How frequently do your PCs level up?

[Deleted]

It's my first post, so hello everybody!

I'm refereeing a campaign using Swords & Wizardry: Whitebox rules, but I dislike the slow rate of character advancement. I think about adjusting the XP and treasure amount, but I'm not sure what effect that would have on my game.

So there's my question: how many xp and treasure do you give for monsters and how fast do PCs advance in your campaigns?

[Finarvyn]

Actually, I don't use XP any more. I let the players know that their characters will level up when they reach some significant stopping point, such as the end of a module. I simply let everyone go up one level together.

The "gold as XP" model is cool enough but it gives out rewards twice. I just got tired of keeping track of that stuff.

[Mr. Darke]

I use the LBB rule of 100 XP per Hit Die of the monster. Leveling from lower to mid levels is a bit faster but, you don't get out of the 'sweet-spot' as fast allowing for a longer mid-range campaign. I don't use gold as XP but do give awards for things like quick thinking, risk taking, etc.

It has worked so far and, since we play irregularly, seems to satisfy all of us with some accomplishment.

[kenmeister]

May 17, 2010 6:39:32 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

Actually, I don't use XP any more. I let the players know that their characters will level up when they reach some significant stopping point, such as the end of a module. I simply let everyone go up one level together.

The "gold as XP" model is cool enough but it gives out rewards twice. I just got tired of keeping track of that stuff.

Does it bother anyone that the xp charts aren't used, so the implicit balance in class skills due to difference in xp required doesn't come into play?

[badger2305]

I was brought up in a school of gaming where not only did experience points get tracked very carefully, but also there were adjustments made for different levels and efficacy of play (not to mention XP bonuses). All of this made XP totals something of a guarded secret between the referee and individual players; if somebody made next level, it was not necessarily known to the other players. Made for interesting play - though not necessarily competitive.

All of that having been said, I've been running an OD&D game for the past seven months, and the highest level character is almost 4th level. Mind you, I've been using a lot of adventures from other sources - Xylarthen's Tower (hi, Jeff Rients!), and stuff from old JGJs and Dungeoneers - so it might vary a little from what I would do with a completely original game, but I doubt that.

[Deleted]

Thank for your replies!

May 18, 2010 6:53:45 GMT -6 badger2305 said:

All of that having been said, I've been running an OD&D game for the past seven months, and the highest level character is almost 4th level.

That's seem to be a very fine rate - I haven't played so long yet, but I suppose that 3th-5th levels are the most interesting part of the game. Do you play every week?

[badger2305]

Three out of four Tuesdays. I have a non-profit board meeting the second Tuesday of every month, which precludes being able to run my campaign.

By the way, I want to validate some of the observations made by James Maliszewski of Grognardia, about the need for regular game play. I've found that it is FAR EASIER to maintain cohesion and momentum within a campaign with regular weekly game sessions.

[blissinfinite]

For the most part we play (S&W) every other Monday with but a few exceptions. That works out pretty well for most everybody's real-life schedule. The sessions have been getting more and more fun and it'd be nice to squeeze in weekly sessions but as of now that hasn't happened.

We've had 13 sessions and I've just had two characters reach 3rd level a couple at 2nd and 3 still at 1st (new player and missed sessions). 13 sessions to just begin reaching 3rd level sounds about right to me in my experience of the game. But everyone's game is different

Standard experience for treasure and monsters and I let the PC carouse on Jeff Reints Carousing Mishaps chart (I can never find the link for that!).

I do like the LBB rule of 100xp per HD but I don't currently use it but most likely will in the future.

[Mr. Darke]

I can't say we meet regularly. With school, kids and jobs getting in the way we don't get much time. That is one reason we tend to level faster. I am trying to get a bi-weekly game going but it is like herding cats...