The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

Role-Playing and Other Games => Ghosts of the Past Game => Topic started by: Bynw on July 06, 2018, 02:22:03 PM

Title: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on July 06, 2018, 02:22:03 PM
In the original version of Tiny Dungeon, which is the ruleset we use in this game, it didn't have any way to gain experience or advance your characters beyond the initial Traits.

So I incorporated some advancement rules that another homebrewed Tiny Dungeon campaign used. That was the fail 6 times and succeed 6 times before you get a new Trait.

I also incorporated Hero Points, which are used in a lot of RPGs under various names, to help fight back against the "Torenthi dice rolls."

However there is a revised edition of Tiny Dungeons out now. And it does have official advancement rules. Using the age old (in RPGs) rules of Experience Points. I am going to have us adapt to the official system which wasn't that far off from what we were using with the Hero Points actually. And I'm going to incorporate some of our Hero Point rules into the Experience Point system.

So that means. Hero Points are no more. No one has any, no one gets any. They simply no longer exist. However everyone does have Experience Points now instead. And everyone will be getting more Experience Points in the future too.

The cost for things in Experience Points is a little higher than what we had in Hero Points but everyone will have more Experience Points anyway.

Here is the new break down:

HOUSE RULES
2 Experience Points = Add 1 die to Initiative Tests. If the character already has Advantage, they do gain a 4th die but only the top 3 dice are used to determine Initiative.

3 Experience Points = This lowers the Test success threshold by 1 point. Thus instead of succeeding on a 5 or 6, you can succeed on a 4, 5, or 6. as an example. You may spend up to 6 Experience Points thus dropping the Test success threshold by 2 points. *NOTE* the success number cannot be lower than 3. If by spending Experience Points in this manner would lower the threshold to less than 3, then excess becomes extra dice. Example. If your Test would normally succeed on a 4 or higher and you spend 6 Experience Points it would drop it only to 3 and you would get 1 extra die to roll.

3 Experience Points = Once per combat, you can declare that the wound suffered was superficial and remove 1 hit point of damage.

4 Experience Points = Make a small change to their location (finding an unlocked window, finding something to help the current situation that would be reasonably available.)

OFFICIAL RULES
6 Experience Points = Increase your Hit Points by +1 or Movement by +5 feet

8 Experience Points = A new Proficient or Mastered Weapon

10 Experience Points = A new Trait, GM's permission on some Traits is required

EARNING MORE EXPERIENCE POINTS
In a face to face game, I would hand out Experience Points at the end of every session. Since we have a play-by-post game, it is difficult to know when a session would begin and end. So I am open to suggestions on this part. I am still thinking of the best way to do award Experience Points in this type of gaming.

If we make a session being Monday to Sunday. That could work out too and just use the regular rules for awarding XP by the session. Most game sessions are once a week or so unless you are diehard and game every day. Not that I would know anyone like that ...

So the official rules are:

Experience Points
At the end of every session, the GM will award experience.
For the GM: Players should receive 1-3 experience per session, awarded to "the group as a whole," meaning everyone in the group gets the same amount of experience for their individual character.
Experience is generally awarded as follows:
• 1 for the group as a whole for good roleplay.
• 1 for the group as a whole for defeating enemies (not per enemy, just if they defeated any enemies).
• 1 for the group as a whole for advancing the plot and their goals.
• 1 for the group as a whole if players contributed to the out of game enjoyment of the session (snacks, music, carpooling, hosting at their home).

Naturally we can't use the last one since we are all playing from different locations and some of them are a bit far apart from each other. But we could add:
• 1 for the group as a whole for surviving.
• 1 for individual players as the GM feels like giving out on his whim.
• 1 for one individual player from a random (chosen by the GM) player as they see fit to give but they can't give it to themselves.

Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on July 07, 2018, 10:48:16 AM

We are going to go ahead and consider our game session to be weekly. So on Sunday's I will give out the earned XP for the group. It will be announced in chat and posted to the forum as well. Either in this thread or a new one that will be created for it.

The amount will vary from week to week. It will never be less than 1 XP unless there are no posts at all for an entire week. I will give out the XP that the entire group gets. Everyone will get the same amount, it's not split or anything.

If I give out any additional XP it maybe awarded to the group has a whole or it maybe awarded to an inividual player.

There is also going to be a peer XP award. It will work like this:
During the Sunday chat, I will roll 2d6 and consult a table that I've thrown together. All 4 players are on this table 8 times. with 4 "special" results.

The special results are as follows:
No bonus peer XP award, that is if the dice come up as 1,1.
No bounus peer XP award, but everyone gets DOUBLE the group award, that is if the dice come up as 6,6.
There are 2 spots on the table that will allow everyone to give a peer award, otherwise it will just be one random player.

The random player gets to give 1 XP to any other player of their choice if they are selected in the roll. Or the random player can decided to not give it away, but they can't keep it themselves. It will be lost. The random player can give the XP award to anyone they want for any reason they want or no reason at all. It can be random too.

