ChrisHaines
First Post
I have always disliked the XP system in D&D for two reasons. The first reason is that it seems to always emphasize rewarding the kill, resulting in bloodthirsty players. I realize that 3.5 has offered XP rewards for overcoming challenges, generalizing the term to include tasks other than killing, but it always seems to get reduced to defeating your enemy. The second reason is not all players advance at the same time, leaving some of them in the dust and feeling inadequate. Again I realize that it is up to the GM to fashion a variety of challenges to accommodate every class within the group, but someone usually ends up not feeling balanced within the party.
My solution is to eliminate the XP mechanic all together. This presents a few problems, how to raise levels, how to make magic items, and how cast spells with XP requirements. The first problem is solved by the GM determining when the players should be rewarded with a level advancement. I like to raise all the players at the same time, as long as noone displayed behavoir that was not conducive to the game. The other two problems I have remedied with a new feat.
Create Magic Items
Prerequisite - Spellcaster
Benefit - You can create magical items and cast spells that normally require an amount of XPs with Creation points. You recieve a number of Creation points each level you have as a spellcaster equal to 10 times your level. So a 1st level wizard gets 10 Creation points and a 3rd level Sorcerer/2nd level Cleric gets 90 Creation Points. If this feat is selected after characer creation, you recive Creation points from previous levels gained as a retroactive benefit.
"So what do you do with these Creation points?" you ask. They are used to create magic items. This means that all of the Item Creation feats in 3.5 have been combined into this one feat. I still enforce the level requirements for different types of items as follows; Scrolls and Infusions at 1st, Wondrous Items at 2nd, Potions at 3rd, Wands at 4th, Arms and Armour at 5th, Rings at 7th, Rods at 9th, and Staffs at 11th. The cost to create these items in Creation points depends on the following:
Scrolls and Infusions - 1 Creation point per Spell Level of the Spell + 1 Creation point for each additional caster level above the minimum required.
Wondrous Items - 1 Creation point per 1,000 gold pieces of the items market value (rounded up).
Potions - 2 Creation points per Spell Level of the spell + 1 Creation point for each additional caster level above the minimum required.
Wands - 5 Creation points per Spell Level of the spell + 1 Creation point for each caster level above the minimum required.
Arms & Armour - 5 Creation points per +1 Enhancement.
Rings/Rods/Staffs - 1 Creation point per 1,000 gold pieces of the items market value (rounded up).
For spells that require an XP cost, spend 1 Creation point per 100 XP needed (rounded up).
In addition to the Create Magic Item feat, I have introduced a new skill that is required to make magic items, Craft (Magic Items). This skill only represents the characters ability to imbue an item with magic, not the creation of the item itself. The DC to create a magic item is 20 + the number of Creation points required to make it. High DC's may require a character to gain the assistance of other spellcasters to create the item. The time required to create the item is one day per 1,000 gold pieces of the market value of the item (rounded up). If the check fails, the time, spells, and gold are wasted. If the check fails by more than 5, then the time, spells, gold, and Creation points are wasted. The gold piece cost to make an item is half of its market value.
I had to design an additional feat in case a character ran out of Creation points.
Extra Creation Points
Prerequisite - Create Magic Items
Benefit - You receive double the normal amount of Creation points at the level you select this feat. So a 5th level wizard who selects this feat gains 300 Creation points instead of 150.
The only other instance that 3.5 used XPs was when characters multiclassed unevenly. I remedied this situation as follows:
A 20% penalty equates to the player losing the first feat gained by the new class as well as losing one skill point per level gained in the class.
A 40% penalty equates to the player losing the first two feats and two skill points per level, with a minimum of one skill point per level gained.
A 60% penalty equates to a player losing the first three feats and three skill points per level, with a minimum of one skill point per level gained.
I have become obsessed with molding D20 into what in my mind is perfection. I realize that if I get bogged down in the mechanics, I'll never actually have fun roleplaying. Tweaking the system has become another hobby for me. I'm interested to hear anyones opinions on these changes. I have lots more where that came from.
My solution is to eliminate the XP mechanic all together. This presents a few problems, how to raise levels, how to make magic items, and how cast spells with XP requirements. The first problem is solved by the GM determining when the players should be rewarded with a level advancement. I like to raise all the players at the same time, as long as noone displayed behavoir that was not conducive to the game. The other two problems I have remedied with a new feat.
Create Magic Items
Prerequisite - Spellcaster
Benefit - You can create magical items and cast spells that normally require an amount of XPs with Creation points. You recieve a number of Creation points each level you have as a spellcaster equal to 10 times your level. So a 1st level wizard gets 10 Creation points and a 3rd level Sorcerer/2nd level Cleric gets 90 Creation Points. If this feat is selected after characer creation, you recive Creation points from previous levels gained as a retroactive benefit.
"So what do you do with these Creation points?" you ask. They are used to create magic items. This means that all of the Item Creation feats in 3.5 have been combined into this one feat. I still enforce the level requirements for different types of items as follows; Scrolls and Infusions at 1st, Wondrous Items at 2nd, Potions at 3rd, Wands at 4th, Arms and Armour at 5th, Rings at 7th, Rods at 9th, and Staffs at 11th. The cost to create these items in Creation points depends on the following:
Scrolls and Infusions - 1 Creation point per Spell Level of the Spell + 1 Creation point for each additional caster level above the minimum required.
Wondrous Items - 1 Creation point per 1,000 gold pieces of the items market value (rounded up).
Potions - 2 Creation points per Spell Level of the spell + 1 Creation point for each additional caster level above the minimum required.
Wands - 5 Creation points per Spell Level of the spell + 1 Creation point for each caster level above the minimum required.
Arms & Armour - 5 Creation points per +1 Enhancement.
Rings/Rods/Staffs - 1 Creation point per 1,000 gold pieces of the items market value (rounded up).
For spells that require an XP cost, spend 1 Creation point per 100 XP needed (rounded up).
In addition to the Create Magic Item feat, I have introduced a new skill that is required to make magic items, Craft (Magic Items). This skill only represents the characters ability to imbue an item with magic, not the creation of the item itself. The DC to create a magic item is 20 + the number of Creation points required to make it. High DC's may require a character to gain the assistance of other spellcasters to create the item. The time required to create the item is one day per 1,000 gold pieces of the market value of the item (rounded up). If the check fails, the time, spells, and gold are wasted. If the check fails by more than 5, then the time, spells, gold, and Creation points are wasted. The gold piece cost to make an item is half of its market value.
I had to design an additional feat in case a character ran out of Creation points.
Extra Creation Points
Prerequisite - Create Magic Items
Benefit - You receive double the normal amount of Creation points at the level you select this feat. So a 5th level wizard who selects this feat gains 300 Creation points instead of 150.
The only other instance that 3.5 used XPs was when characters multiclassed unevenly. I remedied this situation as follows:
A 20% penalty equates to the player losing the first feat gained by the new class as well as losing one skill point per level gained in the class.
A 40% penalty equates to the player losing the first two feats and two skill points per level, with a minimum of one skill point per level gained.
A 60% penalty equates to a player losing the first three feats and three skill points per level, with a minimum of one skill point per level gained.
I have become obsessed with molding D20 into what in my mind is perfection. I realize that if I get bogged down in the mechanics, I'll never actually have fun roleplaying. Tweaking the system has become another hobby for me. I'm interested to hear anyones opinions on these changes. I have lots more where that came from.
Have you playtested this yet? I'd be interested to know how your group responded to this alternate advancement system... Did they lynch you? 
