Comments on: UA: Three-Pillar Experience Breakdown

By: Alex Mitchell

Alex Mitchell — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 14:26:00 +0000

My instinct on this (without having run it), is that many DMs could use a bit more guidance in the new areas of social and exploration XP. Also, rather than define XP amounts by the importance of NPCs or relative “grandness” of items or location, etc.– why not focus on the relative challenge that they presented? It’s easy to convince a head of state to back you if they’re friendly, but much harder if they’re hostile. Likewise, why should a fortune inherited be worth more than a sack of treasure stolen in a daring heist? I’d like a more meaningful system that gives DMs clear (if necessarily subjective) guidelines to identify and quantify the relative challenge of social/combat/exploration feats of adventuring.

By: crimfan

crimfan — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 17:15:00 +0000

In reply to Dave(s) 4 Goombella. It can, though there are some notable differences. Just upgunning some lower level critters does help make them survive and be threatening enough For example, I upgunned some goblins to make them have 16 hit points, two missile attacks with a +7 bonus, magic resistance, and decent AC. They made good fight extras in a bigger fight. They were threatening enough that they'd cause a character to spend a round or two dealing with them or else suffer the missile barrage. Four of them seasoned up a fight with other bigger threats nicely.

By: Brandes Stoddard

Brandes Stoddard — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 16:40:00 +0000

In reply to Colin McLaughlin. Turns out I remembered exactly nothing about how Mass Effect 1 or 2 XP works. ;)

By: Colin McLaughlin

Colin McLaughlin — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 16:30:00 +0000

It tickles me the models for xp are basically Mass Effect 1 vs. Mass Effect 2 🙂

By: Dave(s) 4 Goombella

Dave(s) 4 Goombella — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 14:25:00 +0000

In reply to crimfan. And when you hit the higher tiers of play, the game should feel a bit different too. If you just upscale the enemy's stats, then level 15 ends up feeling exactly the same as level 5. Just as higher-level players should get new abilities (via level advancement or magic items) with more colour than a mere numerical boost, so should higher-level enemies provide new and unique challenges.

By: crimfan

crimfan — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 12:45:00 +0000

But then, 5e’s publication history three years in shows a real disinterest in top-tier play.
Ain’t that the truth. The lack of support really makes it a challenge for the DM at high levels.

By: Dave(s) 4 Goombella

Dave(s) 4 Goombella — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:50:00 +0000

I agree that this system works best for sandbox play, especially in campaigns which aren’t combat-heavy. In a campaign with clear goals and sub-goals, the milestone system works perfectly fine. In a combat-heavy campaign, the traditional “kill factor” model is fine.

By: Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 06:17:00 +0000

I’m intrigued because it looks tailor-made for exactly the sort of campaigns I run. Because of that, I don’t think I’d face quite as much slow-down at higher levels than others might. Then again, I might see big jumps at lower levels because I love it when the PCs sit down for tea with dragons and demi-gods.