XP As Will To Power?

[Warbringer]

My group in England struggled with this in 1e/2e over 15 years ago. The approach we developed was contrary to the KB approach. Characters were not special, they were not necessarily heroes, adventuring was their chosen job.

If you wanted to take on a wyrm at 3rd level go for it, if you can afford the gold for the information, the cost to travel, and then to convince the lord to let you try and kill a dragon that is going to get upset at the lord for you even trying!

Anyway, the approach we took was you need xp and traning to gain levels. Training cost, the higher the level, the more it cost. Sure, people trained all the time and went up in level, slowly. On the whole though, they were rich. Why slower? Well, to be honest as a martial artist I can tell you that all the kata's and sparring in the world doesn't hone your skills as much as being jumped by three thugs on the way home from the bar. Real life experience steadies the nerve.

Xp and training slows down progression, consumes wealth and provides a good backdrop as to why "heroes" increase in power faster than the world around them.

But, it slows down progression, and for some the interruption that training requires may be too much

 

[LostSoul]

I think XP is gained by killing things. You kill (destroy) something, you steal its power. Even if that thing is mechanical, like a golem or a trap. Like Highlander.

I think that's stupid though, so I allow NPCs and PCs to gain levels, and give them skill points without them having gained levels, by training.