Why punish a player if they can't come to the game?

[el-remmen]

They actually changed it for 3.5.

I never purchased the 3.5 DMG - so they did what?

 

[ThirdWizard]

I would also like to point out that the whole comparison to other games began with the comment:

The thing that is boggling me is that it is a game? IS d and d athe only game that you would give non-players game rewards. Its just wierd.
...
How can you get in game benefits and you're not playing? what other game does that?

So, to now start claiming that you can't compare them seems a bit backpedalling as you brought it up in the first place...

 

[howandwhy99]

To me, gaining the in game benefit is all the reward that is needed. Having a new ally within a wizard guild is benefit enough. No xp reward is required.

I think I understand. For me, it is part of keeping "player success" and "character success" equivalent. By explicitly marking it down in experience totals the DM acknowledges it as a success. It doesn't have to be much (compared to lethal combat), but it goes back to encouraging smart play.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I never purchased the 3.5 DMG - so they did what?

XP is handled individually in 3.5. So, if a party of a 7th, 8th, and two 9th level players defeat a CR 8 encounter, you find out how much a 7th level character gets for a CR 8, divide by 4, and give it to the level 7 character. Repeat for others. Thus the lowest level charater gets the most xp. This means that those who fall behind will catch up with the higher level characters eventually. The side effect is that sometimes they earn so much more xp for a session that they will overtake the ones who are earning less xp for the same encounters.

 

[billd91]

Alright. Make it a six-way game of Risk.

If you're not present at the beginning of your turn, you don't get to collect armies.

Again, that's pretty irrelevant. If one player isn't there, it's a 5 way game of Risk.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Again, that's pretty irrelevant. If one player isn't there, it's a 5 way game of Risk.

I thnk he means he was away at the bathroom or something when his turn came up.

 

[el-remmen]

Okay all, I am leaving work for home now. . . play nice. .

 

[ThirdWizard]

I think I understand. For me, it is part of keeping "player success" and "character success" equivalent. By explicitly marking it down in experience totals the DM acknowledges it as a success. It doesn't have to be much (compared to lethal combat), but it goes back to encouraging smart play.

I'm ambivalent to the idea. If a DM did that, I wouldn't even think twice about it. Generally, I ignore xp awards. I've gone sessions without awarding XP before anyone realized it. To us, it isn't anything very important at all.

 

[howandwhy99]

Hmmmm... I'm not saying ours is the right way. But I do believe experience was originally an incentive based system. If you don't need 'em, toss 'em.

 

[howandwhy99]

Okay all, I am leaving work for home now. . . play nice. .

Me too. Thanks for the heady conversation.