Xp costs

[Half-orc Bard]

I noticed a problem for spellcasters in that they get some cool spells like awaken, but then they level up later which for full casters is very bad. I'm wondering how other people's games give XP for magic items and spells.

[Cog]

I noticed a problem for spellcasters in that they get some cool spells like awaken, but then they level up later which for full casters is very bad.
The versatility and power of casters means they can pretty easily afford to be a level behind some of the time. Combine that with faster XP earning while they're behind, and it becomes pretty irrelevant quickly.

[Half-orc Bard]

Wouldnt the extra XP go to the entire Party

[SuperFish]

No, because when they're at a lower level, they get more XP simply for being a low level.

It can get annoying, sometimes, when a lower leveled character gets more XP than the higher leveled character to the point that the lower leveled character ends up with more XP!

[Cog]

Given a CR 6 monster, a level 5 character supposedly has a harder time facing it than a level 6 character. The XP tables then give the level 5 character a bigger XP reward for contributing to that fight to account for it.

[The Boz]

Given a CR 6 monster, a level 5 character supposedly has a harder time facing it than a level 6 character. The XP tables then give the level 5 character a bigger XP reward for contributing to that fight to account for it.

Which is, IMO, retarded. Isn't that the whole point of the ever increasing XP requirement for next level?

[Cog]

Which is, IMO, retarded. Isn't that the whole point of the ever increasing XP requirement for next level?
That difference alone would make it harder for the lower-level character to catch up. They would overlap briefly, and then fall behind once again.

[The Boz]

So the XP cost would actually become meaningful? Oh no! God forbid Wizards have to USE RESOURCES!

[Jack_Simth]

So the XP cost would actually become meaningful? Oh no! God forbid Wizards have to USE RESOURCES!
It's a game-theory balancing act at present in 3.5. With bigger XP rewards for the lower-level characters, it'll be fairly rare for someone to be behind a level for more than a session - be that due to XP lost from the stronger spells, XP lost to item crafting, or XP lost to death. However, the XP cost for the stronger spells is still a drain on resources - the Sorcerer-18 can't spam Wish every fight, the Wizard-11 is going to consider carefully before he casts Permanency to keep his Arcane Sight up full time, and so on.

Without a catch-up mechanism of some type, losing a level is an unrecoverable loss. The meatshield who loses a level to death (or level-drain, or XP-spells, or crafting) is permanently behind. If the DM isn't very, very skilled, you'll end up with a spiral - the meatshield is more likely to get killed again if faced with things that can challenge the other party members (reduced HP, saves, offensive ability, and defensive ability). If the DM sends things that are a challenge appropriate to the level of the meatshield, then the rest of the party will be much more readily able to kill it. The first causes an ever-widening gap in power, which is no fun for the meatshield player. The second limits the DM to sending stuff that the rest of the party is likely to burn down with ease. Neither is a solution. Meatshield, here, is just a token - it applies with any character class. It's just more likely to happen with meatshield-classes.

Hence, the catch-up mechanism inherent to 3.5. Is it perfect? No. Does it do it's intended job? Mostly.

[myancey]

Yeah, I've actually enjoyed the XP system in 3.5. My next campaign I'm going to offer individual XP...to a point. I won't let players get more than one level ahead of the group average though.

If you're evil, I believe there are variant rules in BoVD on sacrificing for XP (for item creation)...but I don't have my books with me.

I'm considering on trying the "fast" xp chart from Pathfinder so players level more slowly...but by a single encounter or so.

[Jack_Simth]

If you're evil, I believe there are variant rules in BoVD on sacrificing for XP (for item creation)...but I don't have my books with me.Don't forget Liquid Pain (Book of Vile Darkness), and Liquid Joy (Book of Exalted Deeds). Functionally identical, for the most part, just different sources.
I'm considering on trying the "fast" xp chart from Pathfinder so players level more slowly...but by a single encounter or so.Warning: Treasure will likely need to be adjusted slightly as well.

[HalfDragonCube]

Sacrifice stuff for dark craft xp. If you're evil, it's the answer to everything.

[Divide by Zero]

Sacrifice stuff for dark craft xp. If you're evil, it's the answer to everything.

Sacrificing minions: is there any problem it can't solve?

[sreservoir]

Sacrificing minions: is there any problem it can't solve?

lack of minions?

[HalfDragonCube]

lack of minions?

Not even that, because you can wish for more minions.

[Divide by Zero]

lack of minions?

But, you see, sacrificing minions requires that you have minions in the first place, so you don't even need to sacrifice them to solve that problem.

[HalfDragonCube]

'Sacrificing minions and/or random helpless commoners commoners: is there any problem it can't solve?'

[Cog]

'Sacrificing minions and/or random helpless commoners commoners: is there any problem it can't solve?'
A shortage of minions and/or helpless commoners available for sacrifice.

I know somebody's going to point out a way to use those few remaining minions/commoners to get more. I'll answer now: if you have enough to pull whatever trick that was off, you didn't have a shortage in the first place...

[HalfDragonCube]

A shortage of minions and/or helpless commoners available for sacrifice.

I know somebody's going to point out a way to use those few remaining minions/commoners to get more. I'll answer now: if you have enough to pull whatever trick that was off, you didn't have a shortage in the first place...

You only need one person to kill, and most parties have lots of choice.