Sure, when I was 14 I would make new characters with my friends and start them at higher levels, or reduce the XP requirement per level to level-up faster, or award additional XP generously. We were partially feeding our hunger for power-fantasy, and partially acknowledging that it was hard to experience the higher levels of the game as often as we would experience the lower levels. There was a discrepancy between the game at low levels and the game we wanted (we were not sure about it: sometimes we would just be content being adventurers seeking treasures, but often we wanted intrigue, wars, political plots, save-the-world adventures, etc.).
So, anything that worked in giving us the higher levels faster (or from the start) would work.
But besides power-fantasies, there is a more profound motivation in deciding to tinker with the XP rules. XP is the long-term reward in the game: while you play your session, you play for the thrill and excitement of that specific adventure, to explore both that slice of the world and to explore your character.
In the long term, though, XP is the reward because it is the fuel for leveling-up, and therefore changing your character. Besides giving you more power, level-up gives you more options in play. It allows you to do things you couldn't do before, face enemies you couldn't face before, go places you couldn't go to before.
It makes your character stronger, and therefore it opens new doors.
So, if XP is what you want to acquire, anything that gives you XP is good. Is good for you as a player, even though getting that XP reward might endanger your character.
XP is a bet, it is the fuel for deciding to take risks, to push forward instead of coming back to town.
In other words, whatever comes with an XP reward attached, becomes important in the game.
OSR games stress the XP-for-gold approach. You want treasure (getting rich) not really to buy a plate armor or a castle. You want treasure to get XP and therefore to level-up and go adventuring where you have not been before.
So if you attach an XP reward to treasures, your players will try to get treasures. If instead you change the rules and give 1,000 XP x HD for every monster killed, your adventures will become fierce battles.
To sum it up: give XP for things you'd like to see characters (not players) doing.
We might open an entire discussion, here, about this being "lazy" design - players will have their characters do unreasonable things just to get XP - and about the potential for bad GMs to exploit this. Perhaps I'll do it in another post.
For now, suffice to say that XP-for-gold works well for OSR when you want to play adventurers starting poor and with scarce powers, seeking to become rich. Tomb-robbers, yes. It is a good design because it doesn't say "be mean and greedy" to get XP. You don't get XP for being greedy. You get XP for treasure and this might make you greedy.
If you get XP for blood (of monsters, or perhaps of NPCs too...) you get a violent game. You don't get XP for playing a violent character... You get XP for blood, thus your character will likely be violent.
Now, let's see a few pages about this topic.
The first article, 20 Non-Gold for XP Progression Systems by Cacklecharm, presents a list of alternatives to the traditional gold-for-XP approach. Some grant XP for example for capturing elephants (number 1), or for hunting and foraging (number 4).
The first is a peculiar example, but can be translated in "mission-for-XP". There is someone (a powerful NPC, a prince) in need of something. Bring it to them, and XP is your reward. It works similarly if you're saying that elephants will be paid by the prince 300 gp each (instead of XP).
The other example is more interesting because it exemplifies better the idea of giving a different objective to the characters, a different taste to the game. You're not playing to get rich, you're starving (or your tribe or community is starving) and you play to gather food (and face, reasonably, lots of dangers in the process).
20 Non-Gold for XP Progression Systems
by Cacklecharm
[1] The prince needs elephants for his army. Adult male elephants are worth 300 XP, Female adults are worth 200 XP, and babies are worth 50 XP each. Double XP for 'unusual' elephants (pregnant, covered in tattoos, double tusks, magical, etc.) [...]
[4] Survival. Gain +1 XP per pound of monster/animal meat made into food and +25 XP per handful of edible berries and leaves picked. [...]
The same article, 20 Non-Gold for XP Progression Systems by Cacklecharm, presents also a simpler approach to level-up which does not require to count the single XP points. Level-up when you reach a major achievement or milestone: when you defeat a Count of Chaos (number 2), when an island has been mapped out and colonized (number 3), when you go down a level in the megadungeon (number 19).
[2] The Evil King has 9 evil counts, tyrannically ruling over the Kingdom; The COUNTS OF CHAOS. Defeat one to get a level up; at level 10 you can finally fight the King. Good luck.