I've attached my random table :)
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: revanne on July 09, 2018, 02:20:02 PM
Will it be possible for members to give experience points to another member of the team? I'm thinking of situations where a team member might draw energy or expertise from another team member. As an example Aliset goes into a trance to try and contact Washburn; having entered into rapport with Darcy and Columcil she draw energy from them enabling to reach further and deeper and prolong the contact. Is it possible for all team members involved to use up an XP to make this contact more likely, obviously by prior consent, or can XPs only be used on a team member's turn?
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on July 09, 2018, 02:39:34 PM
that's a good question. let me look it over for a bit.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Laurna on July 09, 2018, 03:09:37 PM
Like if it takes three XP to lower the test by one point and three player characters join in Rapport to make that test, then One point from each player character.
I like that.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on July 09, 2018, 07:05:11 PM
OK, it is just part of that Deryni ability of energy augmentation. But here are some rules to follow when doing this kind of action.

This is for Player Characters only. This makes it not possible to say "Hey, I have my squire so I'm going to use some of his XP to do my thing." If there is energy being used between a PC and NPC, all of the energy has to come from the PC.

Make sure you have permission before using another Player's XP, it wouldn't be fair to wake up in the morning and find your XP has dropped sharply while you slept from another persons actions.

You can't take another PC's XP to 0. If all they have is 1 XP, then you cant borrow any from them.

Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Laurna on July 09, 2018, 10:09:44 PM
Just remember that the normal sharing of energy during Rapport, is Not the same thing as using and sharing XP's. We are not counting energy used.nWe do not have a fatigue counter or a mana counter.  XP's are for increasing your odds with the dice to succeed when you really really need to succeed.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: revanne on July 10, 2018, 04:24:39 AM
That all makes sense Bynw.

Laurna, I was thinking of extraordinary workings such as when Duncan used Morgan's energy to search for Dhugal abd Kelson. Or as Kelson tried to do with Dhugal to contact Morgan in TBH, although that didn't quite work out.
My thought was there may be an occasion when two or more of the playing team want to work together to maximize their chance of succeeding. ( If it comes to a duel with Valerian for example!!). 
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on October 27, 2018, 08:01:14 PM
UPDATE AND CHANGES TO THE XP AWARDS WE ARE USING


Group XP Awards

1 XP if there are any posts for the game week (session)

1 XP for good role playing or storytelling for the game week (session)


Individual XP Awards

1 XP if there is a post by the player for their character (limited to 1 XP no matter the total number of posts)

1 XP for every critical failure roll made with at least 2 dice

1 XP for every critical success roll made with at least 2 dice


GM Bonus XP Awards

The GM may give out bonus XP awards for the Group and/or for Individuals as they see fit.


Peer XP Awards

At the end of every week (session) the players may award each other XP. Every player is allowed to give 1 XP to any player of their choice (but not themselves) or they can choose not to give any at all. It is permitted that multiple players may award the same player with this peer XP award.


New players do not participate in the receiving or awarding of any XP until they make their introductory post.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on December 10, 2018, 05:01:29 PM
For 10 XP ... a player can buy a "Just Fudge it" Card from the GM. This allows you to change the result of any single Test of your choice. It doesn't have to be the next Test or anything like. Kinda like the Monopoly "Get out of Jail Free" card.

You can only have 1 of these at a time
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Jerusha on December 10, 2018, 06:22:34 PM
Oh dear, Bynw.  What are you plotting that we need "Just Fudge It" cards for?

Darcy hones the edge of his sword.  Just because....
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on December 10, 2018, 07:48:22 PM
I'm just giving options to take away that XP and give you good stuff in exchange
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Jerusha on December 10, 2018, 08:09:55 PM
Good stuff is good.  :)
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Laurna on December 10, 2018, 09:29:52 PM
A "just fudge it card" would be good. Need to be judicious with Washburn's XP. He can go through them really fast. Burning up 18 XP in one fight/escape is not unknown to him. I will give it some serious consideration.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: revanne on December 11, 2018, 01:22:53 AM
Columcil prepares his vial of holy water in case all is not what it seems...
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on June 09, 2019, 04:07:51 PM
These revised XP rules will go into effect on Sunday, July 7th.

Some of them are already in effect and just being codified here so they are all in one place instead of strung out acrossed mutiple posts and private messages. These changes are being made due to the nature of a "play by post" game style vs the live game styles of chat room or face 2 face gaming.

EARNING XP

Individual XP awards are the primary away a player will gain XP for their character.

1 XP awarded if a post is about the player's character. The post must have that character as it's "star". This determination is made at the sole opinion of the GM.

1 XP awarded if the dice indicate a critical success -- double or triple 6's -- on any unmodified Test made for the character by their player.

1 XP awarded if the dice indicate a critical failure -- double or triple 1st -- on any unmodified Test made for the character by their player.

1 XP awarded for any post that is written that advances the game in some way. This determination is made at the sole opinion of the GM. This is a good way to get XP for a post that is not about your character and about what the NPCs are all doing if your character is not currently part of the action.

