I mean a relatively specific kind of alternative.
Up to now, I've been using a simple no-experience system, where the PCs level up when I decide that they do (it's awsome to be free of XP). And I decide it, in a somewhat arbitrary-yet-not-so way.
I mean, I don't bother keeping track of some particular things, simply when we've been through enough events that I feel a PC has achieved enough, she levels-up.
So, not for need but just curiosity, I was just wondering if anyone, here or elsewhere, including maybe in 3rd party books I'm unaware of, actually codified an achievement system of sort (possibly a flexible one) to handle things in a more schematic way.
Maybe something akin to how Mythic Trials/Boons, like each character having to achieve a number of specific objectives in various fields to progress: combat, social, racial, learning, personal growth, whatever.
If I bothered to write it myself, I guess I'd make something where you have those fields and must achieve at least 3+ (depending on level) things in combat, and 3+ in any of the other combined fields.
Given a list of suggested achievements (with a minimum of differentiation based on class, race and kind of character, because a Wizard cannot be asked to achieve tripping two opponents in subsequent rounds, for example), the GM would roll some random achievements (eventually rerolling if they are unfit for the character) or straigh-up decide them, and leave the player unaware of what they are to avoid incurring in absurd situations where a player makes his character try something too insistently just to get his achievement.
Does anyone knows of vaguely similar systems or other interesting alternatives?
Have it work like PFS. You level up after 3 (maybe 5) XP. You give out 1 XP whenever the party does something you consider worthy.
I don't really like an achievement system because it encourages the players to game the system rather than focus on doing what their characters want to do. It's way too meta. What a player wants suddenly differs from what a character wants, which forces the player to make their characters do illogical things in order to level up.
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Loose the XP altogether and level up your party at story-based intervals. Depending on how fast you and your group want things to happen, I suggest making those intervals happen every 2-6 sessions. My GM once went 10 sessions and that was just too long.
I don't really like an achievement system because it encourages the players to game the system rather than focus on doing what their characters want to do. It's way too meta. What a player wants suddenly differs from what a character wants, which forces the player to make their characters do illogical things in order to level up.
That's what I meant by "achievements unfit for a character" and why I said to leave the player unaware of the achievements he needs.
Also, maybe I should specify that while the combat achievements would obviously be tied to mere game mechanics, the other ones wouldn't. For example, a social achievement wouldn't be "make the bartender your friend with a successful Diplomacy check". It would be "establish peace between your tribe and the one from the north" (assuming it's something that can be done within a reasonable time and not in a hundred sessions).Loose the XP altogether and level up your party at story-based intervals. Depending on how fast you and your group want things to happen, I suggest making those intervals happen every 2-6 sessions. My GM once went 10 sessions and that was just too long.
Granted that we play often enough, I usually go longer without problems. Luckily, my players don't have the videogame syndrome, where satisfaction with the game depends on how often and how much they see the numbers going up.
I'd keep it simple. If the players and you liked the arbitrary levels, it's fine already. If you want to introduce more transparency, tell them they will get the next level when they achieved goal X. Personally, as a player I'd like that.
If a GM hands over XP / levels for something, he encourages players to do that - and discourages everything which slows them on their way. If a player only gets levels for finishing story acts, he will be less interested in joining every combat and sidequest. On the other hand, if he gets experience for every little fight and action, he will care less about the whole story. Of course, a player can have an innate motivation to do and not do something, so strong that you can't direct him with XP / levels.
There are many kinds of rewards, including GM acknowledgement like 'Good job, guys!'. I'd give them at least something on the long road from level to level - no idea how much you do that already.
There was a system I read a while back that broke class benefits into 4 groups. After each Game session you would pick 1 group to advance in. After you had chosen all 4 you were up a full level. so 1 level every 4 game sessions
We play adventure paths and just level up when the AP says it's time to. It takes away the book keeping. Personally, as both a player and a character, I love it.
There was a system I read a while back that broke class benefits into 4 groups.
Staggered Advancement from Unchained does that. But there might be other versions out there...
The groups and friends I play with stopped keeping track of XP a long time ago. We just level our characters when the GM feels it's right to do so.
Usually this is after large achievements in the story we are playing through. Such as completing a particularly hard mission, or finishing a key plot point in a chapter of an adventure path, or the end of that particular segment in the campaign.
We would also gain levels after a few gaming sessions were we had a series of small incremental plot advancements or character growth. If if they could be small points they add up.
I know it can be highly subjective but when it feels right to level, we level. This has the added benefit of keeping every one on the same page level and power wise.
If you want to track a kind of "XP" but not worry about level try Mutants and Master minds. It turns the D20 style of game into a character point system were the player can grow the character more organically rather than a linear level system. MM is kinda like the karma system of Shadowrun and the level system of D&D.
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There was a system I read a while back that broke class benefits into 4 groups.Staggered Advancement from Unchained does that. But there might be other versions out there...
It's kind of like Staggered but not. For one there was no XP involved. For another you picked which category you went up in; A,B,C or D
you couldn't pick the same thing twice until you had taken all 4
A= Hit Dice and Base Attack Bonus
B= Saves
C= Skills and Feats
D= Class Special abilities
After 1 game session each play picks one group so you would have
Fighter: 1A Hit Dice and BAB of a 2nd level fighter, everything else 1st level fighter
Rogue: 1C Skills and Feats of a 2nd level Rogue
Cleric: 1B Saves of a 2nd level Cleric
Wizard: 1D Specail abilities (in this case Spell Slots) of a 2nd level wizard.
End of next Game session it would be
Fighter: 1AB
Rogue: 1CD
Cleric: 1BD
Wizard: 1DA
After the 4th games sessions everyone would be Level 2 and the wholething starts over again.
Try have them level when their gold reaches what it would be for the next level. You have to keep track of what your giving them and who is getting what so it stays relatively even but it does remove the issue of too much/little gold for level. ITs currently being used in a game I play in for dragon gestalt where gold determines level like age category for dragons normally when we put it in the hoard.