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ideasmith
2016-02-18, 07:59 PM
Goal Based Level Gain
This is an alternative to using experience points to determine level gain. It does need a certain amount of group stability, cooperation, and willingness to keep player knowledge separate from character knowledge. Players should be kept aware of goals, whether set or merely proposed, even if their characters are not.

Basic Rule
Level gain occurs when the group has set and achieved the group goal and at least half of the groups individual goals. The whole party levels up at the same time.

Setting Group Goals
Setting a group goal requires the agreement of all the players and the DM. Either a player or the DM may propose a group goal. The maximum number of group goals a party can have is equal to 5 + the sum of the party’s Charisma modifiers. The minimum is 0.

Setting Individual Goals
Setting an individual goal requires the agreement the player, the DM and any other player who might be affected by the goal. Either a player or the DM may propose an individual goal. The maximum number of individual goals a character can have is equal to 5 + Charisma modifier. The minimum is 0.

johnbragg
2016-02-18, 09:30 PM
Goal based level gain is certainly a good thing. I don't know if you need to be quite as systematic, though. After braving the hazards of the wilderness (and an encounter or two) and overcoming and eluding the foul denizens of the dungeon underneath the local ruined castle, the party rescues the captured newlywed couple and brings them back, safe, to town. Boom, level two.

The party successfully defeats Mortis the Necromancer's attempt to enslave the town, and recovers the minor McGuffin. Boom, level up.

It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

If your table wants to run that way, someone could level up when they defeat their personal nemesis or achieve whatever personal plot goal they have, while the rest of the party is XP grinding their way up.

brentcourtney
2016-02-19, 02:07 AM
Stars Without Number does XP the best way I've seen in a tabletop. You set goals and get more xp based on how difficult the goal is and how long it takes to do it. Also xp for missions.

ideasmith
2016-02-19, 09:48 PM
Goal based level gain is certainly a good thing. I don't know if you need to be quite as systematic, though. After braving the hazards of the wilderness (and an encounter or two) and overcoming and eluding the foul denizens of the dungeon underneath the local ruined castle, the party rescues the captured newlywed couple and brings them back, safe, to town. Boom, level two.

The party successfully defeats Mortis the Necromancer's attempt to enslave the town, and recovers the minor McGuffin. Boom, level up.

It doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

If your table wants to run that way, someone could level up when they defeat their personal nemesis or achieve whatever personal plot goal they have, while the rest of the party is XP grinding their way up.
That is workable, of course. And simplicity is good.
However: Communication/clarity about what the goals are is useful; encouraging party members to support each other’s goals is useful; having party members be the same level is useful. I decided that encouraging these was worth a bit of complexity.


Stars Without Number does XP the best way I've seen in a tabletop. You set goals and get more xp based on how difficult the goal is and how long it takes to do it. Also xp for missions.
Is this (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/86467/Stars-Without-Number-Free-Edition) what you are referring to? If so, then it does not, in fact say anything about xp being based on goal difficulty or time needed. It is in fact even vaguer than my system above, which also says nothing about goal difficulty. You appear to be giving the game designer credit for your GM's work.
I decided that tracking experience points was an unneeded complication.