How much XP do you give and why?

[HewhoisMatt]

So I ran Champions last night for the first time since Fred came out and the Heros got kinda spanked (lost the fight) but kept the bad guys from getting the loot. Now I am faced with how much XP to give, back in the days of BBB 3-4 was the norm with the group I play with. I would like to know how much you guys give per game also........

 

Do you give the same to every player?

 

Do you have a flow chart type way of coming up with a number?

 

Do you give a bonus for anything?

 

Any advice on this topic would be welcome.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I'd give the same unless 1 player was obviously excelling.

 

the way we calculate it is

 

1 - for showeing up

1 - for roleplaying

1 per goal completed (worth two if a very hard goal), usually resulting in 4-5 a session

[MitchellS]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I generally give:

 

+1 for paying attention and playing the game without distraction.

+1 for exceptional role-playing [i consider normal role-playing part of the game].

+1 for doing something exceptional or above and beyond the call.

+1 for what I refer to as "whim" experience; for doing or saying something that adds flavor to the game.

 

Not all players get the same amount of experience in the game. The total will range from 1-4 per session with many players only getting 1. I would say the average about 2 per session.

 

BTW, I don't give experience for success or dock for failure. To me those things are just part of the game and are based as much on lucky rolls as good playing.

[Dust Raven]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

Here's my guidelines for handing out XP, right from my house-rules and copy/pasted from my web site:

 

 

The following XPs will be awarded to each player character

 

Each game session the player & character took part in: 1 each; Every character learns a little bit just from being involved, but only if there player is there to play him.

Completing an Adventure (successfully): 1 (2 for difficult adventures); This is a bonus for successfully completing an adventure. "Successfully" means the characters accomplished their goals, not that they did what the GM wanted them to.

Good Role-Playing: 1-2; Good Role-Playing is keeping character actions within the character's concept, keeping out of game information out of game and keeping out of game table talk to a minimum.

Good Adventuring: 1-2; Good Adventuring is keeping character actions within the Champions genre, coming up with clever plans and ideas and generally acting "heroic."

 

The minimum XP that can be awarded to any character per Adventure is 1. This is because if the player only shows up for one session of an adventure, and his character just sits there not doing anything, the character will sill likely learn something just from observation. Of course, if any player is caught doing this they are likely to find there character has become a coaster for the nearest player's drink.

 

 

Extra Credit

 

XPs can also be earned outside of the game sessions. Some of the point values below are in fractions. This is because the bulk of the XPs are awarded for participating during a game session. Extra Credit can still add up over time, however, and should not be overlooked by any player.

 

In Character Participation Online: ¼ per time between sessions. This includes using the Message Boards on the TLO3T group, Instant Messenger conversations and e-mails. IM conversations must be saved to a .txt or .doc file and given to the GM. E-mails should either include the GM's email address (dust_raven@msn.com) in the CC line, or the end result saved in a .txt or .doc file. XP for online participation is only awarded once regardless how many events or conversations are described.

Stories: ¼-½ per story. A single player, or a collaboration of players, can write stories. The XPs are awarded to each writer/co-writer as well as to each character presented in the story. The player of every character in a story must okay any events involving their character for anyone to receive XP for the story.

Record Keeping: ¼-1 per game session. The GM's job can be tough, and remembering every tiny detail of the events of a session that took place a few weeks ago, let alone a few months, is often beyond him. For this reason, anyone who wishes to keep an accurate notebook, audio recording, or other means of recording the events of the game sessions will be awarded bonus XP. The records must be accurate and detailed, and reasonably accessible to all of the players as well as the GM.

Going with the GM's Brilliant Idea: 1. Occasionally, the plot of an adventure will require certain actions of a player character or certain restrictions upon how a player role-plays his character. A player is never required to go along with this, but will be awarded an extra point of XP if he does.

Food (& Other Bribes): 0. Unfortunately (for me) I will not be awarding XP for generous contributions of food and drink during a game session. Such contributions will still be graciously accepted and appreciated of course, and might persuade the GM into furthering in game interests/plots of the Player Characters or allowing unusual increases in Powers or Characteristics when spending XPs.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I usually give out an average of 3pts per game session. If nothing was accomplished at all, I'll give a minimum of 1-2 points.

 

I give extra awards per individual character based on their performance during the session, though I try not to give out more than +2pts (for a total of 5xp) and I only award to those who's performance was extraordinary. Examples include:

 

Roleplaying: The player who acted the best/most during the session usually gets this award, though I have no problem awarding multiple players if they all did particularly well that session. This includes making the GM bust-a-gut through various shinnanegans.

 

Heroism: If the character goes above and beyond the call of duty to help his friends or strangers, risking life and limb in the process, he gets this bonus.

