Awarding experience

[Talos the Talon!]

So I am gearing up for a casual campaign, and it looks like I will have 2 full time players, and maybe 1 more. I figured it would be a good idea to add in an NPC friendly to help fill the ranks, but since the party is so small, and the party needs melee types, I might go with a fighter and possibly a warrior (or just 2 warriors at first).

How would people split the experience points in these cases? RP and problem are for PCs only, and combat is for all? Or..?

[blackbloodtroll]

Use event based leveling.

[Talos the Talon!]

I am not a fan of event based leveling. PCs will ignore encounters that add depth and flavor, and can be important to the plot.

[blackbloodtroll]

Is that your experience?

They do not know if an encounter is one of the events that will cause them to level.

[Talos the Talon!]

I have ran it both ways over the years, and I prefer points. I like story goals, I like that people get a chance to be rewarded for RP, and the like. Other wise, the party is a blob of death just out to defeat the BBEG..

One group on event based leveling could use charm person to find the BBEG and defeat him, thus triggering the event xp. Another group would be more apt to defeat him, and his minions, and save the kidnapped villagers, and bring back someones lost item..

I guess either way could be argued

[Adamantine Dragon]

? How can players ignore key events that are important to the plot in event based leveling? I stopped doing XP a long time ago for so many reasons that I don't even care to list them. I'll just say that after long years as a GM I finally convinced myself that XP adds virtually nothing to the game and creates an almost limitless source of metagaming that does nothing but hurt the game.

[DrDeth]

AD is right. Or- Just level when you think they deserve it. And, don't play a DMPC. Let them run the mook.

[blackbloodtroll]

You do keep the event secret, right?

Alter, or adjust the required event, as needed?

[BiosTheo]

I agree with DrDeth, I personally find both as a player and as a DM that giving out EXP doesn't add anything to the experience. Sure it creates that immediate satisfaction of gaining something and gives the players the "goal" towards leveling up but is that really what we want players to focus on?

Not only that, but players that become ahead in experience and, thusly, levels creates an unfair balance of power in the party, and makes planning out encounters slightly more problematic (not by much but does add a extra few minutes).

As of right now, yes I am using EXP but its EXP in the way I deem and its really by plot leveling (shhh don't tell anyone) but that is only because of the fact that two of my players were absent and the campaign is just starting but eventually everyone will just be the same level, period.

I guess that makes me slightly hypocritical but whatever I will do away with the EXP very soon in my campaign.

[Talos the Talon!]

So how do you event based levelers reward RP?

Would you give the paladin that goes out on his down time and heals the sick and fasts anything, or would you rather he just sharpen his sword and dream of smiting something and that's fine?

I guess my tracking points preference is old fashioned, but I just think that ignoring the actual story telling of the whole affair in favor of just getting to the next fight is more video game than RPG.

[BiosTheo]

Hmm... I can see your issue but you could just talk to your players.

Something like this: "Hey, I would like to run this campaign not awarding experience but doing more along the lines of leveling you as appropriate. Now this doesn't mean you don't get experience from RPing, in fact I will level you even faster if you RP more."

But perhaps thats just me. I personally have had bad experiences with EXP gain and I think the "reward" of EXP for RPing is a little artificial.

But hey, I grew up on the EXP gain system and I understand the benefits and perhaps maybe I have been on bad side, experiencing it wise (no pun intended), a bit few to many times. Its really up to you in the end and it REALLY depends on the kind of campaign your running.

[Talos the Talon!]

I should also reiterate that I appreciate the comments. However, I have not heard an answer to my question, as opposed to people pressing me to use an alternate experience system.

I believe the point system was put into the book for a reason, and I plan to stay as close to it as possible.

Now, back to the top, how would you guys split up the points amongst PCs and NPCs?