What is an Experience Point?

[KirayaTiDrekan]

So sort of like the orbs from Fable?

I have not played Fable so I don't know the reference. Sort of an expanded version of quickening from Highlander I guess is the best way to think of it.

 

[Dandu]

Behold!

[video=youtube;63Od-l4G1fA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Od-l4G1fA[/video]

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Something like that, I suppose, though not that obvious, visually. I guess its a lot like PPE from Palladium's games, if you are familiar with those at all (Rifts, Nightbane, etc.).

 

[GMMichael]

What in the world is an experience point?

It's a relic from the oldest of RPGs that needs to be discarded, like alignment.

Okay, maybe that's a little extreme and unhelpful...

XPs were a nicely metagame feature until 3rd D&D, when they became a sort of currency. Since then, they are a discrete measurement of a very ethereal matter: progress toward godliness. . . that can sometimes be exchanged for magic items and spells.

In making my own game I attempted to use a method that increased skill level based in game usage. That proved to be extremely complicated, so I still use xp.

How many uses would you like to require for a skill increase? How about something like:

- If your check is a critical success or failure, you've learned something.
- Roll another die after a crit. If you get the highest result, you earn skill. Use larger dice for slower progression.

 

[Dandu]

How many uses would you like to require for a skill increase? How about something like:

- If your check is a critical success or failure, you've learned something.
- Roll another die after a crit. If you get the highest result, you earn skill. Use larger dice for slower progression.

How would this apply to skills that you might practice often, but use infrequently, such as Use Magic Device, Ride, and Swim?

 

[Random Bystander]

How would this apply to skills that you might practice often, but use infrequently, such as Use Magic Device, Ride, and Swim?

Give the Rogue a Wand of Cure Light Wounds, a horse, and a pond. As a bonus, this will let the Cleric practice the Heal skill. Just be sure to have some potions nearby.

 

[GMMichael]

How would this apply to skills that you might practice often, but use infrequently, such as Use Magic Device, Ride, and Swim?

If "practice" means down-time use, and "use" means you're making rolls for them...

How about:
1) 1d4 weeks of practice earns you the point automatically, or
2) Roll a check for each day of practice?

 

[Dandu]

If "practice" means down-time use, and "use" means you're making rolls for them...

How about:
1) 1d4 weeks of practice earns you the point automatically, or
2) Roll a check for each day of practice?

Seems kind of odd to spend time creating a system where you gain skill points based on the in-game application of skills, and then shoot that system in the foot by either 1) introducing a means of automatically acquiring skill points, or 2) doing daily checks that represent a slower rate of progress than if someone rolled, say, 400 swim checks (which is how many you'd need, on average to get two 20's in a row.). That, incidentally, takes 2400 seconds, or about 4 hours.

 

[GMMichael]

Seems kind of odd to spend time creating a system where you gain skill points based on the in-game application of skills, and then shoot that system in the foot by either 1) introducing a means of automatically acquiring skill points, or 2) doing daily checks that represent a slower rate of progress than if someone rolled, say, 400 swim checks (which is how many you'd need, on average to get two 20's in a row.). That, incidentally, takes 2400 seconds, or about 4 hours.

Sure, but you're overlooking a couple things.

I suggested a time requirement for automatically gaining skill points. Choosing to spend time gaining skills automatically necessarily becomes an exercise in neglecting one's story/campaign obligations.

When you roll a check, it should be because you're doing something important and difficult. So if you have 400 swim checks to make, you'll probably get washed out to sea, or eaten by a grue. When you're training, it's not necessarily important and difficult, so it probably should be a slower rate of progress.

 

[Dandu]

Sure, but you're overlooking a couple things.

I suggested a time requirement for automatically gaining skill points. Choosing to spend time gaining skills automatically necessarily becomes an exercise in neglecting one's story/campaign obligations.

Only if your campaign is on a tight time limit, and assuming that you don't practice in the course of conducting your campaign. I imagine, for instance, riding from town to town would let you automatically gain skill points in ride.

In a situation where your options for leveling up UMD are to either activate a consumable resource until you roll high enough or take a vacation, how do PCs level up this useful skill that is not often used in session, without spending a large amount on training wands?

When you roll a check, it should be because you're doing something important and difficult. So if you have 400 swim checks to make, you'll probably get washed out to sea, or eaten by a grue. When you're training, it's not necessarily important and difficult, so it probably should be a slower rate of progress.

But the skill system, as is, makes no distinction between swim checks made in the shallow end of a pool and ones that occur when swimming the English channel, so you're going to also have to change what the D&D skill check represents.

Fortunately for NPCs everywhere, this should mean that it's impossible to drown at the local pool. I foresee dire unemployment statistics for the local lifeguard guild.