Experience as Motivation: Some Alternatives
"Old School" play often has some element of XP for treasure. This is useful because it puts the reward for combating adversity beyond the adversity, rather than along a particular route past it, so players may progress in a variety of ways. Adventurers can sneak past the goblins to grab the gold and thus glean as much XP as could have been gotten cruelly murdering the poor things.
But, this also tends to turn PCs into greedy grave robbers. Not always, but, often.
I think milestone XP, which is to say, basically just arbitrarily deciding when leveling up has been earned, is totally fine in some circumstances. It makes sense in more modern "story game" style play, where the players are more in control of the arc of their characters. You might even discuss with your players when you think they've earned it, how they're feeling about it. You might find that some players even say, "yeah, I'm excited to level up, but I don't think we're quite there, yet."
On the other hand, though, I do agree with Courtney Campbell, linked above:
You may not be running a game with a scoring mechanic--
--but if you are, here are some similar, but alternate macguffins for XP, to replace gold as the means to further skill and power. You can use this as a way to steer PCs in a different direction, or, better yet, ask your players ahead of time about what they'd like their PCs to be motivated by, so they can have a mechanical reward for it that motivates their characters and them.
Many of these options may seems a bit more abstract, but if you do the work ahead of time deciding what new locations, pieces of information, or faction reputation can translate to XP, it should be as easy as gold. You just have to seed the XP sources like you would treasure, or make a table of potential rewards.
The questions in parenthesis can be used to prompt the creation of characters with these motives.
(Are they looking for answers? Does knowledge make them feel safe? Or are they just curious?)
This pairs well with Sly Flourish's secrets prep tool.
(Are they trying to find someplace specific? Are they running from something? Someone?)
If you're running a point based faction rep tracking system, you might make gained reputation with a particular faction equate to XP, or, you may treat any gained reputation as XP. Additionally, you may reward PCs whenever they do anything that makes them more favorable in the public eye, or political sphere. For example retrieving an object of religious importance to a village, or saving a noble's son from basilisks. This ties the PCs deeply into the politics of the world.
(Do they need the approval of others to feel valued? Do they feel some sense of responsibility for their abilities?)
For Evil campaigns, you might measure how the PCs are reviled, instead. Which works the same. It's just reducing hate to a number, instead of love.
(Is there something about this world they want to change? Do they want to be remembered? Or do they simply want to feel in control?)
Too many of these secondary sources, however, and it overcomplicates things. Get your group to specify exactly what kind of power they want, and limit XP to two sources, agreed upon before the game begins. Like say defeating monsters and rivals, for a group of warriors, or sneaking past enemies and succeeding skill checks, for a group of thieves.
Any of the above might be combined with each other, and with gold for XP, to further tailor the experience.
A party might easily want power, and renown for that power. They might want to learn about the world, and explore new places in it. They might want to discover new places in the world, and be revered for it.
Just be careful not to stack too many XP sources on top of each other into one location or action so as to avoid over-accelerated leveling. If one location/action/set of objects has multiple XP triggers tied to it, consider giving out 1.5 times the amount you'd give for the first motive. You might also make one source secondary, and always halve it, like the relationship between gold XP and monster XP in OD&D.
Experience amounts for given objects and abstract acquisitions can be compared to the standard combat-XP payouts or gold amounts in hordes at various levels in the system you're using. Or, just do the math. Figure out the average number of these XP sources you anticipate the party will hit each session, then multiply that number by the rough number of sessions you'd like a level up to take. That's how many of these XP makers they need at a level. Things might feel a bit slow or a bit fast, but that's always the case, and the players will know what lets them level up.
In future posts I might outline some specific reward system hacks for some of the above. System neutral hopefully, but likely with something of a 5e leaning, as that's the system I have most experience with.
But, this also tends to turn PCs into greedy grave robbers. Not always, but, often.
I think milestone XP, which is to say, basically just arbitrarily deciding when leveling up has been earned, is totally fine in some circumstances. It makes sense in more modern "story game" style play, where the players are more in control of the arc of their characters. You might even discuss with your players when you think they've earned it, how they're feeling about it. You might find that some players even say, "yeah, I'm excited to level up, but I don't think we're quite there, yet."
