So how many XP do you, as a GM, dish out per session on average?

I have read the guidelines in the book and on these boards, but still I wonder what other GMs do (maybe because one player called me a tightfisted GM where XP are concerned).

So all things concerned (awards for roleplaying, goals accomplished, danger level etc ) what is the range of XP you tend to give out per session and does this change once your acolytes reach higher ranks?

Thanks.

Well the maximum I would give out would be 350 each max.

This is 200 max for the 2 hrs of playing. A possible maximum bonus of 100 for good roleplaying. 50 points for any personal achievements which may or may not be use. This is only a guidline for what I will be doing as I haven't figured out what my syatem will be. But I think this is what I will use.

Generally I use a quick and dirty method:

250xp for 4-5 hours of play
- Player Vote worth 50xp (players vote on who roleplayed or was the coolest, whatever, most votes gets 50xp)
- GM Vote worth 50xp (for the player I thought the coolest, most often, the player vote runner up)

My sessions are generally about 7 hours long, but with a lunch break which is usually at least an hour; and I give out 150-250XP depending on how much was achieved in the session. I consider that enough to give everyone at least one new ability per session if they want it, but not so much that the rate of improvement seems way over the top.

I also give out a 50-75XP award for anyone who writes up an in character record of what happened during the session.

my game does not get run very often as we have a regular weekly game, and 7 people (most of which like to run games as well) so I give 250-300 with a 500xp finale night assuming the team accomplishes the mission.

Uh, I am stingy. We try to play every week for a 3-5 hours session and I give about 50-80 XP per session (about 100-200 XP per adventure). Don't tell my players though...

Luthor Harkon said:

My god that is really stingy... not that i'm judging or anything but my god haven't they read the rule book where is says they should get an average of 200 for 2 hrs of gaming... pray they never read the book

Hoodedcrow said:

Actually, the book recommends 200 xp for four hours, not two. =)

Well, I think it depends on how fast you want your pc's to advance.

If the stoy demands at one point the pc's advance a bit faster increase the xp a bit...say, I would increase the 250xp+vote to 350+vote.

I'll probably give out about 150 xp per session we do, with up to 75xp for good RPing and 25xp for any cool things the players pull off, be it events, quotes or anything ^^

I'm running a PBP game and have been using the advanced XP system as most amenable to that situation, in which there are no identifiable "sessions." For instance. one of my players (hi Snidesworth!) just played a small role in an interrogation (where he provided useful information to the interrogator), but it wasn't very difficult. So I gave a bit for that (something like 15). Then he made some useful Charm and Deceive tests against an NPC that moved the adventure along, and that was a bit harder, so I gave something like 30. Then there was a combat in which he did freakishly well after assaulting a mutant bare-handed in order to save a companion's life, but he wasn't really damaged or in mortal danger, and I gave him something like 80 for that. Then a 50 bonus for excellent role-playing. It works out really well.

Hoodedcrow said:

Well, the problem is we take so long for an average adventure and I don't want to give them 200 XP for a session where they were only shopping weapons and were hanging around rather passive. Anyway, they got used to 30-50 XP per session in our former WFRP campaign, so they are really happy about the 'large amount' of XP in DH.

I am indeed still praying to the holy Emperor they never look more deeply into the Rulebook, but then the Inquisitors Handbook with all its funky weapons is always a good diversion. Apropos, have I ever told you how stingy I am with in-game money (ie. throne gelt)...

I usually GM, only very recently having been relegated to Player for various reasons.

I find that the 200 xp per session suggestion is about appropriate given how much my group(s) accomplish(es). They do a fair bit of meandering and guesswork, usually with one person forming the ideas and trying to sway the other players over to their plan. I think the next time I start GMing again, I'll definitely introduce a vote system like Santiago's. It's pretty inventive, and democratic, too. I like seeing a little competition in my players, as it tends to excite them. With fixed xp rewards, they tend to slack off. Also, particularly climactic events in a session, as well as completing an adventure, generally should be worth large xp sums.

So, in an adventure that consists of four sessions, with a climactic event, clever roleplaying, and an end game reward, a character in one of my groups can expect to gain anywhere from 1000 (particularly poor performace) to 1,500 (stellar roleplaying, player awarded xp, and participation in most plot hooks and opportunites). I'd be willing to hear thoughts on it, since I'm always up for a little criticism.

Santiago said:

True dat. In my campaign I have two parties, one of which is a low-level investigation party (XP as per my post above) and the other is a high-level combat party consisting entirely of Adepta, which is only wheeled out every so often for heavy combat missions which it would make no sense for the main party to attend. Because of the infrequency of Adepta sessions, I give out a lot more experience for them (500 XP for the last one), 'cause otherwise they'd barely advance at all. But they'll still probably advance somewhat slower than the main group.

Hello chaps!

Whilst this is NOT an official ruling (saving that for the actual rules and erratas!), allow me to chime in:

Personally, I am generally pretty generous with XP—I typically enjoy having the characters move up a Rank every three adventures or so. As usual with these kinds of things, YMMV!

I give 200XP per an adventure that runs 3-5 hours, I Dock points for excess stuffing around that dose nothing for the Character or Story Development.

I also have a pool of up to 200 Bonous XP that I split for MVP, RP, WTF factor and "You Got Boned" (ie the adventure turned on you but you got through anyway) that I split betwean the characters, I do alow some player input on this.

Yet to play a Multi-session or longer game, but for a 6-7 hr game 300xp and posibaly a 300XP bonous pool, and for multi-sessions (unless it's forsed by stuffing around or other factors) I plan a bonous 100XP each for finishing.

My players are still low level, rank 3, some almost 4.
They still need little xp to rise, perhaps I'll give them more as soon as they hit those higher thresholds to rise in rank.

FFG Ross Watson said:

Let me be really stupid here and ask .. what does YMMV mean?

Your Mileage May Vary

Fascinating

Thnx !

my players get an aversh of 200 xp per sesion it all depions on what ther characters life lession was and survid throw

las night the party surived thuw a smow colt of 3 with 2 las cannons then 4 in game hours 4 plagedearers also ther in ther 2nd or 3rd tiers os call me a bass...

Even 200 per 4 hour session seems low considering the high mortality rate for characters. it would take 50 sessions (almost a year IRL if you play once a week for 4 hours) just to reach level 8 when you finally gain access to all skills and talents available to your career (and 25 more sessions to cap your xps). Of course even a level 8 character is pretty fragile in this game considering that half or more of a characters capabilities are going to come from their gear.

Of course it all depends on how often the characters die, what level new characters replace them at, and how long you want your campaign to run. As a player I think the game lends itself easily to high level play, and characters should be allow to stretch their careers beyond mere acolytes and become interigators or inquisitors themselves (or leave the inquisition for other pursuits).

If I were to plan a campaign that played once a week for 4 hours (or even an 8 hour session every other week) I'd probably double the listed xp reward so that characters would be at the doorstep to level 8 within 6 months. Then look at another 6 months for characters to reach their maximum level and resolve personal quests, and "tech-up".