tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post7470385042169021959..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: The Tao of XPJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-41402519815870716202009-02-06T12:23:00.000-06:002009-02-06T12:23:00.000-06:00While this could be a very good system, the proble...While this could be a very good system, the problem that I have always seen with this type of XP is that it doesn't leave much room for "ad-hoc" XP. If one desires to part from the rules as much as to differentiate the XP awarded from the XP suggested, why not create "story awards" or "objective awards" to get that extra control over XP? This way, it directly rewards intelligent play through rewards directly oriented to intelligent players. Instead of rewarding metagaming, which is questionable one way or another, or even rewarding "smart characters" who may or may not have metagaming players behind them, simply reward intelligent play (and not the characters or the players). <BR/><BR/>This has always been my solution to a greater level of control over XP and treasure. Want to provide low treasure, but high XP? Fabricate an intricate storyline with critical objectives, reward XP from the solutions to noncombat encounters, but limit treasure to normal monsters, of which there are few in the overall adventure. Low XP but high treasure? Create a dungeon-delve of minion-level monsters with lots of treasure, but without any significant bonuses to XP.<BR/><BR/>In my experience, its usually easier to add to the rules with house rules than attempt to modify the rules to suit your needs.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05526354104389028191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-55877506291678147252009-01-27T19:42:00.000-06:002009-01-27T19:42:00.000-06:00That sounds completely reasonable, but I go with s...That sounds completely reasonable, but I go with straight HD myself.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-83935657724617410722009-01-27T19:40:00.000-06:002009-01-27T19:40:00.000-06:00Sorry, that's HIGHEST spell level able to cast (pe...Sorry, that's HIGHEST spell level able to cast (per above).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-27895701624141849342009-01-27T19:38:00.000-06:002009-01-27T19:38:00.000-06:00Woot! 100XP per hit die But what about special ail...Woot! 100XP per hit die But what about special ailities? I was thinking of giving out 100XP per hit die for each special ability/or spell level able to cast. Checking my B/X monster sections seems to show "fairly" close correlation. Just asking cuz that the plan of my next campaign is Holmes+Meepo's Holmes Companion+ADD 1E MM (and xp not listed therein). Is that way off base? Is that how i so quickly became the king of Valusia?<BR/><BR/>-King "Kill them all then take their loot" KullAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-83934837968000043632009-01-25T23:16:00.000-06:002009-01-25T23:16:00.000-06:00Jeff, I happened to read this same post and had al...Jeff, I happened to read this same post and had almost the same reaction: "It ain't a simulation, and it don't happen in a vacuum; these are pulpy heroes involved in messy tactical combat." Not to mention, which, actually, hasn't been mentioned, the root of 100xp/lvl is the DUNGEON---everything gets tougher as you go <B>down</B>, in a perfectly contextually logical manner.<BR/><BR/>The irony is, when I ran a game last weekend I put off giving out xp until I could "calculate it". Durh. Old habits... I hadn't thought about it quite that way, either, but you're dead on about it giving lower-level characters a chance to go up in level, given the usual paucity of treasure until you hit those higher HD beasties.kesherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17494262159858200847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-17905081009060209902009-01-25T18:12:00.000-06:002009-01-25T18:12:00.000-06:00Alexis, I fail to see how your 10,000 xp per sessi...Alexis, I fail to see how your 10,000 xp per session proposal helps achieve my goals. I did run an AD&D campaign a few years back where all who survived the adventure were automatically advanced a level. That seemed to serve the needs of that particular campaign, but does not get me where I want to go with my present game.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-86919911239773259712009-01-25T17:55:00.000-06:002009-01-25T17:55:00.000-06:00Why not just give 10,000 X.P. per combat (monsters...Why not just give 10,000 X.P. per combat (monsters + treasure) and have done with it?Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-32957694435379109252009-01-25T17:17:00.000-06:002009-01-25T17:17:00.000-06:00Wow, I haven't thought this much about math and th...Wow, I haven't thought this much about math and things since ... well, since I was trying to crunch numbers for a 3.5 campaign.<BR/><BR/>Going back to Alexis's original example, the 25 gnoll warparty would be worth 5000 XP. (25 * 2HD * 100). That is a lot of XP, even before the treasure, but I like it. Given that the average level of the party was 5th, 1000XP per party member (IIRC, there were 5) seems like a very good reward for facing a horde.<BR/><BR/>It also accurately reflects that 2 Ogres at 4HD are probably going to be as problematic as an 8HD giant, and that would, as you point out, direct the players to look for the loners - and in the case where they have to face the two ogres, they'll get rewarded better than what they would get under later XP rewards (using OSRIC, figuring an ogre has an average of 17hp, 95+17 = 112XP for each ogre. Blah)<BR/><BR/>Sometimes the simplest solution does get you to where you want to go. :)Michael S/Chgowizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052820400496340137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-59424721133999072912009-01-25T13:41:00.000-06:002009-01-25T13:41:00.000-06:00I may have to start doing this I find it pretty ir...I may have to start doing this I find it pretty irritating to add up experience based on hp (per AD&D). I pretty much fudge it all these days. Also I like Shams idea of giving combat experience after every encounter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-85846393911063087142009-01-25T11:57:00.000-06:002009-01-25T11:57:00.000-06:00It's the uniformity of the OD&D xp system ...It's the uniformity of the OD&D xp system which I enjoy, and one of the last things I worry about in D&D is balance or misconceived notions of "fairness". It is what it is, 100 xp per HD, and I hand it out to the survivors at the end of each encounter. <BR/><BR/>It rewards low level characters, who have a very high mortality rate to begin with. It also makes the players consider the risk/reward aspects of encounters since they downright crawl through experience levels once they hit 6th or 7th level and up.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-56961298938500317112009-01-25T11:42:00.000-06:002009-01-25T11:42:00.000-06:00I also like how Gamma World (1st edition) hands ou...I also like how Gamma World (1st edition) hands out xp for monsters:<BR/><BR/>You get 1 xp per hp of the monsters killed.<BR/><BR/>That's it!<BR/><BR/>It's very simple, very stingy, and encourages players to run away, hide, and be sneaky. Think about it: a 20 HD badass mutant centipede the size of a T-rex will give the entire party an average of 70 xp. If there are 5 people in the party, that means a WHOPPING 14 xp each. Ummm....<BR/><BR/>"Let's go steal some treasure, which is 1 xp for 1 gp."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-83659100296548591682009-01-25T10:06:00.000-06:002009-01-25T10:06:00.000-06:00I have got to admit, I just do not worry about exp...I have got to admit, I just do not worry about experience points. In the last full on campaign I ran, it was rare for the subject to be brought up. It was enough for the players to know that they were gaining experience points and at some point character sheets would be updated.<BR/><BR/>If I feel like calculating exact values I use the detailed method, otherwise I just award what seem like appropriate amounts. One of the advantages of experience running the game, I suppose.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05646247954542936623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-70908164475397313782009-01-25T09:54:00.000-06:002009-01-25T09:54:00.000-06:00I'm gonna try this out in my game, too. You sold ...I'm gonna try this out in my game, too. You sold me, Jeff.Dr Rotwanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16750632906878388570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-10551038642777023662009-01-25T09:07:00.000-06:002009-01-25T09:07:00.000-06:00It's clever in character too, I think. It would ma...It's clever in character too, I think. It would make sense for intelligent adventurers to decide to go after hobgoblins, who they know to be weaker than gnolls but likely to have similar treasure hoards. Or for them to decide to gang up on a single giant rather than a band of ogres - because it's always better to concentrate on one foe rather than fight several.<BR/><BR/>So it's not just a metagame thing.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.com