 

Playing "In Character": Different from roleplaying, this is awarded to those players who stuck to their characters concept and played up their disadvantages well. There are cases of players who aren't heavy roleplayers but who stick with character concepts. This bonus is for them.

 

Lucky Bastard: This bonus is awarded to those players who have just had a great session. Their rolls were dead-on. Things just seemed to go their way. This is rarely awarded, but I've found that in some cases, a character just performs so well I have to give them an extra point for the session.

 

Disabled Compensation: This bonus goes to those characters who have had the complete opposite of the "Lucky Bastard". Everything seemed to have gone wrong. None of their rolls seemed to matter. Nothing they tried succeeded. Its a compensation tool to keep players from getting discouraged. I tend to give this out more often than the "Lucky Bastard" award. It encourages my players to be truthful about their die rolls.

 

I have given out as many as 7xp in one session, but this is exceedingly rare. My average seems to fall between 3xp and 4xp with the occasional 5xp for a particularly successful session.

[HewhoisMatt]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

Most everyone seems to be following the same basic guide lines so I think I will also. Thank you very much everyone for you input and thoughts on the subject.

[zornwil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I'm quoting an old post of mine from October 30, 2004, in response to a similar query:

 

Pursuant to my earlier post' date=' the average XP award is 3.5 (rounded) per session per player. There's some more points that players got as well via achieving reputation levels. This does not include the bonus given to characters that started later and were given a doubled XP award so they could catch up with the team more quickly (I do that to both simulate that hanging out with more powerful characters and their resources gives greater growth and to achieve better parity). Also, I should point out the awards vary a lot - many sessions are around 1 XP, and others will be as high as 8 XP, depending on where things happen in a story arc.[/quote']

 

This is also misleading because I do "bulk ups" with a Reputation system which gives awards at certain levels. You can read more at http://www.realschluss.org/x-champions/house_rules/ch_gaining_reputation_and_experienc.htm to the extent you're interested.

 

PS - I'll point out that link is both my Experience and Reputation systems, the former is just the award levels for things, the latter is a new system to reflect the increasing "clout" of a character as he progresses.

[archermoo]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

For superhero level, I generally give out between 3 and 5 XPs to each player per session. Almost always the same amount to each. Things that would cause a different amount: Someone missing a significant portion of the game, someone doing little or nothing to contribute to the session, etc. What do I use to determine exactly how much to hand out? Pure gut feeling. I just hand out what I feel is an appropriate amount at the end of each session. Totally subjective.

[TheEmerged]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

Depends on the adventure; tends to average 5 to 8. This may be too much for some campaigns, but to each their own playstyle

 

Usually I determine a set of objectives before the session. It's usually impossible to acheive all the objects; usually at least two or three will be exclusive. Here's a sample, the 'Michtendorf' adventure (took 3 sessions to complete). Reminder: the PC's are villains.

 

+1 for determining the truth behind the legal troubles of Charles Morris

+0.5 for discovering the fourth slot on Charles's EC

+0.5 for learning Esper's secret identity

+0.5 for taking her to PSI, +0.5 if they convince her to go willingly

+1 for keeping Esper's secret (exclusive with the above)

+1 for helping Perry Noia regain his credibility with PRIMUS (so as to acquire a mole within PRIMUS...)

+0.5 for "outing" Perry Noia as an unregistered nova (exclusive with the above)

+1 for discovering the secret of the Crossover family

+1 for defeating the Electric Angel

+1 for escaping the police ambush without killing any of them

+1 for discovering the Black Mask's secret Identity

+0.5 each for finding the 'secret' locations of the VIPER nest and ARGENT base

+0.5 for helping David McDarns out of his financial trouble

+0.5 for giving the information about David McDarns to William Cranston (exclusive with the above)

+0.5 for solving the disappearance of the swim team at the high school

+1 for solving the murder of the football team at the high school

+0.5 for successfully framing someone other than the guilty party of the above two points

+1 for discovering the truth about the nova bounty

+0.5 for rescuing the bounty victims

+1 for discovering who is framing the Constitutional Reform Party

+0.5 for discovering why

+0.5 for discovering the REAL reason why

+1 for successfully framing either PRIMUS or UNTIL for the bounty

+Perk = establishing contact with the Gambioni 'family'

 

As you can see, there were a LOT of potential experience running around thanks to a fair number of "side quests" and a fairly involved adventure (it took 3 sessions for a reason).

