Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-2e DMG Class XP Table

Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:56 am 2e DMG Class XP Table

As a rule, I am very happy with the way XP was done for first edition, and I still prefer the monster breakdown table in the original book and use it instead of the 2nd edition version. However, the 2e DMG added the option to award XP based on class abilities or powers.

For instance, thieves now get XP for using thief skills, clerics for casting spells based on their ethos, wizards for using spells, and fighters for slaying creatures with their weapons.

Yet I am confounded by the way in which fighters are awarded:

Per Hit Die of creature defeated/10 XP per level

This means a 1st lvl warrior (or ranger/paladin) gets but 10 XP for defeating a 1 HD creature (say an orc) but that same character gets 20 XP at 2nd lvl, or 30 XP at 3rd.

I don't understand why.

On the other hand, wizards and clerics don't get the same rewards. They get a flat 50 XP per spell lvl (mage) or 100 XP per spell lvl (priest). This is not further multiplied by their level.

Furthermore, thieves don't get awarded 200 XP per thief ability multiplied by their level.

Again, this seems confounding to me. Why is the award multiplied by the fighter's level?

-Lanthorn, the Puzzled

Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:07 pm

I have always done it as adding all the HD taken care of in the adventure then add a 0 at the end and award to all fighters. So if 300 HD of opponents are defeated then each fighter gets 3000 xp extra. for thieves it is 200xp for each successful proper use of a thieving skill so pick pocket 5 times equals 1000 xp as long is there is a good reason for it. pick the pocket of a commoner for no reason I do not give xp for that. The Cleric further ethos is tough sometimes we have a sp priest of Sryul right now so anything that helps for lies and deceit. I hope this helps.

Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:09 pm

One thing I forgot I still half the xp awards on these by half for multi-classed Characters.

Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:09 pm

The "why" is because a fighter needs to have their particular XP award scale up by level because it will usually be the only award they get. Other classes get many more points awards for many more varied/easier/safer things; more so as they level up. Simple as that.
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Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:07 am

I guess I never really read that bit all that closely--2e groups I played in and DM'd didn't use that particular rule, the book-keeping seemed a bit excessive, and the XP table and XP per GP always kept character advancement at a nice pace.

If you wanted to read the warrior portion completely differently than the other individual class awards, I suppose you could read the slash as "divided by" as opposed to "per" (it does seem goofy that a fighter will get more experience for defeating a 1HD critter as they advance in level), or ignore the "/level" and keep it a flat rate.

Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:39 am

It doesn't read that way. Besides, you'd then have to read it that way for every award, and obviously that doesn't make sense. The XP awards were an interesting idea, but they didn't work well in practice.
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Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:15 pm

Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:47 pm

Yep. That is their "class bonus". Remember that, in addition to this class bonus XP, they also get regular monster XP too if they solo kill something, just like any other class does.
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