You ever argue XP with a DM?

[Von Ether]

I've recently inherited a game from someone else. I offered to let people retool their classes at the start of my shift as GM for anyone who discovered their original choices weren't all they were cracked up to be. PC race and concept had to stay the same. THen I though I'd be really generous and just bump them up to their next level when the change took place.

Gratitude? Nope.

The guys were different levels and some guy in the middle said that it wasn't fair for the lowest level player. It sounded like he was championing the lone underdog until the player suggested that everyone start out at the same level -- which would have been unfair to the two players at higher level. I later discovered the "nice" player had a beef with those two anyway. A dead issue now since he left and no one is worried about it.

The final solution was just to take whoever had the highest need of XP to get to the next level and give it to everyone. Take that and added a double digit bonus to the lowest player to get him equal with the mid-level players and everyone is happy.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Dave beat me to it.

In fact, in our local Star Wars and D&D games, I've actually been slightly disappointed with the rate of advancement the group's been getting - I'm enjoying the game, but I wouldn't mind an extra game or two with us at each level, rather than the accelerated pace...

I've got a DM who, in our first campaign, accelerated us QUICKLY through levels. There were many a session where we leveled up 2-3 levels per session! We were pre-doing TWO or THREE character sheets so we wouldn't waste time levelling up. It was getting manic. And then he ended the campaign when we got into the low/mid 30s in level and he was running out of ideas of what to do. Then he killed most of the party who now reside with their respective deities. Peeved us off, especially one player.

Now he runs a lower-level campaign and has greatly slowed down the levelling process.

 

[Shadrach_Storm]

I have only argued with a DM over XP in one campaign (2nd edition), where his house rules were dumping on me over and over again. In that campaign, characters generally only got XP for what they did. If one character made more successful proficiency checks or rolled more "20"'s or killed more opponents or was the first person to reach a critical item, that character got significantly more XP. Also, once a character got enough XP to go up to the next level, he stopped getting XP until he was able to get trained. I had a character get 0 XP for 3 sessions in a row because there was no opportunity to get trained. There were some other sessions I got no XP for either. There was one time I single-handedly killed an opposing mage and stood off his fighter companion until help arrived. No XP. Another time I defeated an opponent in an honorable duel. No XP. None of the other players lost out on nearly as much XP. Initially, I figured the XP issues would even out but they never did. Eventually, for that and other reasons I quit the game.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Other than some teasing when the DM leaves my character just short of gaining a level ("Okay, first thing next week, I'm killing an orc"), I don't think I've ever argued XP with the DM. What's the point?

Heh.
Heh-heh.

(The last frame in the first one - one of my favourite lines from the strip so far! - references this one.)

-Hyp.

 

[Arc]

I don't think I've ever argued, but from time to time when I feel like I get less XP than I should, I like to talk to my DM about it. Not to complain, but to ask what I did to deserve/not deserve it, and some advice on how to do better. Getting feedback that's more than just a number (and perhaps a brief quip about it) helps quite a bit to improve one's gaming style. Of course, if I can find a way to mention all the things I thought did deserve XP, and perhaps bring up something the DM forgot... well, then I might do so. But that's purely a secondary goal

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Here's a different question, have you ever argued/questioned/inquired on how much XP you got for a session becasue you felt the amount was wrong?

With the CR system it is easy for anyone to look up how much XP monsters are worth for the levels of the PCs and do the math. I know some DMs to alter the XP they award and sometimes they don't inform the players of it before hand. So, I can see the situation coming up in games.

I just think that arguing with the GM (especially publicly) is a horrible, horrible sin.

 

[Mirage_Patrick]

I defintely had a....chat with a DM about Xp. He was the kind to only tell you when I leveled, but would give you an idea of how far through the level you were if asked. After a year of gaming I made it from 2nd level to almost half-way through 2nd level. Meanwhile, my brother who joined the campaign made it from 1st to almost 3rd in the same period.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I think the only time I've argued is when a DM changes XP systems in mid-game without discussing it with the players.

There've been a few pointed comments when a game starts. "Oh, I see you're using a variant XP system...." Which usually results in an explanation of their house rules or me explaining to the DM how to use the CR chart and do basic math.

 

[KB9JMQ]

I have never heard of anyone argueing about the amount of XP.
It is kinda a moot point in the game I DM cause I don't really keep track of it.
I just tell my players it is time to level up (normally after a dozen encounters).
In the game I play in we do keep track of XP and the only thing that ever comes up is if we are really close to leveling up at the end of a session.
"Hey, wasn't there a dog around here?" or some such quote always comes up.

 

[Alhazred]

As a player, I've never argued with a DM over xp. I've never felt the need to argue.

As a DM, a player once argued with me over xp. He felt a series of combats, because they were so difficult, were worth more xp than I had given them. He had his books, pencil and paper, and calculator all spread out before him, and he began the 'discussion' by shouting at me! (Not the best way to score points in an argument.) I calmly pointed out that the reason the combats were difficult was because the party made the encounters more difficult than they were intended to be, ergo the party does not deserve more xp.

The discussion ended when the other players told him to shut up.