Mar 5, 2015 4:55 pm
Earning XP
XP or Experience Points are given freely. They are from things like moving the story along, discovery of something new, story telling (being descriptive is important, especially in the 'post-n-play' game), making the GM laugh or say Hmmmmm, etc.
XP is also given when the GM intrudes (for anything but a fumble roll). Two XP are given and one of those must be given to another player. Intrusions can be refused, but it will cost you XP (see spending XP).
I am also not a proponent of everyone earning XP equally across the board. No one learns or fights or story tells the same way, so XP is earned differently and at different rates.
I also do not ever want to show favoritism. In my first XP post, I've awarded everyone XP for things they've done in the past all at once. I have been trying to break that habit a bit by just awarding it when it is earned. I trust that you are keeping track of it on your character sheet (along with your pools and cyphers. Still, in the background I have a GM workbook with everyone's character. One of those is a sheet of XP and when they earn it and when they spend it. I have a total for each character for that now one advances or earns much more than the next.
The corebook and players guide says that XP should be given freely and is used like currency in the game. It suggests that five to eight (5-8) XP be given per session. Well, this is one LONG session. As of this writing, we've been going on maybe what, four weeks or so (started Jan 30th) and really, in game time is about three quarters of a day.
Spending XP
One way to spend XP is to refuse a GM intrusion. If the player wishes to refuse the intrusion and has XP to spend, they may pay one XP to refuse the intrusion.
Another way to spend XP is to reroll your die. You can do this as many times as you have XP, but each reroll costs you one XP. Once you are out of XP, you cannot reroll.
You can also say "GM, can you help me or the party out. We are stuck and need some insight". That too will cost an XP (nothing says the same person has to spend their XP to get out of something, that is what group strategy does.
Finally and the most important is that you spend XP as part of Character advancement. To get from your starting tier (1) to tier 6, it is going to cost you 80 XP in total, 16 per tier times 5 tier advancements. Those 15 are broken up into 4 character benefits 4 times per tier.
Let's do a little math ( I know, math are hard). if I as a GM are stingy and we were playing sessions, I would give out only 5 XP per session. If this were a weekly game and if you did not do a single reroll or refusal or buy anything else, you would be at tier 6 in 16 weeks. Likewise, if I were generous and gave 8 per week, it would take 10 weeks or sessions to get to tier 6.
XP or Experience Points are given freely. They are from things like moving the story along, discovery of something new, story telling (being descriptive is important, especially in the 'post-n-play' game), making the GM laugh or say Hmmmmm, etc.
XP is also given when the GM intrudes (for anything but a fumble roll). Two XP are given and one of those must be given to another player. Intrusions can be refused, but it will cost you XP (see spending XP).
I am also not a proponent of everyone earning XP equally across the board. No one learns or fights or story tells the same way, so XP is earned differently and at different rates.
I also do not ever want to show favoritism. In my first XP post, I've awarded everyone XP for things they've done in the past all at once. I have been trying to break that habit a bit by just awarding it when it is earned. I trust that you are keeping track of it on your character sheet (along with your pools and cyphers. Still, in the background I have a GM workbook with everyone's character. One of those is a sheet of XP and when they earn it and when they spend it. I have a total for each character for that now one advances or earns much more than the next.
The corebook and players guide says that XP should be given freely and is used like currency in the game. It suggests that five to eight (5-8) XP be given per session. Well, this is one LONG session. As of this writing, we've been going on maybe what, four weeks or so (started Jan 30th) and really, in game time is about three quarters of a day.
Spending XP
One way to spend XP is to refuse a GM intrusion. If the player wishes to refuse the intrusion and has XP to spend, they may pay one XP to refuse the intrusion.
Another way to spend XP is to reroll your die. You can do this as many times as you have XP, but each reroll costs you one XP. Once you are out of XP, you cannot reroll.
You can also say "GM, can you help me or the party out. We are stuck and need some insight". That too will cost an XP (nothing says the same person has to spend their XP to get out of something, that is what group strategy does.
Finally and the most important is that you spend XP as part of Character advancement. To get from your starting tier (1) to tier 6, it is going to cost you 80 XP in total, 16 per tier times 5 tier advancements. Those 15 are broken up into 4 character benefits 4 times per tier.
Let's do a little math ( I know, math are hard). if I as a GM are stingy and we were playing sessions, I would give out only 5 XP per session. If this were a weekly game and if you did not do a single reroll or refusal or buy anything else, you would be at tier 6 in 16 weeks. Likewise, if I were generous and gave 8 per week, it would take 10 weeks or sessions to get to tier 6.