[zornwil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I like your method, TheEmerged, I wouldn't do it that way as I don't run so goal-oriented but in a way what I do is similar. The core part of my XP/Rep system is how the PCs do against the nature of the challenge. The challenge is qualified as: BIG BAD!; stacking the odds against the players; tough, a worthy challenge; about even, but not enough color; interesting but not that powerful; a background NPC or nuisance. I used a slightly different scale before but changed it to this to relate the level of challenge also to plot, so that "BIG BAD!" is of course a major bad guy, the type that drives a plot or major sub-plot of importance, whereas "about even, but not enough color" means that the villain or the situation wasn't meant to be a major story bit or at least turned out not to be, just your regular thuggy who's tough enough to fight but is the type that the reader just knows can't really affect the PC despite perhaps an appearance of evenness.

[bigdamnhero]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

Wow, I feel stingy. Hope none of *my* players read this thread.

 

I hand out XP at the end of the scenario/mission/whatever, but it probably averages out to around 2 per session. (This is for a heroic campaign, where I prefer the rate of increase to be less steep. For supers, I'd probably be more generous.) I do consider how many sessions the scenario took, `tho I try not to reward the players for taking three sessions to do something they should've been able to resolve in one. If a scenario goes longer than 4 or 5 sessions, I may hand out some XPs in mid-scenario.

 

As a related question: do you put any sort of restrictions/conditions on what players spend their XP on? Since I'm usually awarding XP in batches of 5-10 at a time, I use the following guidelines to try and encourage my players to spread their points around a bit:

 

- Can't raise any characteristic by more than one per award

- Can't buy more than +1 to any one skill (to include combat skills) per award

- Can't increase any one power by more than one die per award (doesn't generally apply to buying new powers)

 

These are just guidelines; I'll make exceptions when a player can make a good argument for it. I don't require players to have used a skill in a scenario in order to improve at it -- I've known refs who do that -- but if a PC used a particular skill a lot (or very well), I might encourage the player to throw a couple points that way.

 

bigdamnhero

"See how I'm not hitting him? I think I've grown."

[zornwil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I don't really restrict much in terms of ongoing tweaks, people are good about keeping them in concept. Bigger changes we discuss.

[RDU Neil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I give out flat 3 EXP per adventure... excpet when we have a GIANT SIZED SPECIAL or some such... then it is six. Twice I've had massive, world changing games (The Death Of Dr. Destroyer & World War III) where they got 10 EXP for that adventure (if they survived it.)

 

I don't like judging "good roleplaying" or some such and rewarding it over others. This isn't competition... we are all in it together to tell fun stories. They get EXP because they participated, spent time and effort and committed to the ever evolving world. The more effort the put in, the more play time they get at the table. For us, we've come to the point where it is all about the group moving forward as a compatible set of players... and the game moving forward as a growing story/tales/legends.

 

Players tweak and mess with their characters all the time. I'm pretty lax on that, since everyone knows that if they go TOO far, we'll back up and change things as a group to make it fit better.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

I follow the book to the rules and will also give rewards for players who keep game notes and for the players who detail what there character has been up to in the last two weeks. Each time they do so, it is essentually 1 XP they earn but instead of them getting to spend it, I spend it for them. It is usually a free contact or background skill, but sometimes I'll give them it in resource points to pick something from Gadgets and Gear.

[JmOz]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

3-5 xp for my Dark Champions and Normal Champions

5-10 for my Golden Age until the characters reach 100 xp then 3-5

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

For Champs I generally give out XP per session, but if a fight/adventure piece stretches out over multiple sessions, I don't give it out until the end of the "chapter".

I generally give 1 for showing up

I give one bonus for each session in the award (so 1 session gets1).

I don't usually consider winning loosing/achieving or failing objectives - I look at roleplaying and how the wins/setbacks are handled by character - that usually warrents one or two.

And if someone comes up with a really great line, or a amazing bit of tacitcs/use of powers, or just plain boggles me*, I award an extra XP - and I award it to the group, so everyone is motivated to help everyone else out here.

 

A normal session runs 3 or so, a really exceptional one can get 6.

I award an extra 2 or 3 for the very first session in the campaign, and I give a bonus point or two when 50 XP 100XP and such are gained. Just for fun.

 

 

* Stolen from Toon, natch.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

5-10 for my Golden Age until the characters reach 100 xp then 3-5

 

That could be a useful way to let newer characters catch-up to established characters, without it being "unfair". Neat idea.

 

****************************************

 

I don't have any hard and fast system I use. It's normally 2-3 for an extensive one-shot. If it's just a short session, probably 1-2. Multi-session arcs would go higher, though due to sometimes erratic player availability, I try to avoid those. If the group learns a real tough lesson/suffers major setback, or works well together and earns a tough victory, I'll probably give more. If someone was able to add a lot to the enjoyment of everyone else, they'll probably get an extra XP.

[zornwil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

That could be a useful way to let newer characters catch-up to established characters, without it being "unfair". Neat idea.

