thought. Do you do anything like the "Hero Point" system mentioned here on the boards or "Action Dice" system in Spycraft, where the players earn points for good roleplaying that can be cashed in for rerolls or die bonuses? In your system, another possible use for a "Hero point" could be to award XP that reduces their debt.

 

[Bob5th]

No I don't use the hero point stuff. I have been thinking about using a house rule I saw here on the boards that allows you to reroll hitpoints for 100xp a roll I think I'll go 250 a roll though.