[4e] Alternate experience system - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

[4e] Alternate experience system

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
nuadha
May 19, 2009 8:00:26 I hate bookkeeping and calculating up experience after each encounter is exactly the kind of bookkeeping I try to avoid. So, I came up with this alternate system for handling experience.

Characters gain a level for every 10 experience points.

Characters receive 1 XP for each encounter, including "roleplaying encounters" and skill challenges. Usually, there is an average of 4 encounters per session.

Characters receive 1 XP per session for "roleplaying bonus."

Encounters are the same usual mix of higher and lower encounters that would usually have netted characters a level after 8 encounters, and now the same eight encounters will net the characters around 10 XP.

This really hit off well with my group. They also seemed to appreciate the simpler bookkeeping.
#2
AbdulAlhazred
May 19, 2009 14:30:49 Should work fine. 4e is pretty flexible WRT experience. It doesn't do anything aside from leveling up, so you can pretty much run it any way you want. I seriously doubt doing it your way will make much difference in advancement rates either. Don't forget the occasional quest XP either.
#3
MechaPilot
May 19, 2009 17:01:06 Back in the 3.5 DMG, they said that it takes roughly 13.33 encounters for characters to level. I realize we're talking about 4th edition, but the number seems to have remained relatively consistent. Perhaps 10 encounters and 3 quests, at 1 xp each, for a total of 13 xp per level. Easier xp has always appealed to me, and I think it works especially well now that there is no xp loss from monsters and no xp investment for spells to worry about.
#4
nuadha
May 19, 2009 20:14:02 I forgot about the xp loss stuff in 3rd. I was wondering why this did not occur to me in previous editions of D&D.

Actually, I double-checked and the 4e PHB says that characters should level about every 10 encounters. So, I could either change the levelling to 12 or stop giving the 1 per game RP bonus and then it would keep it at 10XP per level which I like for the extreme simplicity.
#5
AbdulAlhazred
May 20, 2009 8:56:12
I forgot about the xp loss stuff in 3rd. I was wondering why this did not occur to me in previous editions of D&D.

Actually, I double-checked and the 4e PHB says that characters should level about every 10 encounters. So, I could either change the levelling to 12 or stop giving the 1 per game RP bonus and then it would keep it at 10XP per level which I like for the extreme simplicity.

Well, it is 10 encounters worth of experience, but probably 7-8 actual encounters. Figure you'll have roughly 1-2 encounters worth of quest based experience, and probably a "boss" type encounter that is worth more than usual.

I'd say on average I've been getting about 5 combat encounters, 2-3 skill challenges, and a quest per level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 nuadha May 19, 2009 8:00:26	I hate bookkeeping and calculating up experience after each encounter is exactly the kind of bookkeeping I try to avoid. So, I came up with this alternate system for handling experience. Characters gain a level for every 10 experience points. Characters receive 1 XP for each encounter, including "roleplaying encounters" and skill challenges. Usually, there is an average of 4 encounters per session. Characters receive 1 XP per session for "roleplaying bonus." Encounters are the same usual mix of higher and lower encounters that would usually have netted characters a level after 8 encounters, and now the same eight encounters will net the characters around 10 XP. This really hit off well with my group. They also seemed to appreciate the simpler bookkeeping.
#2 AbdulAlhazred May 19, 2009 14:30:49	Should work fine. 4e is pretty flexible WRT experience. It doesn't do anything aside from leveling up, so you can pretty much run it any way you want. I seriously doubt doing it your way will make much difference in advancement rates either. Don't forget the occasional quest XP either.
#3 MechaPilot May 19, 2009 17:01:06	Back in the 3.5 DMG, they said that it takes roughly 13.33 encounters for characters to level. I realize we're talking about 4th edition, but the number seems to have remained relatively consistent. Perhaps 10 encounters and 3 quests, at 1 xp each, for a total of 13 xp per level. Easier xp has always appealed to me, and I think it works especially well now that there is no xp loss from monsters and no xp investment for spells to worry about.
#4 nuadha May 19, 2009 20:14:02	I forgot about the xp loss stuff in 3rd. I was wondering why this did not occur to me in previous editions of D&D. Actually, I double-checked and the 4e PHB says that characters should level about every 10 encounters. So, I could either change the levelling to 12 or stop giving the 1 per game RP bonus and then it would keep it at 10XP per level which I like for the extreme simplicity.
#5 AbdulAlhazred May 20, 2009 8:56:12	I forgot about the xp loss stuff in 3rd. I was wondering why this did not occur to me in previous editions of D&D. Actually, I double-checked and the 4e PHB says that characters should level about every 10 encounters. So, I could either change the levelling to 12 or stop giving the 1 per game RP bonus and then it would keep it at 10XP per level which I like for the extreme simplicity. Well, it is 10 encounters worth of experience, but probably 7-8 actual encounters. Figure you'll have roughly 1-2 encounters worth of quest based experience, and probably a "boss" type encounter that is worth more than usual. I'd say on average I've been getting about 5 combat encounters, 2-3 skill challenges, and a quest per level.