 

****************************************

 

I don't have any hard and fast system I use. It's normally 2-3 for an extensive one-shot. If it's just a short session, probably 1-2. Multi-session arcs would go higher, though due to sometimes erratic player availability, I try to avoid those. If the group learns a real tough lesson/suffers major setback, or works well together and earns a tough victory, I'll probably give more. If someone was able to add a lot to the enjoyment of everyone else, they'll probably get an extra XP.

I double XP growth for characters who are behind significantly.

[Vondy]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

My players and I negotiate how the character will advance and how fast in a manner that satisfies us both and serves the story we are trying to tell. As a result, they don't get experience the traditional way. Instead, when its appropriate to the story, they get stuff tacked on to their character sheets. It provides an organic and controlled advancement that keeps the campaign chugging along without starting arms races or leading to "WTF!? Buys"

[zornwil]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

My players and I negotiate how the character will advance and how fast in a manner that satisfies us both and serves the story we are trying to tell. As a result' date=' they don't get experience the traditional way. Instead, when its appropriate to the story, they get stuff tacked on to their character sheets. It provides an organic and controlled advancement that keeps the campaign chugging along without starting arms races or leading to "WTF!? Buys"[/quote']

Do you do a "wish list" sort of system? This is a good point to mention that in a game I'm playing online, Bozimus, who is the GM, requests a wish list up front and that basically, along with experiences, dictates the character rewards.

 

I should add to my earlier point on this, as well, that I give characters occasionally direct rewards of skills or perks or the like depending on what happens in a campaign.

[Vondy]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

Do you do a "wish list" sort of system? This is a good point to mention that in a game I'm playing online, Bozimus, who is the GM, requests a wish list up front and that basically, along with experiences, dictates the character rewards.

 

I should add to my earlier point on this, as well, that I give characters occasionally direct rewards of skills or perks or the like depending on what happens in a campaign.

 

Pretty much. I don't "track experience" much, but I do keep track of what the player wants to do and, when its "time to grow" the character grows. I also hand out appropriate perks as a result of play.

[Troll]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

So I ran Champions last night for the first time since Fred came out and the Heros got kinda spanked (lost the fight) but kept the bad guys from getting the loot. Now I am faced with how much XP to give, back in the days of BBB 3-4 was the norm with the group I play with. I would like to know how much you guys give per game also........

 

Do you give the same to every player?

 

Do you have a flow chart type way of coming up with a number?

 

Do you give a bonus for anything?

 

Any advice on this topic would be welcome.

 

I usuall give the same amount to each player although if someone does an exceptional job of roleplaying I may slip them an extra point or two. I really don't have a flow chart for comming up with the points I give. I just use my own judgement on what I think they should receive.

 

I tend to wait quite a while before I give out experience. I usually wait until the group has earned 10-15 points of xp and then give it out all at once. This seems to work well for my group as it makes them think about how they will expend xp when they get it. This would probably drvie many players nuts having to wait 4 or 5 sessions before getting xp, so it's best to judge the temperment of your group before doing it.

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

So I ran Champions last night for the first time since Fred came out and the Heros got kinda spanked (lost the fight) but kept the bad guys from getting the loot. Now I am faced with how much XP to give, back in the days of BBB 3-4 was the norm with the group I play with. I would like to know how much you guys give per game also........

 

Do you give the same to every player?

 

Do you have a flow chart type way of coming up with a number?

 

Do you give a bonus for anything?

 

Any advice on this topic would be welcome.

 

I always give the same to every player, unless all the other players unanimously agree that someone should get a bonus for their excellent roleplaying that night, or for their amazing accomplishments gaming-wise. I know this is a unique approach that could be abused, but I tend to make sure I am GMing for fairly mature and fair-minded gamers.

 

For HERO, I would assign 3 points for a short gaming session, 5 points for a medium gaming session, and 7 points for a long gaming session. However, special sessions where something important happens or a difficult battle takes place usually get +1 or even +2.

 

Of course, I sometimes assign special XP on a case-by-case basis, as well.

[JmOz]

Re: How much XP do you give and why?

 

That could be a useful way to let newer characters catch-up to established characters, without it being "unfair". Neat idea.

 

****************************************

 

I don't have any hard and fast system I use. It's normally 2-3 for an extensive one-shot. If it's just a short session, probably 1-2. Multi-session arcs would go higher, though due to sometimes erratic player availability, I try to avoid those. If the group learns a real tough lesson/suffers major setback, or works well together and earns a tough victory, I'll probably give more. If someone was able to add a lot to the enjoyment of everyone else, they'll probably get an extra XP.

 

Never thought of it, It was actualy a way for golden age characters to develop quickly, as they tended to do in the material of the day. But you Are right, it would be a wonderful idea of getting a character up to where established is. Maybe take an average and let them build up to the average at x2 xp...