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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ruleslawyer" data-source="post: 1708105" data-attributes="member: 1757">Dear All,This post is a (looooong-delayed) response to StalkingBlue, who wanted to see how I work XP IMC. My house rules are informed by a simple principle: While I appreciate that D&D is a combat-focused game, and while my own games are "challenge-focused", so to speak, I dislike the fact that the XP system actively encourages killing monsters over non-combat interactions, and doesn't really make distinctions on XP awards based on imaginative solutions. So, here's my (minor) XP rules tweak:1) All XP awards based on CR vs. EPL are reduced by one-half. This applies across the board, both to monsters and to traps.2) The concept of "story milestones" is hereby introduced. Story milestones include the following:-Freeing 50% or more hostages/prisoners in a particular stronghold/complex-Killing an important foe (a major legate, an orc commander, a "boss monster")-Surviving four or more encounters on an object-oriented mission quest (IOW, taking an important object/cargo/person through four or more CR-appropriate encounters)-Other milestones typically suggested to the players by the DM pre-session3) The DM keeps a stack of blue chips next to his station at the gaming table. A chip is awarded to a player for any of the following:-Every two traps disarmed instead of triggered (skill monkeys only)-Successful non-combat resolution of any non-combat encounter, provided that at least two skill checks or role-playing sufficient to avoid two skill checks (this refers to another optional rule IMC) are involved; this is awarded to the player suggesting or leading the action, or placed in the center of the table if the action is collaborative-Every magic item created for use by another PC or an NPC (casters only)-Every new spell invented and distributed to an NPC (casters only)-Every song or poem composed (bards only)-Every foe of CR = EPL +1 or higher defeated in single combat (fighter-types only)-Every new convert or group of converts to your deity's religion (clerics only; in a game like Midnight, I'd apply this award to any new inductee or group of inductees to a resistance movement, since no PCs are allowed to be servants of the Shadow)-An unavoidable combat or trap encounter (this is essentially compensation for DM screwups); these go in the center of the table-Every story milestone; these go in the center of the table unless a PC were somehow individually responsible for completing the milestone, in which case the chip goes to that player.Chips can (and must) be turned in at the end of the session; each chip awards XP equal to what would be awarded for an encounter of CR = EPL. This XP is split evenly among the party. In addition, each individual player receives 50 bonus xp for each chip in his pile at the end of a session.I find that this system vastly encourages good roleplay and non-combat resolution of encounters; in particular, PCs are perfectly happy to flee from foes too powerful for them to fight, since a 3rd-level party smart enough to flee from an EL 13 legate + orc elites encounter gets XP equal to what would be awarded for a good solid combat encounter.</blockquote>

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