0 XP or more as a bonus awarded by the GM for whatever reason the GM wishes to give out that award.

Peer XP awards are given player to player. After each weekly session the players can give out 1 XP award to any other player of their choice. This is not required however and if a player chooses not to give out an award that is OK. The player cannot give themselves an award and cannot save them from session to session to give out more.

Group XP awards are for the entire player group. All the players receive the same amount of award.

1 XP awarded to the entire group once a month, on the first Sunday of the month, if all the players made at least 1 post in the past month.

0 XP or more as a bonus awarded by the GM for whatever reason the GM wishes to give out that award to the group.

SPENDING XP

This is the reason why a player and their character get XP. To spend it, it is the currancy of how the game works in the background.

Outside of the game, XP can be used for:

6 XP can be spent to increase a character's hit points by 1, there is no limit to the maximum number of hit points a character can have. The more hit points a character has, the harder they are to kill.

6 XP can be spent to increase a character's move by 5 feet. The starting move is 25 feet. This cannot be more than 50 feet.

8 XP can be spent to gain a new weapon proficiency group. There are only 3 weapon proficiency groups available. Light Melee, Heavy Melee, and Ranged.

8 XP can be spent to gain a new weapon mastery. This is what gives Advantage when using a weapon. This is for individual weapons.

10 or more XP can be spent to gain a new Trait. For a character's 5th through 8th Traits, the cost is 10 XP. If a player wants a new Trait and their character already has 8 Traits there are 2 options available.

10 or more XP can be spent to get a "Just Fudge It" card. This card allows a player to change any unmodified Trait roll made by the player for their character to whatever they want the result to become. Generally giving them some kind of automatic success. A player can only have one JFI card at a time.
The cost for this card starts at 10 XP and goes up by 10 XP after any card is used.
For example, 3 out of 5 players have a JFI card, each cost the individual players 10 XP to acquire it. If player 1 uses their JFI card, the next card purchased by any player will cost 20 XP, even if this is their first JFI card.

During the game, XP can be used for:

2 XP can be spent to add 1 die to Initiative Tests. If the character already has Advantage for Initiative, then they gain a 4th die but only the top 3 dice are used to determine Initiative.

3 XP can be spent to lower the Test success threshold by 1 point. Thus instead of succeeding on a 5 or 6, you can succeed on a 4, 5, or 6. as an example. You may spend up to 6 XP thus dropping the Test success threshold by 2 points. *NOTE* the success number cannot be lower than 3. If by spending XP in this manner would lower the threshold to less than 3, then excess becomes extra dice. Example. If your Test would normally succeed on a 4 or higher and you spend 6 XP it would drop it only to 3 and you would get 1 extra die to roll.

3 XP can be spent, once per combat, you can declare that the wound suffered was superficial and remove 1 hit point of damage.

4 XP can be spent to make a small change to their location (finding an unlocked window, finding something to help the current situation that would be reasonably available.)

Although having a large pool of XP available, is good for use during the game. It is ultimately just a roadblock to a character's development. Spending XP is what advances a Character's abilities.


EDIT: adding Just Fudge It card details above, in red text.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Laurna on June 09, 2019, 04:17:13 PM
This is great all in one place, thank you Bynw
Please add the rules for the Just fudge it card to the outside gaming section.
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on June 09, 2019, 04:21:36 PM
Quote from: Laurna on June 09, 2019, 04:17:13 PM
This is great all in one place, thank you Bynw
Please add the rules for the Just fudge it card to the outside gaming section.


I just edited the post for the JFI cards
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Laurna on March 10, 2020, 10:26:40 PM
Please remind me of the house rules for the Just Fudge it cards.
If I use my card I get a sucessful roll with out rolling, Yes?  Can this be used to replace a failed roll or do I need to use the card instead of making a roll?
If I use my card, is that they only one  I will get, Or is there a change I could purchase another card in the future.
Thank you
Title: Re: Experience Points (XP)
Post by: Bynw on March 11, 2020, 08:28:52 AM
Quote from: Laurna on March 10, 2020, 10:26:40 PM
Please remind me of the house rules for the Just Fudge it cards.
If I use my card I get a successful roll with out rolling, Yes?  Can this be used to replace a failed roll or do I need to use the card instead of making a roll?
If I use my card, is that they only one  I will get, Or is there a change I could purchase another card in the future.
Thank you

Using the card you get to PICK that the die/dice rolls are. You have to use it before you "roll" but instead of rolling you just play the JFI card and say I rolled whatever you want the die or dice to be. It doesn't give extra dice. If you have disadvantage you still have disadvantage and only get to choose the result for 1 die.

So in the game post. You would just indicate you are using the Just Fudge It card. And say you rolled whatever number on each die allowed. Most of the time you are going to pick 6 for the heck of it. At least I would if I had such a card.

Once used its burned and gone. The next one will cost 20 XP to acquire no matter WHO buys it. Currently everyone has one of these card. If someone else uses their 1st card and you have your 2nd card and havent used it yet. The 3rd card will cost 30 XP no matter who buys it even if its only their 2nd card. These give such a powerful bonus it gets harder to do every time.