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PBP D&D Dark Calling Support & Questions - Page 19

I have never really gave out experience because if you look at the rule book they have here there is no exp given for monsters, just challenge ratings.

I have no real measure of what a monster is worth for exp. That said I tried to give level ups when I thought they were deserved considering role playing and goals achieved.

From now on I'll try and give as accurate experience awards as I can. Like I said though it is more guess work than actual mathematically determined.

As far as extra exp I think you would deserve it but I need to see were everyone is at. Lwentano probably deserves a little extra too. I was also impressed by Myranni's role playing and would like to give he a little bonus. I need to see were we are all at first though.

Edited: Oliron on 22nd Aug, 2010 - 5:51am

Questions and Support Calling Dark Dragons and Dungeons PBP

Yea the exp rewards is something they chose not to freely share,

In the book it goes by average party lvl compared to cr, while a few goblins might give a first lvl party 300, it would give a 4th prehaps 30 and an 8th none
(numbers are way off just an example of the decline)

however its hard to find the table due to copywrite laws but some people have made exp calculators and generators. I think the standard was 12.3 battles against the appropriate cr = a lvl up. But if you stick to that we are going to lvl up ever so slowly seeing as battles take longer in pbp.

I think in pbp you have to find a semi consistancy that works, pick how many even cr battles should = a lvl then work back from that awarding extra for harder and less for easier battles.

My main concern with earning that extra xp is all the time put into it and knowing I could have come in much later and still been exactly where I am thats all.

PBP D&D Dark Calling Support & Questions Archive Pathfinder / D&D

Well said testsubject1, I agree time is very important in this forum. It takes a long time to run one little encounter so having 10-13 encounters equal a lvl up is out of the question for me. I feel like I am trying to cram a whole bunch of stuff into a scene and taking shortcuts. This is not really ideal as it leads to confusion and quandaries as to why something happened completely out of scene.

So, I have been trying to make the best of it. Trying to stay in context and not force the scene or plot. Like you said you were there for a bit longer than the other guy so ya, you definitely deserve a bonus. I can see giving a +400 bonus to you. At the same time I feel like I should give Rentok a +400 bonus for good character descriptions in his role playing. Not that you haven't been role playing well also but he really got into his characters description when posting. I have a real liking to that.

In the end I think you will probably all be at lvl 3, some might be a little further along that others but plan on being a lvl 3 party.

In a way I think people might think that I am trying to catch up with KNtoran's campaign. That isn't really my goal it's just that the monsters you guys are fighting, and will be facing in the future are no push overs. You're going to need that extra umph to get through.

Originally I had made this campaign to be open for the players to go anywhere and do anything. That is still my intention for it but I led the party along a bit to set a backdrop to the land. So that when something big happens it has a purpose and makes sense to the players, and isn't just out of no where. Also it was written up for 4.0 ADnD, not 3.5, it's been a while since I played 3.5 or DM'ed a game in it no less.

Once this "big" thing occurs the players will be truly open to go anywhere and do anything but will have a sense of what they are into here. Maybe I have said too much and reading back it seems as though I am rambling. In short I hope the players feel they are given their just rewards and that the game is interesting and involving to them.

I always like to here about suggestions / ideas on improvement or ways to make the game better for the players. My credo at the beginning of my notes is, "Keep from drawing PC's into random storylines. Rather have PC's feel they can go anywhere and do anything. Don't let them feel like as if they can't go anywhere, without having to do something."

After all you are what the game is about. If the players are not enjoying the game to it's fullest something needs to be altered. Nothing is perfect but I will do what I can to get there.

Edited: Oliron on 23rd Aug, 2010 - 4:15am

Page 19 Questions and Support Calling Dark Dragons and Dungeons PBP

My only major suggestion is "Keep doing what you're doing". That and maybe some creative custom enemies.

For example, one campaign I was in once, the DM created a giant water creature that we had to fight. It was entirely untouchable though, weapons and spells went right through it. It was bigger than our boat, too, and the 6 of us had to beat it. Well, we realized what the obscure and strange clues and notes we had recently received meant. We had to talk, shout, or whatever at it while we attacked it, anything using our voices disrupted it, and allowed our weapons to hit. From there it was a simple matter of eliminating its HP bit by bit. As a liquid we could pass through it, so I actually ended up trapped inside it's hand for a few rounds, but since I could still move and even talk into it, I had a 100% chance of hitting it.

This enemy was basically unbeatable, until we pieced together the clues we had received in the proper fashion, after which it was easy to beat. That's only one way of doing things. Maybe a Shadow of the Colossus shoutout in an enemy we need to climb to defeat, or some other non-standard-combat encounters. Unique, creative, and/or custom enemies where we can be challenged as thinkers, not just as rollers.

Questions and Support Calling Dark Dragons and Dungeons PBP

Creative comabt can be difficult as clues are easy to miss then there are battles we cant win or you just have to give away the secret, but when it works well I think it can be enthralling and fun.

I think choices are always a good idea, put in as many as possible with consequences apparent.

I think people like to know when they have made the right choice and redeem themselves from the wrong ones.

Also if the experience system dosent work for you scrap it and simplify it, 1000 exp per each level, so when you reward 200 for a fair fight you know you have given everyone a fith of a level, if you reward 500 for a hard fight you gave everyone half a level.

feats are still at every third lvl and stat points at every 4.
just an idea

PBP D&D Dark Calling Support & Questions

Ah yes, the standard 100(0) exp per level, every level. Reminiscent of many different games and systems, of which Fire Emblem comes to mind to me, personally.

It makes getting started nicer and smoother, but later on it makes us grow in power rather too quickly, unless we start receiving next-to-nothing for EXP per fight. EXP and levelups are probably one of the hardest things to balance. I think the current system works fine.

As for an RP XP reward... Maybe hand 600 to Aive for his work before I joined, and chuck 400 my way for the RPing? Or some variation of that, because for sure Aive has gained more than Myrrani at this point.

Soon I must go back and copy and paste that custom spell from earlier into a wordpad file so I can reference it more easily.

PBP D&D Dark Calling Support & Questions - Page 19

It is pretty funny that you said that, I can't divulge any more information but be comforted there will be customized monsters soon enough.


Beyond that I want to ask the players to think about something that will help me and the campaign. The enemy has the ability to perform rituals for evil. I would like to allow the party to be able to possibly perform rituals for good or neutral means. Though I am not really 100% certain how this would work or go down, any ideas?

The level of the caster should hold sway for sure. The components are also important.

Edited: Oliron on 24th Aug, 2010 - 9:01am

PBP D&D Dark Calling Support & Questions D&D / Pathfinder Archive - Page 19

Well, something to draw with is a must, since you need to draw the circle and the runes. Since we're neutral or good, sacrificing sentient things is a no-go. Neutral could sacrifice animals or burn incense or herbs or something. Good would pretty much be a sacrifice of the caster's own blood, or incense or herbs.


Though I'm not sure why we'd perform a ritual, or what sort of result we would be after. I suppose it would be down the line somewhere, once we maybe discover the method to performing it, and what it requires and does. E might perform it, out of curiosity or need.