Crafting without XP costs

[Greyfeld85]

So, I'm DMing my first game (this is a PBP game), and it's been going on for almost 3 months. I decided from the start that I was just going to level them up at pre-determined plot points in the game instead of ******* around with experience points, so I would have an easier handle of the power curve.

Having just gotten their first level-up, one of the players is talking about taking a crafting feat next level. And now I'm realizing that without experience points, I'm not sure how I'm going to handle the crafting feats.

So, I have to ask, does anybody else have any house rules or suggestions to allow my players to craft without having to worry about the XP costs in doing so?

I imagine this sort of situation will probably also come up when they start learning spells that have an XP cost attached to them.

[VGLordR2]

Generally, one point of XP is equal to five gold pieces.

[Griffith!]

I usually either waive the xp cost, or have them pay a portion of the xp in extra gold. Once or twice, I've had them sacrifice monsters (or dedicate kills, if it makes you more comfortable) toward the xp cost.

But mechanically, I don't have any solutions for you. DM fiat isn't a huge help, I know. Sorry I can't be more useful.

[tyckspoon]

Ignore it. *shrug* The gold and time costs tend to be much more relevant factors to how much somebody can craft; if you're making items you can afford in cash, you can generally handwave off the XP without major impact. For spells with XP costs, tho, you'll want an alternate cost- using things like Limited Wish and Psychic Reformation without the xp charges is a non-trivial boost. Either convert the XP costs to a gold cost (1:5 is the typical ratio) or institute a drain system of some kind- perhaps such spells cause Ability Burn as detailed in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, or maybe every increment of Y XP spent on a spell inflicts the caster with a non-removeable negative level for a period of time.

[Deadlights]

This is a very common rule as far as I've seen. I've yet to play a game with any GM that has enforced the XP cost rule for anything. It's a common enough house rule that Pathfinder uses it by default. There are some spells that would probably require a gold component instead (permanency for one), but most people seem to agree that brewing a potion should not make someone less experienced.

[Greyfeld85]

Thanks guys. I think I'm going to go with the XP to GP conversion. It seems like a simple solution.