Experience and Level Advancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Experience and Level Advancement [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GlitchEXE
04-15-07, 10:51 PM I'm curious about the proper way to work experience and level advancement.

The experience chart says it's:
level 1 -- 0
level 2 -- 1000
level 3 -- 3000
level 4 -- 6000

etc.

So my question is does the experience reset to 0 each time requiring you to get 1000 EXP to get level 2, then 3000 EXP to get to level 3, then an additional 6000 EXP to get to level 4 and so on. Or does the experience accumulate meaning, you need 1000 EXP to get to level 2 and then an additional 2000 EXP (thus giving you 3000 EXP total) to get level 3 and then an additional 3000 EXP (totaling 6000 EXP) to get level 4 and so on.

If it's the second way it seems rather easy to obtain levels and kind of pointless.

Also when using EXP for crafting items if you use the reset method, does the total EXP accumulate? I.E. after obtaining level 4 you would technically have 10000 EXP accumulated. Or do you get to use whatever EXP your currently accumulating for you level towards crafting.

I hope these questions haven't already been answered. I haven't seen them if they have been asked already.

Thanks in advance.
Marcus Majarra
04-15-07, 11:13 PM No, experience doesn't reset. A 1st-level character advances to 2nd level after acquiring 1000 exp, then to level 3 by gaining 2000 more. Basically, you need to gain your actual level x 1000 exp in order to level up.

It's calculated so that you advance in level after participating in about 13.3 encounters of an encounter level equal to your party level (assuming a party of 4 characters). It's explained in detail on pages 36-41 of the DMG.

Though it might seem easy, the difficulty stays the same throughout a character's career. Basically, fighting an opponent of your level awards your group 300 exp per level. If you're 4, that's 75 exp per person per level, and you need to acquire 1000 exp per level. You need 13.3 x 75 to equal 1000.
GlitchEXE
04-16-07, 11:31 AM Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly.

Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be?
Leilond
04-16-07, 11:34 AM Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly.

Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be?

Keep in mind that the first two level gains (until 3rd level) are a bit quicker than normal

To be "slower" put less "fighting encounter" and a bit more "role playing situation", discussions with NPC, searching for the enemy location, acquiring information and so on
Frugal
04-16-07, 12:05 PM Also, make sure you're calculating CR/EL properly and giving out the proper XP.

This encounter calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) can at least help you work out the EL and the XP (you'll still need to get the individual CRs correct).
Marcus Majarra
04-16-07, 01:18 PM Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly.

Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be?

Perhaps you should cut down on the number of encounters per adventure, or reduce the encounter level of the said encounters, so that the party needs to clear more encounters in order to gain a level. Furthermore, if you don't want it to be too easy, try to condense multiple encounters in the same day. It makes every subsequent encounter after the first cumulatively harder if your players overspend on any given encounter.

Keep in mind that the first two level gains (until 3rd level) are a bit quicker than normal
I believe this to be a misconception. The reward-to-level function is a linear 1st-degree equation. In other words, the ratio between the amount of experience you gain from an encounter and the amount of experience needed to gain a level stays constant, if you stick to encounters of the party level.

However, it may seem that the first two level gains are quicker than normal due to the difficulty of the typical encounters of those levels. Keep in mind that both players and opponents have less options available to them and less hp. This means combat is radically quicker at these levels.
meabolex
04-17-07, 02:21 AM Furthermore, if you don't want it to be too easy, try to condense multiple encounters in the same day. It makes every subsequent encounter after the first cumulatively harder if your players overspend on any given encounter.

To add to this, the game assumes (P.49 DMG) that each encounter where the encounter level equals the PCs' level will drain about 20% of the party's resources. That means 5 EL = PC encounters without a rest to heal, regain spells, etc. should, in theory, possibly wipe out the party.

However, if the encounters don't particularly pose high threat to the PCs for some reason, then the EL should probably be adjusted. Don't let the PCs "farm" easy encounters (: If the PCs aren't using 20% of their hit points, daily uses of various abilities, spells, etc. in an EL = PC level encounter, you might need to tweak things a bit.
GlitchEXE
04-17-07, 09:44 AM Thanks everyone for the responses.

I'm gonna try a few things in my next gaming session. If I have any more trouble I'll be sure to ask.

