I'm thinking of running a long campaign based upon 4 university students at a german elite university. Got inspired by lurking horror and I have a bunch of ideas for how this could work to tie all the stories together over the course of thier 4 year university degree.
However for this to work they can't become godlike halfway through the campaign, so I'd be dishing out xp like it was precious precious gold. Gonna use the new WoD rules and give out one xp a session. I'm also gonna emphasis the importance of their school specialites and am trying to figure out how to expand academics in an intresting way.

My concern is this low growth could frustrate players and I'm wondering what you're all expereince with low xp games were?

I have found low XP often frustrates players but in horror XP really shouldn't matter that much.  Let them have normal XP and growth.  In the new WoD a normal character shouldn't be able to grow to tackle any have way moderate creep.

Well my experience with WoD is that its inherently a low xp system.  Many of the rewards comes in the forms of money, equipment, favors, henchmen, contacts, etc, etc.  I would give out more xp than 1 each session though.  Considering your supposed to get one each chapter just as a starting point.  But   I see nothing wrong with being a bit stingy with the XP.

But like I said just use other rewards.  Since their at a university,  Perhaps membership in a frat/sorority/secret society.  Coveted assistant positions with famous professors.  Rent controlled apartments.  You get the idea.

Quote from: VarajIn the new WoD a normal character shouldn't be able to grow to tackle any have way moderate creep.

Played in a really good zombie game using NWoD rules but by the end my doctor could take out most of the NPCs in the Chicargo book. I want security guards to remain a reality obstical for the players.

You are right about alternate rewards. Magic will eventually be introduced into the game, but less powerful then normal, really awkward and highly risky. And of course secrety societies.

Quote from: theblackknight13You are right about alternate rewards. Magic will eventually be introduced into the game, but less powerful then normal, really awkward and highly risky. And of course secrety societies.

Alternate rewards are a good start, but in a system like WoD, progress is always going to be in big steps because the scale is small enough that extra dice add up quickly, and with it even slower than normal I think I'd get frustrated very fast.  I really don't like low exp games in general though either.

I use d20 CoC, so hit points are kind of built-in.  I don't use the massive damage threshhold of 20, however, because I use a VP/WP system.

Damage goes straight to WP if the characters are unaware of the incoming attack or on any critical hit.

This has kept the lethality level respectably high in my games without having a PC death every session.

-O

Its not that their not able to take the secirity guards out.  Its if their willing to deal with the circumstances.  Who owns the building, who owns the security company.  Who do they piss off if they kill/incapacitate the guards.  Are they fine with breaking the law and if they do can they be traced/caught by the normal authorities and if they do get caught what happens?

You have to remember a starting character werewolf or vampire can take out most normal humans in a second anyways.

I agree with the idea of in story rewards.  There are plenty of things that can be done to show the increase in maturity of the players which will help them feel like they are growing.  also, I'm not all that familiar with nwod, but tweaking things so it is much easier to gain skills as opposed to combat ability might be a good idea as well.

Quote from: yangnomeI agree with the idea of in story rewards.  There are plenty of things that can be done to show the increase in maturity of the players which will help them feel like they are growing.  also, I'm not all that familiar with nwod, but tweaking things so it is much easier to gain skills as opposed to combat ability might be a good idea as well.

Think skill points but applied to everything.  You don't have levels and classes in WoD its a point buy system.

after having played enough 3E D&D, i wouldn't mind playing a game that involves slower/no levelling.

Levelling and experience just don't lend themselves well to horror roleplaying games, IMO.  They're for games where the heroes are supposed to get more powerful, stronger, more heroic.  In horror games for the most part, heroes may get wiser or more experienced, but they're still no more powerful than the baddies that are out there looking to get them.

Quote from: TiQuinnLevelling and experience just don't lend themselves well to horror roleplaying games, IMO.  They're for games where the heroes are supposed to get more powerful, stronger, more heroic.  In horror games for the most part, heroes may get wiser or more experienced, but they're still no more powerful than the baddies that are out there looking to get them.

I think this is why the WoD advancement is so much slower and many of the rewards come in the forms that I discussed earlier in the thread.

Quote from: TiQuinnLevelling and experience just don't lend themselves well to horror roleplaying games, IMO.  They're for games where the heroes are supposed to get more powerful, stronger, more heroic.  In horror games for the most part, heroes may get wiser or more experienced, but they're still no more powerful than the baddies that are out there looking to get them.

True, if players get too powerful then they lose the fear, which is why alternate goals and rewards are needed.