All XP & Advancement

Last 3 Edits

17th Feb 2021

  • Added first go at B&B XP.

Nov21st, 2019

  • Added my ideas on how to do XP for creatures defeated.

Feb 22nd, 2019

  • Updated the information below to reflect our new Inspiration Deck for D&D.

We are going to trial a system where each system we play is going to be based upon 100 XP. At 100 XP you get a level or tier in your 'class'. But along the way you get Advancements at every 25 XP. XP may also be used to gain a 'benny' such as make a reroll (depending upon the system).


Advancements

So, for games based completely on advancements, such as Mutant: Year Zero, you simply get an Advancement every 25 XP. (The idea of 100 XP is not as relevant). In our D&D games and Advancement is an Inspiration Card.

Levels/Tiers

For games with levels or tiers, then you need to get to 100 XP before you get that level. The idea is that you know what % of your level you have attained.

For games without levels then this step is redundant, however, if the DM wants players to aim for levels, perhaps grant something extra when they would gain a tier/level (such as granting 2 advancements).

Gaining XP

The 100 mark was inspired by the Unearthed Arcana Three Pillar Experience article. This playtest article presents guidelines on awarding XP for exploration, social interaction and combat.

Awarding Creature XP

Here are some good ways to award XP for creatures.

System Base Creature Reward Adjusted Reward (creature vs character level) If the XP value is Zero If the XP value comes out Negative
D&D 5 XP + (CR - each character's level) Must defeat 2 creatures to 1 XP For every 1 XP below zero, must defeat 4 creatures to get 1 XP
Cypher System 3 XP + (creature level - character tier) Must defeat 2 creatures to 1 XP Any negative value becomes positive and added to 2. That is the number of creatures you need to defeat to get 1 XP
AGE
YZE
B&B On trial On trial On trial On trial
Savage Worlds

1/2 (round up) all XP totals if there are more than 5 characters in the group.

Examples

D&D. A party of 4 1st level characters fight 8 goblins (CR 1/4) and 1 goblin boss (CR 1).

Goblins (CR1/4): 1/4 - 1 (characters' level) = -3/4. Take this from initial 5XP, so each goblin is worth 4 XP. Each character gets 4 XP for each goblin defeated.
Goblin Boss (CR 1). 1 - 1 (characters' level) = 0. So no adjustment to the 5XP. Each character gets 5 XP when the goblin boss drops.

D&D. Same battle but with 7th level characters. A party of 4 7th level characters fight 8 goblins (CR 1/4) and 1 goblin boss (CR 1).

Goblins (CR1/4): 1/4 - 7 (characters' level) = -6 3/4. Take this from initial 5XP and you get -1 3/4 (Round to -2). You don't award negative XP. For every -1 they must defeat 4 goblins to get 1 XP. This is 2 below, so the party would get 1 XP each for defeating them all.
Goblin Boss (CR 1). 1 - 7 (characters' level) = -6. Take this from initial 5XP and you get -1. So, the characters would have to defeat 4 goblin bosses to get 1 XP. Given there is only 1, the characters would get no XP for the boss.

D&D. A party of 4 1st level characters fight 2 shambling mounds (CR 5) .

CR 5 - 1 (characters' level) = 4. Add that to initial 5 XP. So each character would get 9 XP for each shambling mound!

D&D. Same battle but with 7th level characters. A party of 4 7th level characters fight 2 shambling mounds (CR 5) .

CR 5 - 7 (characters' level) = -2. Take that from 5XP. So each character will get 3 XP for each shambling mound defeated.

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