Much appreciated.
CharlieRock
04-17-07, 10:56 AM You don't even need the XP/Level chart:
Take the level your at (3rd level, for example)
X
1,000 xp
_

XP needed for next level

(in the example 3 x 1,000 = 3,000. add the 3,000 you already had to get to third level and you got 6,000xp ding your fourth level).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GlitchEXE 04-15-07, 10:51 PM	I'm curious about the proper way to work experience and level advancement. The experience chart says it's: level 1 -- 0 level 2 -- 1000 level 3 -- 3000 level 4 -- 6000 etc. So my question is does the experience reset to 0 each time requiring you to get 1000 EXP to get level 2, then 3000 EXP to get to level 3, then an additional 6000 EXP to get to level 4 and so on. Or does the experience accumulate meaning, you need 1000 EXP to get to level 2 and then an additional 2000 EXP (thus giving you 3000 EXP total) to get level 3 and then an additional 3000 EXP (totaling 6000 EXP) to get level 4 and so on. If it's the second way it seems rather easy to obtain levels and kind of pointless. Also when using EXP for crafting items if you use the reset method, does the total EXP accumulate? I.E. after obtaining level 4 you would technically have 10000 EXP accumulated. Or do you get to use whatever EXP your currently accumulating for you level towards crafting. I hope these questions haven't already been answered. I haven't seen them if they have been asked already. Thanks in advance.
Marcus Majarra 04-15-07, 11:13 PM	No, experience doesn't reset. A 1st-level character advances to 2nd level after acquiring 1000 exp, then to level 3 by gaining 2000 more. Basically, you need to gain your actual level x 1000 exp in order to level up. It's calculated so that you advance in level after participating in about 13.3 encounters of an encounter level equal to your party level (assuming a party of 4 characters). It's explained in detail on pages 36-41 of the DMG. Though it might seem easy, the difficulty stays the same throughout a character's career. Basically, fighting an opponent of your level awards your group 300 exp per level. If you're 4, that's 75 exp per person per level, and you need to acquire 1000 exp per level. You need 13.3 x 75 to equal 1000.
GlitchEXE 04-16-07, 11:31 AM	Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly. Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be?
Leilond 04-16-07, 11:34 AM	Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly. Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be? Keep in mind that the first two level gains (until 3rd level) are a bit quicker than normal To be "slower" put less "fighting encounter" and a bit more "role playing situation", discussions with NPC, searching for the enemy location, acquiring information and so on
Frugal 04-16-07, 12:05 PM	Also, make sure you're calculating CR/EL properly and giving out the proper XP. This encounter calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) can at least help you work out the EL and the XP (you'll still need to get the individual CRs correct).
Marcus Majarra 04-16-07, 01:18 PM	Thanks very much, it makes a bit more sense now. If you're only supposed to have about 13 encounters to gain a level, I believe part of my problem was running to many encounters causing my PCs to advance to quickly. Any suggestions on how to keep the PCs happy while keeping the number of encounters the same and reducing EXP or by reducing the number of encounters so that EXP is as it should be? Perhaps you should cut down on the number of encounters per adventure, or reduce the encounter level of the said encounters, so that the party needs to clear more encounters in order to gain a level. Furthermore, if you don't want it to be too easy, try to condense multiple encounters in the same day. It makes every subsequent encounter after the first cumulatively harder if your players overspend on any given encounter. Keep in mind that the first two level gains (until 3rd level) are a bit quicker than normal I believe this to be a misconception. The reward-to-level function is a linear 1st-degree equation. In other words, the ratio between the amount of experience you gain from an encounter and the amount of experience needed to gain a level stays constant, if you stick to encounters of the party level. However, it may seem that the first two level gains are quicker than normal due to the difficulty of the typical encounters of those levels. Keep in mind that both players and opponents have less options available to them and less hp. This means combat is radically quicker at these levels.
meabolex 04-17-07, 02:21 AM	Furthermore, if you don't want it to be too easy, try to condense multiple encounters in the same day. It makes every subsequent encounter after the first cumulatively harder if your players overspend on any given encounter. To add to this, the game assumes (P.49 DMG) that each encounter where the encounter level equals the PCs' level will drain about 20% of the party's resources. That means 5 EL = PC encounters without a rest to heal, regain spells, etc. should, in theory, possibly wipe out the party. However, if the encounters don't particularly pose high threat to the PCs for some reason, then the EL should probably be adjusted. Don't let the PCs "farm" easy encounters (: If the PCs aren't using 20% of their hit points, daily uses of various abilities, spells, etc. in an EL = PC level encounter, you might need to tweak things a bit.
GlitchEXE 04-17-07, 09:44 AM	Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm gonna try a few things in my next gaming session. If I have any more trouble I'll be sure to ask. Much appreciated.
CharlieRock 04-17-07, 10:56 AM	You don't even need the XP/Level chart: Take the level your at (3rd level, for example) X 1,000 xp _ XP needed for next level (in the example 3 x 1,000 = 3,000. add the 3,000 you already had to get to third level and you got 6,000xp ding your fourth level).