What! Limper has a gripe?

[Limper]

I know I know its hard to believe...

Now I'm sure many of you have changed this so concider yourself warned....

I loathe the everybody gets equal XP system in 3e, I can't state the amount of this loathing... there's a profanity filter. I miss bonus XPs, I miss roleplaying bonuses, I miss all the things which gave me incentive to have the most detailed and realistic PC at any session... the 3e norm does away with all this because it wasn't fair. Fair? The resulting system is fair like communism is fair which is to say its NOT.

How is it fair that those who are competant and clever and good players have to "share" our hard work with the dead weight? It aint!

There should be bonuses inherent in the system, thus incentive to play well, to do a good job at it.

Down with the communistic welfare XP system!

I feel better.

 

[Crothian]

Actually, as odd as the concept is, it is in the system. Give roleplaying situations CRs. Then award it to the role players. Not exactly by the book, but it is in the spirit.

 

[alsih2o]

competant and clever and good players

isn't that the reward?

 

[Breakdaddy]

GAH!!!!!!!!!!11111111 I like it! there SHOULD be rewards for outstanding play, so I give them out as often as the situation merits!

 

[alsih2o]

i may very well end up in the minority, but wanting a reward for good roleplaying is like wanting a reward for driving the speed limit, or not killing someone. you don't get rewarded for what is expected of you.

 

[Aaron L]

Where does it say not to give out bonus XP for good roleplaying? What bonus XP was incentive to make your characters more detailed? Don't you feel that characters level fast enough already without bonus XP? Or do you just want to level faster than the other people in your group?

 

[Bendris Noulg]

i may very well end up in the minority, but wanting a reward for good roleplaying is like wanting a reward for driving the speed limit, or not killing someone. you don't get rewarded for what is expected of you.

Actually, my grandfather got a reward for having 20+ year long perfect driving record, and my wife has a commodation from our previous state-of-address for having 8 years.

Consequently, aren't characters expected to overcome challenges?

 

[barsoomcore]

I love equal XP

When I give out XP to my party -- everybody who showed up gets the same amount. Nobody's contribution gets singled out among others -- it's just not fair. Only get XP if you damaged the monster? Okay, so the tanks ALWAYS get XP and the other party members hope to chip in every now and then. Roleplaying bonuses? I'm not going to tell my players HOW to play their characters. The story itself rewards good roleplaying by making those players who get involved more central to the plot.

The only bonus I use is a writing bonus. Write something between sessions -- get a 250 XP bonus for that session. I don't care what you write as long as it's in character. So my PCs keep journals, write letters to NPCs, write stories about their characters -- it's great. And 250 isn't upsetting my advancement pace much.

 

[Fictionaut]

I don't recall an actual method for giving out bonus xp for roleplaying in 2E...the Complete Handbooks introduced some roleplaying-like awards for specific classes (converting people to LG for Paladins, for example), but those weren't really "official". I agree that the 3E DMG could have said a little more on the topic, since so many people do it, that was one of the first things I noticed when I bought it. That said...

I'm not a big fan of individual RP awards, in that some people just don't want to roleplay on the same level, and IMO shouldn't be forced. If you enjoy RP, coming up with a cool background and persona is its own reward, whereas if you don't, it's just work. I had a bad experience (no pun intended) with a DM in college who had us write copious essay-style backgrounds and spent a good half hour after each session having us justify our RP merits during the adventure to get ANY xp. *shiver* Anyway, my two cents.

 

[Limper]

Crafting a great character is a LOT of work, it's a benefit to the game.... do you think just having your job is it's own reward? Do you not want a bonus for being the best?

If a person excels they should be rewarded. It's not fair nor balanced for the weak links to be carried by their betters... and isn't 3e all about balance.

Does you sitting there reading and saying I hit it with a dagger contribute as much as the person who figured out what's happening and developed a solution, executed the solution (and also hit it with a dagger) have equal weight in the progress of a campaign? No! Nor should they get equal reward!

It's not that the previous systems had good concrete rules for bonuses... its that 3e suggests against it saying it isn't fair to the less outgoing players... well Boo Hoo! Piffle on the feelings of the unmotivated or shy! This silliness of thought is why communism isn't a viable system. From each according to ability to each according to need is a real burden on the competent.


Before any of you go down the DMing is a lot of work... it has a reward, it's YOUR story.