On the other hand, though, I do agree with Courtney Campbell, linked above:
"Whatever you attach your scoring system/advancement mechanic to is what players will desire to accomplish"
You may not be running a game with a scoring mechanic--
--but if you are, here are some similar, but alternate macguffins for XP, to replace gold as the means to further skill and power. You can use this as a way to steer PCs in a different direction, or, better yet, ask your players ahead of time about what they'd like their PCs to be motivated by, so they can have a mechanical reward for it that motivates their characters and them.
Many of these options may seems a bit more abstract, but if you do the work ahead of time deciding what new locations, pieces of information, or faction reputation can translate to XP, it should be as easy as gold. You just have to seed the XP sources like you would treasure, or make a table of potential rewards.
The questions in parenthesis can be used to prompt the creation of characters with these motives.
-- -- --
Knowledge--> Curiosity.
This can either be in concrete form, with a party searching for books or artifacts, or something more abstract, like learning new things about the occult, or anything new PCs new to the land they're in learn about the place. This makes the PCs scholars and thinkers.(Are they looking for answers? Does knowledge make them feel safe? Or are they just curious?)
This pairs well with Sly Flourish's secrets prep tool.
 |
| Imagine your group of intrepid adventurers, gaining in skill as they gain understanding through forgotten texts and ancient murals. |
Discovery--> Wanderlust.
A more specific curiosity. Visiting a village for the first time, a new biome or distinct area of land, finding a dungeon or new section of megadungeon might all reward XP. This turns the PCs into nomads and wanderers, delvers and charters.(Are they trying to find someplace specific? Are they running from something? Someone?)
Renown--> Virtue.
That is, whatever your allegiances/culture says is virtuous
If you're running a point based faction rep tracking system, you might make gained reputation with a particular faction equate to XP, or, you may treat any gained reputation as XP. Additionally, you may reward PCs whenever they do anything that makes them more favorable in the public eye, or political sphere. For example retrieving an object of religious importance to a village, or saving a noble's son from basilisks. This ties the PCs deeply into the politics of the world.
(Do they need the approval of others to feel valued? Do they feel some sense of responsibility for their abilities?)
For Evil campaigns, you might measure how the PCs are reviled, instead. Which works the same. It's just reducing hate to a number, instead of love.
Power Itself--> Various.
Some become adventurers simply for the chance to attain influence over the world. XP here would look most like typical 5th edition rewards--XP for combat, and for overcoming challenges. But, you can designate additional XP rewards to encourage more varied choices. An enemy that would have attacked the party, dealt with in any way, confers full combat XP. Skill challenges or even open ended puzzle type challenges might also offer XP. You could give the party rivals, friendly or unfriendly, and besting them in some fashion, or even simply challenging them to some test of skill, might offer XP! This makes the PCs glory seekers, or those obsessively honing their craft, those who wish to leave a mark upon the world.(Is there something about this world they want to change? Do they want to be remembered? Or do they simply want to feel in control?)
Too many of these secondary sources, however, and it overcomplicates things. Get your group to specify exactly what kind of power they want, and limit XP to two sources, agreed upon before the game begins. Like say defeating monsters and rivals, for a group of warriors, or sneaking past enemies and succeeding skill checks, for a group of thieves.
-- -- --
Any of the above might be combined with each other, and with gold for XP, to further tailor the experience.
A party might easily want power, and renown for that power. They might want to learn about the world, and explore new places in it. They might want to discover new places in the world, and be revered for it.
Just be careful not to stack too many XP sources on top of each other into one location or action so as to avoid over-accelerated leveling. If one location/action/set of objects has multiple XP triggers tied to it, consider giving out 1.5 times the amount you'd give for the first motive. You might also make one source secondary, and always halve it, like the relationship between gold XP and monster XP in OD&D.
Experience amounts for given objects and abstract acquisitions can be compared to the standard combat-XP payouts or gold amounts in hordes at various levels in the system you're using. Or, just do the math. Figure out the average number of these XP sources you anticipate the party will hit each session, then multiply that number by the rough number of sessions you'd like a level up to take. That's how many of these XP makers they need at a level. Things might feel a bit slow or a bit fast, but that's always the case, and the players will know what lets them level up.
In future posts I might outline some specific reward system hacks for some of the above. System neutral hopefully, but likely with something of a 5e leaning, as that's the system I have most experience with.
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