Question about XP

[dantruong02]

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[Ecorce]

I don't have the rules in front of me, but somewhere in my memory ("christmas toyyyys all arouuuuund meeee", oops), you grant to each player :

• 1 XP at the end of each session

• 1 more if (s)he progresses towards the fellowship's objective (announced at the beginning of the session) or did something amazing that deserves reward

• 1 or 2 more at the end of the adventure

Someone will correct or complete me, but it might be something like that.

[Rich H]

It's there on page 212 for you to refer to.

I don't use the RAW as it talks about awarding XP at the end of each session which means gaming groups playing shorter sessions, and therefore facing less challenges per session, get more XP. I think the intent of the rules was to award around 7 or 8 based as the side column of advice in the revised rules (ref: page 213) suggests this but I still think that's too much and aim for a little lower than that; around 5 XP per adventure is what I stick to, maybe increasing this value slightly for particularly long or epic adventures. This seems to have worked - the PCs aren't ridiculously overpowered but they are competent and progressing nicely.

[Kurt]

Hi Dantruong,

The rules for giving out Experience Points are on 212 and 213 in the Core Rulebook and are what Ecorce said in his post.

*SPOILERS*

I was a little more generous with handing out experience. This is what I gave out for The Marsh Bell.
+1 - Successful encounter with Gloin, managing to secure a boat for the journey, successful encounter with the villagers at the Stair of Girion.
+1 - Successful encounter with the elves, finding Balins camp and the gift for the King of the Eagles, successful combat with the Troll.
+1 - Objective Complete (Found Balin and Oin)
+1 - Successful combat and escape from the ruins.
+1 - Successful journey back to Laketown.
+1 - Objective Complete (Balin and Oin returned safely)
Total = 6 Experience Points

On average, they earnt about 8 Advancement Points on that adventure.

Cheers,
Kurt

[Rich H]

On average, they earnt about 8 Advancement Points on that adventure.

Not saying you're wrong to do this but that adventure isn't even a particularly long one so if you're handing out 8 XP for that then it won't be many adventures before your PCs are maxed out on their primary Weapon, Valour and Wisdom...

Assuming a PC starts with 3 in a WS and 2 and 1 in their Valour and Wisdom, then to get those up to 5 each would take 32 + 36 + 38 = 106. You're going to be there in around a dozen (8+ XP) adventures or so, which could be as soon as 6 years game time if running two adventures per year; 12 if running one per year.

For me, this progression was too quick considering the amount of adventures in TfW and DoM. Even allowing for the cool idea of PCs retiring and being replaced it was too soon and if they didn't retire characters with those kind of statistics are going to pretty much overcome most mechanical challenges. Looking at it, I also felt it would lead to quite 'flat feeling' characters - everyone with a 5 in their WS plus Valour and Wisdom of 5 with no variety.

I'd therefore suggest you have a think about this and if you agree take steps to address it earlier on - simply holding my hands up with my players and explaining things was fine but I also have other rules/options for spending XP on so it isn't as egregious. YMMV and all that.

[Kurt]

You're going to be there in around a dozen (8+ XP) adventures or so, which could be as soon as 6 years game time if running two adventures per year; 12 if running one per year.

...

Looking at it, I also felt it would lead to quite 'flat feeling' characters - everyone with a 5 in their WS plus Valour and Wisdom of 5 with no variety.

I was awarding 6XP for that adventure. So starting with 3 points on a weapon its 52XP to max out the weapon and 58+62 for Wisdom and Valour for a total of 176. At 6XP per adventure it's going to take 30 adventures to max out one Weapon, Wisdom and Valour. Awarding 8AP per adventure works out a little differently. Hugo (my relatively new character) has to accrue 1203AP to max out his character's skills. At a rate of 8AP per adventure, he'd max out after 151 adventures.

You do make a good point though and I didn't think about the back end of the campaign. What else do your characters burn XP on? I was looking at the rules for magical treasure and like that idea. I was also thinking about the idea of spending XP for gains in Standing.

Cheers,
Kurt

[Rich H]

I was awarding 6XP for that adventure.

Haha, so you were! Sorry, completely misread that! You confused me switching to APs which aren't anywhere near as challenging as there are a lot more common skills to go at. Yeah, 6 XP is a lot different to 8 XP.

My post is still okay as a warning to not give out too much, too soon.

[Kurt]

Haha, so you were! Sorry, completely misread that! You confused me switching to APs which aren't anywhere near as challenging as there are a lot more common skills to go at. Yeah, 6 XP is a lot different to 8 XP.

No worries.

My issue is giving out Treasure, that and getting around the concept of Standing. I'll have to re-read those sections in the Core Rulebook and the Adventurers Companion. My characters tend not to venture home again and stay in the location where they finished up their adventure phase.

Also, keen to learn what other alternatives your characters spend XP on.

Cheers,
Kurt

[Rich H]

Also, keen to learn what other alternatives your characters spend XP on.

Without pulling the thread out of shape, best just to look through my docs in my signature... I really have altered a lot of the game; still keeping the base mechanics, which are awesome, but adding more options and addressing elements that didn't sit well with my group. If you want to chat on PM then that'd be cool.

[Indur Dawndeath]

I’m at 100xp after 10 years of adventure, with an average of 3 adventure phases per year.
Remember that I gave out 2 xp on the Marsh Bell.
So, much more sigificant that one player earned a bonus xp, because he won a pie eating contest against Bombur in Lake-town.
I’m very happy with the progression, since we are far from finished with the Darkening campaign.