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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 8250772" data-attributes="member: 467">I am (again) working on my long ruminating mega-dungeon The Hellstair and I want to build an XP reward system that actively encourages the kinds of play I think make for good dungeon exploration.Note that this isn't really the thread for debating whether dungeons are good (there's a massive thread for that active right now). I am also not interested in "milestone XP" (in general or especially in the context of a mega-dungeon).A few things I am trying to keep in mind:1) Relatively slow progression compared to "standard" 5E.2) Killing monsters should not be the (or even "a") main source of XP.3) Individual characters gain XP at individual rates, but for participation NOT because they hogged all the XP opportunities.4) The dungeon is a setting, a place where adventures happen. Sometimes that is a simple treasure hunting expedition, but more often than not there's an actual goal in mind.The elements I think make for good/fun dungeon exploration:1) Interfacing with the dungeon is primarily narrative until it is not (that is, you describe how you are doing a thing until a skill/ability check is called for, not the other way around).2) "One more room" is a real temptation.3) PCs should not be comfortable sleeping in the dungeon; when they have to it is because it is unavoidable.4) Dungeons are weird and strange and full of the unexpected, but not all of that is out to kill you -- just most of it.5) Just because it isn't cash, coins, or magic weapons doesn't mean it isn't treasure.All that said, I am thinking that a) an XP award for a given challenge should be equal to the difficulty of overcoming it (regardless of the method they use to overcome it). So, the DC for finding a secret door might be 14. If the PCs use a wand of secrets to discover it instead of an investigate check, they still get the 14 XP. For more complex challenges --- say a complex trap that requires multiple checks of different skills at different DCs -- the total of the DCs is the XP value for that challenge. What's important here is that the XP awarded is NOT dependent on what method the PCs use to overcome the thing; I'd rather encourage creative solutions than spamming with skill checks.As far as combat goes, I am thinking XP based on the total hit points of the enemies, even if the PCs do not end up defeating them through violence. I am not sure that results in the right number though, but I know the CR XP system is out of whack and awards way too much XP.I am stuck on treasure. I like the idea of awarding XP for treasure acquired, but I also want the exploration to be about more than just treasure acquisition.Thoughts?</blockquote>

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