OSR/older D&D and XP from gold - is there a "proper" alternative?

[Ancalagon]

Milestones done wrong can feel like arbitrary brakes to keep you where the DM wants you. Not a fun thing

It should be noted - the GM (possibly in consultation with the players, possibly not) determines the pace of leveling. If the GM wants a slow advancement, it's their right - they are doing most of the work after all, and know things you do not (like possible plans for the campaign).

If you don't like it, talk with the GM. If that doesn't fix things, you are perfectly free to find another game.

 

[nevin]

It should be noted - the GM (possibly in consultation with the players, possibly not) determines the pace of leveling. If the GM wants a slow advancement, it's their right - they are doing most of the work after all, and know things you do not (like possible plans for the campaign).

If you don't like it, talk with the GM. If that doesn't fix things, you are perfectly free to find another game.

That advice would follow for any system. Nothing you said changes the fact that milestone leveling is an in your face arbitrary way of controlling what level you keep players at.

 

[nevin]

Not sure what you expect. Do you by predictable mean objective?

Milestone leveling means leveling at the speed of plot. Not sure how anyone can expect that to be predictable, except in meta terms "you level up when you complete the chapter"...

Oh, milestones is absolutely meant to keep you where the DM needs you to be, no doubts about it!

no what I mean is every DM I've ever played with that uses milestone leveling runs the milestone leveling one a sliding scale. If they feel the party "outsmarted" thier milestone and completed it too easily they just skip the level up and keep playing at that level. Honestly it's negative reinforcement to punish the players for being creative, demoralizing, and if your going to play that way you might as well play a game without levels.

 

[Ancalagon]

That advice would follow for any system. Nothing you said changes the fact that milestone leveling is an in your face arbitrary way of controlling what level you keep players at.

but you control the pace of advancement anyway! (you are controlling what encounters the PCs have). So why bother with all this math? I have better things to do with my prep time.

 

[CapnZapp]

no what I mean is every DM I've ever played with that uses milestone leveling runs the milestone leveling one a sliding scale. If they feel the party "outsmarted" thier milestone and completed it too easily they just skip the level up and keep playing at that level.

Yeah, but see, that's not a problem with milestone leveling, that's a problem with your DMs.

Honestly it's negative reinforcement to punish the players for being creative, demoralizing, and if your going to play that way you might as well play a game without levels.

I agree.

That's bad DMing.

What it is not, however, is an inherent flaw with milestone leveling.

Take one of Paizo's 2nd Edition Adventure Paths for instance. You're the GM. You begin chapter 1 with freshly hatched level 1 characters. Then when they move over to chapter 2, you tell them they level up to 2.

Milestone leveling. No bad GMing.

That is just one quick simple example.

I realize you prefer good old xp because you feel that's the only way you can avoid getting cheated out of your advancement.

But boy is that a pessimistic way of looking at things...

 

[CapnZapp]

but you control the pace of advancement anyway! (you are controlling what encounters the PCs have). So why bother with all this math? I have better things to do with my prep time.

Exactly.