Dungeons & Delvers: Individual XP Awards

Here's a variant way of earning XP in the Dungeons & Delvers: Black Book that is based on an optional rule from 2nd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, in which classes could earn bonus XP by doing certain things.

Note that unlike in 2nd Edition these are instead of gaining XP for killing/defeating/overcoming/sneaking past monsters. Some classes can still get XP from that but not all, and not all the time. Scroll to the bottom if you want to use these individual awards with normal XP gains.

Also note that in every case you only get XP if a skill check, spell, and so on was used for an actual purpose/the monster was an actual threat.

You can't, say, just stand around casting spells purely to gain XP, and you can't lock a door, pick the lock, lock the door again, pick the lock again, and so on: GMs should feel free to waive XP rewards for asshole players simply trying to grind XP.

Clerics

• 1 XP per Favor spent.
• 1 XP per level of a successfully rebuked adversary (as per the Rebuke Adversary talent).
• Standard XP amount from killing monsters that are also adversaries. (Divide the monster's XP by the number of PCs as normal, and the cleric gains that amount: for example, if a party of four defeats a monster-adversary worth 20 XP, then the cleric gets 5 XP.)

If the cleric rebukes and then defeats the monster, he just gains the rebuke or defeat amount, whichever is higher.

I'd also throw in an XP award for cleansing unholy sites and converting new worshipers. Something like 1-5 XP per cleric level.

Fighters
Standard XP amount from killing monsters: divide the monster's XP by the number of PCs and the fighter gets that much. Basically business as usual.

Rogues

• Standard XP amount from killing a monster using Sneak Attack or similar underhanded means (like sniping or poison), or simply sneaking past. Same division as the cleric and fighter above.
• 1 XP each time they successfully use a skill they're proficient in, plus an additional 1 XP for every point they exceeded the DC by. For example, if they make a DC 15 Thievery check and get a 15, that's 1 XP, but if they rolled a 16 they'd get 2 XP, 3 XP if they rolled a 17, and so on.

I considered giving them 1 XP per sp looted, but they'd level up insanely quickly and really treasure is its own reward. Maybe if you went with a ratio like 1 XP per 100 sp or more.

Wizards

• 1 XP per point of Drain suffered (so they get XP from losing Mana, VP, and WP), as well as 1 XP per Sustain spell they activate: basically the idea is to get XP each time they use a spell.
• 1 XP each time they succeed on an Arcana or "lore" check, plus another 1 XP for every point they exceed the DC by (as per rogues above).

Could also award XP for the creation of alchemical items (wouldn't base it on sp value because that can add up very quickly, maybe 1-3 XP for standard items, +1-3 XP if it's enhanced or superior), and researching spells and creating magic items (thinking 1-5 XP per level depending on what it does).

Giving Everyone XP For Killing Stuff
The reason not everyone gets XP from killing/defeating/overcoming monsters in addition to these other awards, is that except for the fighter everyone would level up much more quickly. But, if that's something you actually want or don't care about, then classes that gain XP from defeating monsters gain twice as much.

For example, clerics would get normal XP for defeating monsters, but twice as much from defeating their adversaries, and fighters just get twice as much from everything.

Note that this doesn't take away from the monster's total XP value: if a party of four kills a monster worth 20 XP they'd each normally get 5. Using this system the fighter would instead get 10 XP, and everyone else would still get 5. If it was a cleric's adversary he'd also get 10, while everyone else gets 5.

If that's too much, you can instead give +1 XP per level of the monster. Yeah, not all monsters of a given level are equal, but it's quick and easy to figure out.

Announcements

It look a lot longer than expected, but we finally released The Jinni. As with our other monstrous classes, this one is more faithful to the mythology (so don't go in expecting elemental-themed jinn).

After putting it to a vote, the next couple of classes on the docket are the warden (think 4E D&D warden) and apothecary (gotta go see what they're all about).

Dwarven Vault is our sixth 10+ Treasures volume. If you're interested in thirty dwarven magic items (including an eye that lets you shoot lasers) and nearly a dozen new bits of dungeon gear, check it out!

Just released our second adventure for A Sundered World, The Golden Spiral. If a snail-themed dungeon crawl is your oddly-specific thing, check it out!

By fan demand, we've mashed all of our 10+ Treasure volumes into one big magic item book, making it cheaper and more convenient to buy in print (which you can now do).