Alternate XP Schemes?

[RPGPundit]

How do you give XP? What I've seen is usually either the suggested way in the game, or to just parcel out a fixed amount at certain times.

In a thread here, someone mentioned players setting goals for their characters, and xp being given based on those goals being met or not and how important those goals are.

What about assigning XP; do you give everyone the same at every advancement? Or do you give different amounts to different players?

RPGPundit

[Croaker]

IIRC, about 2-3 XP per season.

I made something like:
- Showing up and taking a normal part of the game: 1 XP
- Advancing toward a goal: +1 XP
- Superb roleplay and/or great ideas that enjoy everyone and made the game better: +1 XP

[boulet]

I was doing it like Croaker, with additional bonuses for players participation : one player was writing a diary for her PC, which was the closest thing we had to a gamelog. Another one was illustrating scenes and character, that was worth some xp too.

[jibbajibba]

Okay mine is more complex...

Advancement in Amber is slower than most games and as defined you only get advancement for overcoming obstacles therefore nothing for turning up, nothing for good role play, nothing for bringing a crate of beers and some pringles with you.

Each player sets 3 personal goals. These goals must have a 'conflict' element. Learning the violin is not a goal it is a thing you might do with the xp you acrue from completing a goal.
Each goal is assigned 1 - 5 experience points by me (the GM) depending on its difficulty.
Once a player achieves a goal they get the xp for doing it.
A player can drop a goal and replace it at the start of any session. You find they don't do this very often as the golas end up getting written into the DNA of the character.

I did this because Amber is not like other games. In most other games there is a party that work together. In Amber there are a number of powerful individuals who have their own objectives and plans and who might come together for the greater good providing that this fits their own plans and objectives.
Player objectives have ranged from bedding certain parties in Court, locating  lost relatives, obtaining political or commercial power in Amber to killing certain NPCs and even other Player characters.

I also take all the elements of my plot and chop them up into tasks with 1 -5 points.
Defeat the Black Army. - 3 points
Find Dworkin - 2 points
Unlock the Gordian knot - 1 point
etc

Players that are involved in doing these things (as not all my players take a linear course) get a share of the points for that task as determined my me based on the importance of their participation.
Typically a campaign will have about 30 XP assigned to its tasks but a player who actively persues their own goals can make a lot more xp than others.

The cunning player is the one that combines their goals with that of the plot. This is very useful for keeping players on track.

In Pundit's thread on dealing with lone wolf players I made reference to this. It's worth pointing out that these lone wolf types are much easier to integrate into a game if you know their plans even if these plans are contrary to the story arc or other players plans.

[Croaker]

I was doing it like Croaker, with additional bonuses for players participation

Ah, yes, forgot that.

I kept track of points like this:
100+XP gained on the one hand

Then, I handed additionnal points based on this times the contributions taken as a percentage.
Say, a beginning character has 100 points, 0 XP, a Diary. Additional XP: 100*10% = 10. He has 110XP to spend on his build
After a few adventures, he gains 20 XP. Additionnal XP: 120*10% = 12. He has 132 points to spend on his build

I felt it was only fair to have the characters doing contributions still gain something from it in the long run.

[gabriel_ss4u]

I usually follow ya pretty good Croaker...
but that last sentence confuses me... is that an additional 132pts. after char. already made? so he /she can spend 132 pts. at a drop after several adventures?
like... "OK, now I want pattern, and shapeshift, and well.... as much as I can..."
Advancement is too fast then.

I'm with the idea jibbajibba put forth, except I give a point for a case of good lager... I mean... hell. That's effort!

[Croaker]

Ah! He has 132 points in total.

In usual amber rules, he'd have 130 points: 100, +20 for XP, +10 fer contribution.
Here, he has (100, +20 for xp)*(1+10% for contribution) = 132.

Thus, a 200-points character under this system would benefit from 20 points from his contributions, not 10: They are still as valuable as they were at the start.

Something you can do is to tie a contribution to something, and have these points go into it. A power or attribute work, sure, but a C&A is a better idea: It will grow in power alongside you