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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Abraxas" data-source="post: 2552678" data-attributes="member: 1266">With the examples you provided It seemed you were concerned about an unfair competetive advantage given to someone who didn't participate. Since D&D isn't a competition between players, I didn't agree with your examples.  If that wasn't your point - sorry.With the handicap, it depends on the league rules, but in general you don't have to be significantly lower to get a handicap - you just have to be lower.  (in fact WIBC/ABC reccommends that higher handicap percentages be used for more equalized games.)Yes, D&D is a game, no I don't want to put it on a pedestal, yes you have to play to participate, but unlike almost any other game, the referee gets to select the conditions of play, the conditions of "winning" and the equipment the players get to use. Why is setting the powers (level) of the playing pieces (characters) so different?Hmm - I must have bowled on different leagues than you - I was never trying to outdo my teammates, just outdo myself (and our opposition).  I wanted to get the best score to help my teammates, not be able to show them I'm a better bowler than they are.  Same with D&D, I play my characters for my own satisfaction and provide the most help to the team, not be able to say I have the most powerful character.The bowlers that show up and get better take a lower handicap - if their bowling improves thay get a higher average and have a lower handicap.As for dividing loot differently - that doesn't happen in our groups.  We divide it based on overall effectiveness in the party - so an an item that would be best in the hands of a PC who's player didn't make that session would be held by someone else's character and then given to that character when the player returns - that way the use of the item is not lost .  And yes, if players know they aren't going to be able to attend a session they trade items to other players who would be able to use them.As for the 3.5 xp system compensating - it seems that a number of people here like to compensate before xp is applied.This thread has been interesting.And since some may get the wrong impression - I don't award XP for absent players until a  level disparity happens that would negatively impact the player's ability to participate in the game.  The people I game with get together to get together.  We have a set schedule of playing every 2 weeks.  If someone can only play once every five sessions, so be it - their PC isn't going to be the focus of story arcs, but I'm not going make them play a 3rd level character in a party of 8-10 level characters (and 2 levels is about the gap I accept as reasonable). And yes I will award magic and treasure to keep them on par.  If something in life comes up, I'm not going to provide a disincentive for the player to return to the game.  As for level disparities for other reasons1) character death - player chooses to come back or not.  If coming back would put him more than 2 levels behind that is his choice and the 3.5 xp system will quickly make up that difference.  Or they can choose to roll up a new character who won't be more than 2 levels behind.2) item creation - player choice, plus they are compensated by the added power their items provide (and I have in game ways to avoid the xp loss).3) level loss - Almost never happens after level 7 (Thats what restoration is for  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> - and if it does = instant player hook.  In addition, the player can choose to retire the character and create a new one.</blockquote>

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