You ever argue XP with a DM?

[billd91]

Under normal circumstances, I have not and would not argue about the experience points. I have asked if the total was correct though when it seemed a bit on the extremely high or extremely low side.

But I did play in a game in which, at the end of each session, the DM gave out XPs based on our ability to argue what XP-worthy things our characters did during the session or we would get nothing. So, I guess you could say that I have argued about XPs, but that was only because the game was specifically set up to require it. It was kind of fun to point-whore like that.

 

[Crothian]

I didn't argue XP, but I did question the amount we got. Turns out the amount was low and that the DM for got some stuff from his notes.

 

[Mr. Kaze]

The only thing that I have regularly taken issue with DMs over regarding XP is scaling to level for party members, and that's because I was guilty of screwing this up when I was a DM and the party size started getting spread out by people dying and coming back.

Generally, being off by a level increases (or decreases) the XP a character gets on the chart by [iirc] 20%. The DMs I've played with typically go for +/-10% until I point this out. I'm not so much concerned with the higher-level players getting more, I just don't want the lower level characters to be permanently stuck far behind.

Other than that, so long as the XP ticker is going up at a reasonable rate I'm pretty quiet. OTOH, if the XP ticker is going up fast then maybe the PCs are getting too much thrown at them all at once... but that's a different issue.

 

[Harmon]

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?

After a recent fight where the group lost their front end fighter, and nearly lost the Druid and our archer, the GM told me that the critters were CR7. I laughed and he agreed- that because of the situation the fight was a little tougher then listed.

Argue- no. Our GMs are pretty fair.

One of our GMs gives xps flat out, holding back for all or none at all. The other keeps the numbers to himself letting us know who leveled and when- this allows him to deduct for poor role playing or just keep us at a certain level for a while if he choses to. Personally I have stopped giving xps, allowing the PCs to level when I want them to.

 

[jmucchiello]

I'm feeling lonely as I feel my group is one of the few that use the CR/EL/XP system as written (3.5). No RP awards, everyone is basically at equal XP. We generally level up every 4th session like clockwork.

Personally I have stopped giving xps, allowing the PCs to level when I want them to.

And thus I guess you (and the others who do the same) play in games where PCs do not make many magic items? I think one of the most important fun factors for spellcasters is their ability to make custom equipment. I'm wondering how this impacts spellcasters creating scrolls and such when they do not know what their XP total is.

 

[Henry]

I'm feeling lonely as I feel my group is one of the few that use the CR/EL/XP system as written (3.5). No RP awards, everyone is basically at equal XP. We generally level up every 4th session like clockwork.

And thus I guess you (and the others who do the same) play in games where PCs do not make many magic items? I think one of the most important fun factors for spellcasters is their ability to make custom equipment. I'm wondering how this impacts spellcasters creating scrolls and such when they do not know what their XP total is.

There are two ways to handle this:

1) In our Eberron game, I used to level the PCs without specific XP amounts. The only magic item creator was an Artificer, but he had access to extra XP per level as a class feature, AND once he made 5th level, he could deconstruct other magic items to use their XP for crafting, so it didn't make a difference.

2) The wizard/cleric/etc. could, instead of levelling up, tell the DM that they opt not to level up, but take the XP instead. Then, the next time the DM "levels" the party up, they can just be one level lower, but use the XP instead to make magic items. This is less fair to lower-level characters than higher ones, but the lower-levels will need less XP anyway to craft the items they are going to craft at that level. Where it would be the least fair is the Item creator who kept the XP at low level, and SAT on it until higher level to make items. In our experience, a magic item creator has rarely created a few small items at one time, but rather they tend to make one big one or a bunch of small ones at one time; plus, depending on the downtime between adentures, the PCs may not get lots of little breaks, but one or two big ones, and not levelling seems perfect for this use.