D&D General Experience Matters - The benefits of XP

[OptionalRule]

I made a recent post summarizing the benefits of XP over Milestone in DnD I hope will be interesting. Milestone is fine, but it's become the default progression method in DnD from what I've seen. So I decided to try to put together a case for why I think it can be effective still. Right tool for the right job and all but I think it's worth reminding people this is a tool they can use. I cover how XP connects players to the game and world, effects pacing, provides a diversity of incentives, and more.

Experience Matters - The benefits of XP in 5th edition​

 

[iserith]

Players tend to do what they are incentivized to do. If the DM gives XP for combat, they players will tend to engage in combat. If the DM gives XP for staying on the plot, they'll tend to stay on the plot. If the DM gives milestone XP for achieving specific goals, then they'll tend get after those goals. (Perhaps those goals are player-generated, too.) Not every player, not every time, but the tendency is there because it is rewarded.

If the group's method for character advancement is "level up whenever the DM feels like it," which is what many people call "milestone XP" (even though it's not defined that way in the rules), what is being incentivized here? Nothing, really. Except pestering the DM periodically to level up, I suppose.

 

[James Gasik]

I generally prefer advancement granted at set intervals, but this does bring up a valid point; if what you need to do to advance isn't telegraphed, it may lead to a sense of it not being earned, or, worse, subject to the arbitrary whims of the DM (well, more arbitrary than usual, at least).

So if I continue this trend, I think, for the future, I need to let the players know exactly what they need to accomplish in order to advance.

 

[OptionalRule]

If the group's method for character advancement is "level up whenever the DM feels like it," which is what many people call "milestone XP" (even though it's not defined that way in the rules), what is being incentivized here? Nothing, really. Except pestering the DM periodically to level up, I suppose.

You hit on something unacknowledged here. Milestone is SUPPOSED to be handing out XP at particularly points, and DM levels ups a whole different thing. At least in my experience, nobody uses it like that and everyone just assumes the idea that Milestone is DM Level ups. I do in this post but it's worth noting that it's not what it's supposed to be. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

[OptionalRule]

I generally prefer advancement granted at set intervals, but this does bring up a valid point; if what you need to do to advance isn't telegraphed, it may lead to a sense of it not being earned, or, worse, subject to the arbitrary whims of the DM (well, more arbitrary than usual, at least).

So if I continue this trend, I think, for the future, I need to let the players know exactly what they need to accomplish in order to advance.

Sure. Right tool for the right job. XP works best for me with a group of friends in a longer campaign when the friends like to reminisce about their actions and the game. I use Milestone in my online games with people who just pop into play. It's not that Milestone is bad, I use it myself. I think we've kind of lost sight of the benefits of XP progression. That's just my opinion though. Thanks for your reply.

 

[James Gasik]

Sure. Right tool for the right job. XP works best for me with a group of friends in a longer campaign when the friends like to reminisce about their actions and the game. I use Milestone in my online games with people who just pop into play. It's not that Milestone is bad, I use it myself. I think we've kind of lost sight of the benefits of XP progression. That's just my opinion though. Thanks for your reply.

Right, I get what you're saying; there are advantages and disadvantages to either approach, but you are correct, if we're not using xp, we need to remember that xp is a reward for accomplishing tasks.

Milestone xp might seem like a "participation award". Everybody wins, regardless of how well you did, huzzah!

 

[Monayuris]

The main reason I prefer XP is that it is an objective measurement of my character’s progress.

I can know objectively that defeating 10 skeletons grants me X amount of XP. I can make objective choices for what I need to accomplish to advance my character.

It’s not up to the whims of the DM and it’s not up to if I role-played in-character to an arbitrarily determined expectation. XP is numbers on the sheet and acts as a kind of score sheet for how well I am playing.

That’s not to say one can’t have story based XP.

As mentioned, milestone xp is not necessarily synonymous with story based xp. You can have objective milestones that grant xp/level ups. They just need to be based on milestones that are player known and understood.

If everyone at the table knows what milestones are needed to level, they can make objective and informed choices in a manner that is possible with XP.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Why advocate for a rules system when we can use the greatest asset D&D has; the judgement of the DM?

 

[OptionalRule]

Why advocate for a rules system when we can use the greatest asset D&D has; the judgement of the DM?

If DM fiat works for you then go for it. Right tool for the right job. As to why, I literally wrote a whole article as to why.

 

[Lanefan]

The biggest thing about xp - and I mean individual xp all the way, never group xp - is that it if xp are only given to the characters who get involved in things and expose themselves to potential risk, there's a strong incentive to get involved rather than hang back. In a small party this isn't an issue, but in bigger parties it certainly can be; some characters hang back and in effect ride the coattails of those who get involved and take the risks.

So if there's a fight, say, where characters A-B-C-D did something useful (and-or were exposed to risk) while characters E-F stayed back around a corner and did nothing (or - and this sometimes happens with easy combats - the fight was over before they could get there), then sorry: no xp for E or F this time.

If one character does something while the others don't e.g. scouting ahead solo, then only that character gets xp for doing so.

And so on.

There's also a place for mission or story xp - we call this a "dungeon bonus" - with the rationale that this covers off all the trivial amounts of xp they'd each have earned during an adventure for little day-to-day things that don't otherwise get tracked. The full amount is completely DM fiat; characters only around for part of the adventure get a fraction usually based on number of days with the party.