D&D 5E XP for Absent Players

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[TheCosmicKid]

I take a third option. When players are absent, I don't run the main campaign. I run a one-shot for the players who can make it, using different characters.

And if a character is behind in XP for some reason (new character, mismatched one-shot character, whatever), they earn double XP until they catch up.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

For that, I have to say - D&D Beyond's character sheet is freaking amazing for spellcasters. Don't remember what a spell does? Click on the name - the details pop open in the window. No page turning. The drawback is you have to pay D&D Beyond to access all the content, and it's only for 5e.

Yeah in the secondary 5e game we play when I'm not running my game I use that on my iPad and its amazing. Works so well that I only use it to make up PC despite only having access to the basic rules. Next time the have a sale on the PH I'll probably buy it. But not paying 30 bucks for it. Beyond is a great tool.

 

[Maestrino]

Yeah in the secondary 5e game we play when I'm not running my game I use that on my iPad and its amazing. Works so well that I only use it to make up PC despite only having access to the basic rules. Next time the have a sale on the PH I'll probably buy it. But not paying 30 bucks for it. Beyond is a great tool.

Indeed. I got into 5e a bit late, so it was easy to just buy stuff on Beyond without duplicate-buying. I don't mind running a game from a laptop. (In fact, the hyperlinks mean there's a LOT less page-turning...)

 

[Li Shenron]

Adults have busy lives and families and jobs, and punishing them for not being able to attend social occasions is weirdly manipulative.

I never understood why it's seen as a punishment.

But then, we generally reschedule if someone cannot make it. And I wouldn't have a problem upping someone's level if they drag behind too much, even tho frankly I don't think it's much of an issue in 5e.

Anyway, if I had someone regularly missing the game, I might as well trash the whole XP advancement and just advance by level the whole group. On the other hand, if they regularly miss the game after having promised to show up at an agreed date, they they are themselves punishing the other people who kept their word, came to the session and end up having a more challenging game because of missing PCs in the group...

 

[Li Shenron]

Depends on the system I suppose.

In 1st and 2nd ed, You cold have a character at 9th level when I start mine at 1st. By the time you hit 10th level, I'll be 9th.

That's the reason why I would always prefer a less-than-linear XP/Level chart, where the next level-up always takes more adventuring time to achieve than the previous.

 

[KenNYC]

I personally have no issues with players using their phones as long as it is game-related

You're kidding yourself if you think it is always game related. It may start out that way but eventually while the phone is open they will check facebook or something like that. It just is the reality given modern attention spans. If they will read their phone whole jay walking across a highway, your game won't stop them.

 

[Fanaelialae]

You're kidding yourself if you think it is always game related. It may start out that way but eventually while the phone is open they will check facebook or something like that. It just is the reality given modern attention spans. If they will read their phone whole jay walking across a highway, your game won't stop them.

Beg to differ. I play with two groups. One where the median age is around 40, and the other where it's somewhere around 25. Phones and computers are allowed at both tables (some guys use their phones to track spells and look up stuff on the wiki). We've never had an issue with distracted phone usage. On occasion a guy might get an important text from a SO or such and say, "sorry, just give me a sec" while they respond, but we all understand that we have lives outside the table, so it's fine.

I'm not saying that it doesn't happen. I have no doubt that it does. I'm merely stating that allowing phones does not necessarily equate to distracted players messing around on FB and whatnot. I would expect it correlates quite closely with whether the players have their faces glued to their phones when they're not at game.

 

[SubDude]

I take a third option. When players are absent, I don't run the main campaign. I run a one-shot for the players who can make it, using different characters.

This would be the worst possible option for me and my group. One player can't make it, so the campaign is on hold and we're gonna run something else? No thanks, (and I might even say that as a player in the game). That's the same as just cancelling the session to me, with the added horribleness of now I have to prepare two different games in case one player can't make it.