XP - How do you do it?
- Thread starter Mercurius
- Start date
Almacov
First Post
I have never tracked XP, and none of the DMs I've played with have either.
(Which may be in part because I introduced most of them to the game)
We generally just level PCs when we feel its appropriate and they've earned it.
I don't usually penalize absences, but it has happened occaisionally.
What I do use XP for now that I'm running 4e is balancing encounters. I find the latest edition has made it a much more intuitive tool for that.
(Which may be in part because I introduced most of them to the game)
We generally just level PCs when we feel its appropriate and they've earned it.
I don't usually penalize absences, but it has happened occaisionally.
What I do use XP for now that I'm running 4e is balancing encounters. I find the latest edition has made it a much more intuitive tool for that.
delericho
Legend
Depends on the campaign. For my last few...
3.5e Eberron game: XP by the book. All PCs get an equal share, whether the player could make it or not.
WFRP: 100 XP (1 advance) per "half session". Due to the group size, we cancelled if anyone couldn't make it, so no issue with absentee players.
SWSE: No fixed XP. Characters gained a level every 3 "half sessions". As above, there was no issue with absentees.
Recent 4e games: No XP tracking. The DMs said, "level up" after ~10 encounters. I have no idea what they did with absent players - the last session I was able to attend was the one right before everyone levelled up!
I'm currently working on a system where PCs "buy XP", as discussed in a recent thread on the topic ("An Older Experience System", or something like that). I expect to roll that out with my next 3e(-ish) game.
3.5e Eberron game: XP by the book. All PCs get an equal share, whether the player could make it or not.
WFRP: 100 XP (1 advance) per "half session". Due to the group size, we cancelled if anyone couldn't make it, so no issue with absentee players.
SWSE: No fixed XP. Characters gained a level every 3 "half sessions". As above, there was no issue with absentees.
Recent 4e games: No XP tracking. The DMs said, "level up" after ~10 encounters. I have no idea what they did with absent players - the last session I was able to attend was the one right before everyone levelled up!
I'm currently working on a system where PCs "buy XP", as discussed in a recent thread on the topic ("An Older Experience System", or something like that). I expect to roll that out with my next 3e(-ish) game.
the Jester
Legend
I currently run 4e. I do xp by RAW plus "Catch-up XP" to help lower-level pcs catch up with higher level ones. Basically, at the start of every session AND every time there is a new highest-level pc, all pcs that aren't the highest level in the party get xp as if they had killed a monster of the highest level pc's level. So if the party is three pcs at 3rd level and three pcs at 2nd level at the start of the session, the 2nd level guys each get 150 xp as "catch-up xp". Then if one of the 3rd level guys hits 4th level, everyone else gets 175 xp as "catch-up xp" on the spot. (On the other hand, if one of the 2nd level guys hits 3rd level, nothing really happens, since that's not a new highest level.)
Rel
Liquid Awesome
We've pretty much given up having any sort of XP penalty to players who can't make a session. Our group is of the opinion that missing a session and the attendant fun is a big enough penalty already.
KidSnide
Adventurer
I stopped tracking xp as soon as 3e made it so that everyone increases levels at the same rate. As Rel said, missing a session is its own penalty, and I think gaining levels is a reward for accomplishing something meaningful in the game world, not killing random monsters.
If I wanted to be more mechanistic about it, I'd track XP, but only give it out for accomplishing Quests. I'm just not convinced that it's worth the effort.
-KS
If I wanted to be more mechanistic about it, I'd track XP, but only give it out for accomplishing Quests. I'm just not convinced that it's worth the effort.
-KS
MortonStromgal
First Post
1pt - Automatic
1pt - What did you learn?
1pt - Heroism
1pt - Including another Player
1pt to 3pts - Roleplaying
1pt - Success
2pt - Do the Moral thing.
For D&D 3.5 each pt was 250XP
1pt - What did you learn?
1pt - Heroism
1pt - Including another Player
1pt to 3pts - Roleplaying
1pt - Success
2pt - Do the Moral thing.
For D&D 3.5 each pt was 250XP
Philotomy Jurament
First Post
I give XP for killing monsters and for achieving goals. About 20% of the XP is from killing monsters. About 80% of the XP is from achieving goals. At least 90% of the time, the goal is "fortune and glory," so the acquisition of treasure is a useful abstraction (1GP = 1XP) that also works as a real measure of success.
For 4e, I give a bit more XP than BTB, but pretty close to RAW.
I give XP to all PCs - not players - who are present. If the PC is running the risk of death along with their comrades, but is still being played by another player, they get full XP.
I typically have all PCs be within 2 levels of the highest level PC. PCs who fall behind get a free level-up. For 4e I also give double XP to PCs of a level below the highest level PC.
I give XP to all PCs - not players - who are present. If the PC is running the risk of death along with their comrades, but is still being played by another player, they get full XP.
I typically have all PCs be within 2 levels of the highest level PC. PCs who fall behind get a free level-up. For 4e I also give double XP to PCs of a level below the highest level PC.
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