Quote from: CRKrueger;930373Here we have a post about how players roleplay character's experience and how that is reflected in setting.

Here we have an article suggesting a way to remove metagame considerations in handing out experience.

So, a question...
1. What games are you currently running?
2. How do you handle the experience in that game?

1) Running GuildSchool, as always.  The groups, one live, 2 online.
2) One of the more interesting mechanics in the game is that each skill has an experience modifier.  We literally keep track of level on every skill, and how good a person is at a skill as well as how rare that skill is determines the EXPMOD.  Rarer skills take longer to go up levels, but there is a bonus based on attributes and the guild/School learned from.

Every use of a skill gains experience in that skill, There is even a small amount gained for legit use that fails.  

We also give experience for creatures defeated/overcome/avoided, and a Roleplay bonus that can be placed anywhere at the end of every session.

It is a very slow gain system, very granular, in that my main live game is about to hit session 180, and while the PCs are dangerous and very powerful, no one has more that 45 HP and no one can cast more than mid level spells without item help.

Quote from: Omega;930816um... Have you actually played 5e? I ask because statements like the above cast some small doubt there since 5e uses generally the same curve as AD&D. In fact the early advancement is a little slower than in AD&D.

I'm a bit confused here. You're saying 5E requires only one-tenth the amount of XP compared to 1E and has substantially increased the XP for slaying monsters, and yet arguing that speed of leveling in 5E is over-stated?

Quote from: Lunamancer;931732I'm a bit confused here.

 You're saying 5E requires only one-tenth the amount of XP compared to 1E

 and has substantially increased the XP for slaying monsters,

 and yet arguing that speed of leveling in 5E is over-stated?

1: That happens now and then. Yes.

2: Right, one-tenth less in 5e.

3: Yes and No. EXP for monsters in 5e is all over the place Some quick examples
Anhkheg: AD&D = 390+13-36avg, 5e = 450
Basilisk: AD&D = 1000+250avg, 5e = 700
Beholder: AD&D 12900+1200avg, 5e = 10000
Elementals: AD&D = 2850+850avg, 5e = 1800
Goblin: AD&D = 10+3avg, 5e = 50
Kobold: AD&D = 5+4avg, 5e = 25
Orc: AD&D (equivalent) = 10+4avg, 5e = 100

Early stage monsters in 5e tend to give alot more EXP. But have more HP as well, A 5e Orc is equivalent to an AD&D orc Guard worth 42 EXP.

4: You forgot that AD&D gives EXP for gold and items and that can significantly accelerate AD&D's EXP gain.
Clearing out a lair of 100 orcs might net you around 1400 EXP. But the loot will net about 100gp in individual loot and 1000-5000+ from the lair. Possibly substantially more if you score some magic items. Whereas in 5e you get a flat 10000 EXP for orcs twice as tough as their AD&D counterpart. Its random in AD&D though so very YMMV in payoff. (Modules though tend to be more generous.)

Hence why I think that the advancement rate may be overall about the same between AD&D and 5e due to that gold for EXP factor. Though I still think the early 5e levels are probably faster.

Quote from: Lunamancer;931732I'm a bit confused here. You're saying 5E requires only one-tenth the amount of XP compared to 1E ...

Quote from: Omega;931772...2: Right, one-tenth less in 5e. ...

"One-tenth the amount of XP" would be 10 in 5e rather than 100 in 1e.
"One-tenth less" would be 90 in 5e rather than 100 in 1e.

Quote from: Skarg;931882"One-tenth the amount of XP" would be 10 in 5e rather than 100 in 1e.
"One-tenth less" would be 90 in 5e rather than 100 in 1e.

One-Tenth the amount.

Dark Albion: XP for sessions completed, plus a bonus XP for the 'best roleplayer' of the session.
Aces & Eights: xp for completely goals of active profession path, for completing personal goals, for sessions completed, and for best roleplayer.
DCC: as per DCC rules, for encounters; plus for best roleplayer.

Quote from: CRKrueger;930523For both of you, what are some examples of an appropriate juncture. I imagine places where there is a decent break in pace to allow for training, etc., and/or after major goals being completed in the setting?

The end of the journey that the game started with, lasting several weeks of in-game time and featuring a big skirmish that bordered on a proper pitched battle, was an appropriate juncture. At least for the henchfolk to level up, the PCs haven't had one yet (they started at 5th level).

In 5e, characters get to level 3 really fast but it slows down past that.  I think it's because classes don't get their signature thing until level 2 or 3.

Quote from: yosemitemike;932757In 5e, characters get to level 3 really fast but it slows down past that.  I think it's because classes don't get their signature thing until level 2 or 3.

Level 5 is when the levelling starts to slow down. Then again at level 9, 14 and kinda again at 17.
In AD&D the Thief really warped ahead in levels and most of the classes advance fairly well till around level 6 to 8 and then start to slow down.

Quote from: Omega;932878In AD&D the Thief really warped ahead in levels and most of the classes advance fairly well till around level 6 to 8 and then start to slow down.

Part of that was xp for gold and the habit of many thief players to skim a little extra off the top for themselves.

My answer is probably boring.

I'm currently only running TSR D&D (or variants), and I use the standard method: XP for treasure and for defeating monsters. About 75%-80% of the XP comes from treasure, with the balance coming from defeating monsters. I also give out small instant awards (e.g., 15-25 xp) for good ideas, skillful play, et cetera. Since my D&D games use "fortune and glory" as the general PC motivation, the default method works fine (and could be considered a sort of abstract "story award" where the story is "adventurers seek fortune and glory").

Sorry to side track, but can someone explain to me the rationale behind awarding experience points for gold? Isn't gold already it's own reward?

Quote from: Ashakyre;933106Sorry to side track, but can someone explain to me the rationale behind awarding experience points for gold? Isn't gold already it's own reward?

The best explanation I've encountered was the one in Nightmares Underneath, and it's that you don't get XP "for" gold:).  Gold is just the measure of the skill you've demonstrated, and the mechanics reflect this, when you reach the golden marker.
Or at least, it's the one that makes the most sense to me;).

Quote from: AsenRG;933107The best explanation I've encountered was the one in Nightmares Underneath, and it's that you don't get XP "for" gold:).  Gold is just the measure of the skill you've demonstrated, and the mechanics reflect this, when you reach the golden marker.
Or at least, it's the one that makes the most sense to me;).

PLus, it is a seaerate check for the GM for giving out too much for either.

Quote from: Ashakyre;933106Sorry to side track, but can someone explain to me the rationale behind awarding experience points for gold? Isn't gold already it's own reward?

If the basic/broad goal is fortune and glory, then XP for gold can be thought of as an abstract way to measure success. A success-based "story award."