[3] Conquistadors. Travel a tropical island archipelago and level up for each island that has been mapped out, the natives pacified, and a fort built to trade back to the glorious empire. [...]
[19] Megadungeon. Each floor = 1 level up. [...]
Additional and fancy options: your level is equal to the HD of your biggest kill (probably suitable for shorter campaigns):
[9] You're monster hunters; and you hunt something specific. Vampires, werewolves, etc. Your level is HD of your biggest kill. [...]
Or your character does not really progress, but you add powerful items to your inventory:
[11] All progression is based on equipment. You get gear which gets better as you add in powerful gems into sockets, find better base loot, add enchantments and sword oils, and so on. [...]
While the above presents a nice list of 20 mechanical alternatives, let's now be a little more inspired. Let's quote Blade Runner and Jeff Rients: "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe." / "Part of an adventurer's soul is wrapped up in the places they've been and the wonders they've beheld."
Go read the linked article then come back here.
by JEFF RIENTS
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
Time to die.
In addition to being one of the coolest lines ever to be uttered in a movie, Roy Batty's death speech at the end of Blade Runner speaks to me about the nature of adventurers. A good adventurer isn't just a corpse count and a treasure tally. Part of an adventurer's soul is wrapped up in the places they've been and the wonders they've beheld. [...]
Get out your campaign world map [...] Now imagine which of the places on the map are the coolest to visit. What places are breath-takingly beautiful? Which locations are desolate beyond imagination? What spots on the map have no mortals seen in generations? What places surge with magical energies or reek of unholiness? [...]
Take your ideas and make a list of places from most awesome to least awesome. [...] Next think about how much you want to award pure exploration in your campaign. [...]
You can also do up special rules like "dwarves earn triple XP for any ocean voyage" or "followers of St. Salamander earn 1,000xp for praying at each of his Seven Shrines". And one could establish XP awards for non-location based wonders [...]
Now to make this all work you need to keep in mind 2 important points. First, you have to share at least some items on this list with your player group. [...]
Second, when the players accomplish one of these goals, sell it. Break out that over-the-top poetic voice and use those fifty cent words. Have word get around, with peasants in the street whispering "There goes Lucas of the Amber Blade, he's the only man to ever cross the Shimmering Desert and return!" Most players eat that stuff up. [...]
More along the same lines, by HDA. The same article presents another interesting idea: make the equipment list in gold, give treasure in silver, and XP for silver. This way the characters level-up according to the treasure they find (in silver, and silver for XP) but have low buying power at the start. They remain broke and hungry, which sets the ground for great adventures.
E6: Variant Experience
by HDA
[...] XP For Exploration
- First time you enter a hex (50 xp)
- Discover a 'major' hex location (100 xp * average challenge rating of the area)
- Discover a 'minor' hex location (50 xp)
This is 'normal' experience, divided among the PCs just like treasure or monsters. [...]
[...] XP For Treasure
This is easy. Using the silver standard, 1 sp = 1 xp.
[...] NO experience awarded for magic items.
True bastard that I am, I am awarding loot & starting wealth based on a silver standard, but all items have the listed cost IN GOLD PIECES in the Pathfinder Core Rules - ie. PCs have 1/10th the buying power they should according to RAW. This way they can scoop up huge sacks of money but they're still broke and hungry for the first several levels. [...]
Do you need a little more convincing about running adventures where combat or treasure are not the main source of XP?
adventures without violence: exploration
by satyre
The idea of adventure without violence is something which may seem a bit of an oxymoron in RPGs but which in story writing is far less difficult to conceive. Imagine a game session where violence doesn't take place; where the elements and environment are adversaries rather than a bunch of mooks or minions and a big bad behind them. The extremity of a situation can be tailored by the game master to the adventurers in question. [...]
Trail-blazing would make a simple structure for an adventure; conquering a mountain may be an adventure in it's own right. Climbing steep cliffs, rock slides, avoiding avalanches or falling off and dealing with extreme environments that can be found (hypothermia, a lack of oxygen, treacherous ice) may provide plenty of challenges and entertainment. Treasure may be found in the form of mineral wealth, animal nests or even the remains of former mountaineers. [...]
This is getting very long, so let's keep the rest for another post about this subject.
Will continue here.
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