Adopting AD&D XP Charts to 5e

Rincewind1 · July 04, 2014, 03:10:47 PM

So, me and The Dungeon Delver had a brief exchange with e mails, during which, amongst things, we talked about adopting XP charts to 5e.

So here are my thoughts on the subjects so far:

I like the idea, but I think it should be done wit hsome changes.

1) Check for balance between the classes, and adjust the XP charts.

2) Make Paladins & Rangers easier to level - they are so much beyond Cleric, a class that I think is more powerful than them in pure mechanics at least - it's worth to make life a bit easier for those two guys.

3) Perhaps adjust Wizard's XP rates as well, to make wizards a bit slower, esp if you keep the cantripfest.

Marleycat · July 04, 2014, 03:22:03 PM

I would suggest using a slow overall progression before altering the charts because the game uses far different balance mechanism then 0-2e. And Paladins and Rangers are quite different then other iterations. Anyway look forward to seeing what you come up with.

One Horse Town · July 04, 2014, 03:27:34 PM

You don't need different xp charts for each class.

All you need is an xp multiplier that you apply to the xps that you gain.

So, take the Fighter as the base - multiplier 1.0

Maybe the Rogue is 0.9, the Cleric 0.8, M.U 0.8 and Paladin 0.85.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Rincewind1 · July 04, 2014, 03:35:12 PM

Quote from: One Horse Town;764532You don't need different xp charts for each class.

All you need is an xp multiplier that you apply to the xps that you gain.

So, take the Fighter as the base - multiplier 1.0

Maybe the Rogue is 0.9, the Cleric 0.8, M.U 0.8 and Paladin 0.85.

Anyway, you get the idea.

Interesting idea, though why'd Rogue be 0.9? I thought of them rather getting a little leg ahead.

One Horse Town · July 04, 2014, 03:40:06 PM

Quote from: Rincewind1;764538Interesting idea, though why'd Rogue be 0.9? I thought of them rather getting a little leg ahead.

I was just pulling stuff out my arse, mate.

Depends on what your own opinion is on the classes relative power levels.

LordVreeg · July 04, 2014, 07:16:10 PM

Quote from: One Horse Town;764532You don't need different xp charts for each class.

All you need is an xp multiplier that you apply to the xps that you gain.

So, take the Fighter as the base - multiplier 1.0

Maybe the Rogue is 0.9, the Cleric 0.8, M.U 0.8 and Paladin 0.85.

Anyway, you get the idea.

I like Experience Modifiers.

I used them. even in my class based games, also for races that went beyond the limit, and other verbottenn options. I rarely said no, just that there were EXP modifiers,
Then, later, that became one of the ideas for my whole system

thedungeondelver · July 05, 2014, 02:06:36 AM

I have yet to see which way the tide will go; will I graft lots of 5e into AD&D or lots of AD&D into 5e. Anyway I will play "vanilla" basic first but I have always liked separate XP charts, and would put them in (5e or whatever) regardless.

Marleycat · July 05, 2014, 02:22:34 AM

Quote from: thedungeondelver;764737I have yet to see which way the tide will go; will I graft lots of 5e into AD&D or lots of AD&D into 5e. Anyway I will play "vanilla" basic first but I have always liked separate XP charts, and would put them in (5e or whatever) regardless.

Don't get me wrong I prefer seperate experience charts but for 5e I just don't see the reason given everything is unified far more then 3/4e.

Omega · July 05, 2014, 05:14:44 AM

Id go with a unified chart. The classes now are not so oddly balanced as they were in AD&D or 2nd.

The thief has lost alot of their uniqueness, bringing them down a bit and mages also are different here.

The simplest solution seems to be to just multiply the values by 5 or 10.

Keep in mind that the XP values for encounters is different, sometimes very different.

Quick example. Hobgoblins are now 100 xp. Four times what they were in AD&D.

Exploderwizard · July 05, 2014, 08:24:19 AM

I wouldn't change the requirements between classes until seeing them in play. If the classes actually feel more or less on par during play then a unified XP chart makes sense.

The overall requirements per level of such a chart can be raised to adjust advancement pace pretty easily though.

Some ideas I'm playing with:

1) Keep the XP chart exactly as written.

2) Adopt a silver standard. All GP prices become SP and gold becomes more valuable.

3) Divide monster XP awards by 20. A hobgoblin is worth 5 XP.

4) Award 1 XP per GP of treasure recovered. Actual gold will be rare at low levels making decent sized treasure piles possible without too much XP awarded.