alternative to XP costs - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

alternative to XP costs

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jgumbyrx
Mar 05, 2010 12:47:14 so, as the title says, I've been trying to think of alternatives to xp costs for things such as item crafting, spells, etc. (btw -- this is for 3.5)
The thought occurred to me when I happened to be flipping through my 2nd ed. books a little while back -- I ran across the wish spell, and was reminded that using the spell aged the caster by 5 years (which, of course, has been replaced by 5k xp); additionally, permanency used to drain 1 point of CON (which has now been replaced by an xp cost, as well).

So, what I was thinking was to replace xp costs with a physical aging effect -- something to the tune of 1 year per 1000 xp spent. Basically, the player could track the xp that would have been spent; and then every 1k, the character notes 1 year of physical aging.
Tracking would be simple -- "spent" xp and age effects could be simply marked somewhere on the character sheet (perhaps in a "notes" section or something), and then mark the adjusted age parenthetically next to the normal age (in the space that is typically provided at the top section of the character sheet).

So, what do you guys think? I'm not really attached to the specific concept (so I'm not gonna get all butt-hurt if this gets ripped apart), but I would like to do something with this.

Thanks.
#2
Nekoazu
Mar 05, 2010 13:30:00
And you'll have higher-level wizards dying real quickly unless they decide to become a lich...
Which gets even bigger a problem with very short-lived races.
#3
jgumbyrx
Mar 05, 2010 17:38:33

And you'll have higher-level wizards dying real quickly unless they decide to become a lich...
Which gets even bigger a problem with very short-lived races.

I've also thought about using % of max age instead of some static #.
#4
babyj
Mar 09, 2010 2:58:08 Interesting take on negative XP that I saw elsewhere, was to apply a negative XP amount, that won't remove your actual XP. Instead, it adds to your character's Negative XP Total, which is diminished using 50% of your earned XP. That way, you never get held back from making potions cuz you just levelled (as I am sure you know, 3.5 only lets you use XP over and above that which you need for your current level, and never can it take you down a level) and you can still earn XP (albeit more slowly than if you didnt make XP-stealing items or cast Wish spells) while working off your experience "debt".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jgumbyrx Mar 05, 2010 12:47:14	so, as the title says, I've been trying to think of alternatives to xp costs for things such as item crafting, spells, etc. (btw -- this is for 3.5) The thought occurred to me when I happened to be flipping through my 2nd ed. books a little while back -- I ran across the wish spell, and was reminded that using the spell aged the caster by 5 years (which, of course, has been replaced by 5k xp); additionally, permanency used to drain 1 point of CON (which has now been replaced by an xp cost, as well). So, what I was thinking was to replace xp costs with a physical aging effect -- something to the tune of 1 year per 1000 xp spent. Basically, the player could track the xp that would have been spent; and then every 1k, the character notes 1 year of physical aging. Tracking would be simple -- "spent" xp and age effects could be simply marked somewhere on the character sheet (perhaps in a "notes" section or something), and then mark the adjusted age parenthetically next to the normal age (in the space that is typically provided at the top section of the character sheet). So, what do you guys think? I'm not really attached to the specific concept (so I'm not gonna get all butt-hurt if this gets ripped apart), but I would like to do something with this. Thanks.
#2 Nekoazu Mar 05, 2010 13:30:00	And you'll have higher-level wizards dying real quickly unless they decide to become a lich... Which gets even bigger a problem with very short-lived races.
#3 jgumbyrx Mar 05, 2010 17:38:33	And you'll have higher-level wizards dying real quickly unless they decide to become a lich... Which gets even bigger a problem with very short-lived races. I've also thought about using % of max age instead of some static #.
#4 babyj Mar 09, 2010 2:58:08	Interesting take on negative XP that I saw elsewhere, was to apply a negative XP amount, that won't remove your actual XP. Instead, it adds to your character's Negative XP Total, which is diminished using 50% of your earned XP. That way, you never get held back from making potions cuz you just levelled (as I am sure you know, 3.5 only lets you use XP over and above that which you need for your current level, and never can it take you down a level) and you can still earn XP (albeit more slowly than if you didnt make XP-stealing items or cast Wish spells) while working off your experience "debt".