When you perform "deeds" and return to a safe haven and boast of them / prove them you gain XP as a die that you roll on the relevant XP table.
- Discover ancient and forbidden lore - roll on the Seeker of Secrets XP table (Wizard table).
- Retrieve treasure and loot from a 'dungeon' - roll on the Treasure Hunter XP table (Thief table).
- Defeat / study a nemesis or new type of creature and bring back a trophy - roll on the Warrior table (Fighter table).
- Invest proceeds in carousing / study / temple parties / foolish business ventures - i.e. the character's wealth gold is gone save for some change (Goldburner table).
Ideally, the difficulty / glory of the deed would determine the die. Basically, the deed has to be cool enough that telling the tale in a tavern would at least get the "heroes" a round of drinks and bed for the night. Something like this might work.
- Drinks are on the house - 1d4
- Hero of the hour - 1d6
- Memorable - 1d8
- They shall sing songs - 1d10
In practice, this is overcomplicated, so just a roll a 1d10, and the result also shows how impressed the townsfolk are.
Seeker of Secrets XP Table (Wizard)
- +1 to arcana or science or medicine,
- +1 to religion or history or insight,
- learn new spell (1-3: 1st level, 4-5: 2nd level, 6: 3rd level),
- +1 to DC of one spell or +1d4 to effect of one spell,
- +1 to Intelligence or Wisdom or Charisma,
- +1 spell slot of (1-3: 1st level, 4-5: 2nd level, 6: 3rd level) or double scope of one spell,
- new familiar or increase die of one spell,
- learn new spell (1-4: 4th level, 5-6: 5th level),
- gain 1 bonus spell per short rest,
- +1 proficiency
Treasure Hunter XP Table (Thief)
- +1 to acrobatics or athletics,
- +1 to perception or deception,
- +1 to mechanics (thieves' tools) or sleight of hands,
- +1 to investigation or stealth,
- +1 to Dexterity or Intelligence
- +2 to hp or sneak attack damage
- new expertise or +1 to AC in light armor
- gain advantage on surprise checks or +1 to hit with daggers or pistols
- gain 1 bonus action per short rest
- +1 proficiency
Warrior XP Table (Fighter)
- +1 to acrobatics or athletics,
- +1 to animal handling or survival or an additional inventory slot,
- +1 to one save (roll 1d10: 1-3: Str, 4: Dex, 5-7: Con, 8: Int, 9: Wis, 10: Cha),
- +2 to attack or defence vs. one enemy type,
- +1 to Strength or Constitution,
- +4 to hp or +1 to damage with one weapon type,
- +1 to hit with one weapon type or +1 to AC in medium or heavy armor
- gain additional second wind
- gain 1 bonus action per short rest
- +1 proficiency
Goldburner Table (To Do)
- acquire a random and unusual potion (think purple lotus powder) or gain a boon that gives advantage to 1d6 checks with an ability of choice.
- +1 to a random save
- acquire a property, it is (1: a house, 2: an apartment, 3: a farm, 4: a house boat, 5: a house wagon, 6: a deed to a ruin)
- acquire a loyal henchperson (1: a wizard, 2: a thief, 3: a fighter, 4: a slave, 5: a fop, 6: an intelligent animal or plant)
- become inducted into a secret society of (1: inept amateur magicians, 2: corporate rogueish merchants, 3: dashing heroes, 4: underhanded navigators and adventurers, 5: local nobles, 6: local revolutionaries)
- acquire a masterful and possibly magical (1: weapon, 2: armor, 3: book, 4: steed or vehicle, 5: trinket, 6: toolkit or dice)
- +1 to a random stat
- acquire a stake in a business such as a (1: local brewery, 2: local food joint, 3: local metalworker, 4: local alchemical shop or druggist, 5: local protection racket, 6: local affiliated corporate security outfit)
- obtain a promise from a local shady cult of a (1: free reincarnation, 2: greater metachemical healing, 3: stored clone body, 4: teleportal intervention when you break this totally safe gas-filled bauble, 5: a one-use summoning figurine, almost certain to summon a demon under your control, 6: a single-use ten-hour sanctuary amulet)
- gain a bonus HD for hit point recovery or acquire a bonus feat or an additional bonus fatigue rank.
- acquire a random and unusual potion (think purple lotus powder) or gain a boon that gives advantage to 1d6 checks with an ability of choice.
- +1 to a random save
- acquire a property, it is (1: a house, 2: an apartment, 3: a farm, 4: a house boat, 5: a house wagon, 6: a deed to a ruin)
- acquire a loyal henchperson (1: a wizard, 2: a thief, 3: a fighter, 4: a slave, 5: a fop, 6: an intelligent animal or plant)
- become inducted into a secret society of (1: inept amateur magicians, 2: corporate rogueish merchants, 3: dashing heroes, 4: underhanded navigators and adventurers, 5: local nobles, 6: local revolutionaries)
- acquire a masterful and possibly magical (1: weapon, 2: armor, 3: book, 4: steed or vehicle, 5: trinket, 6: toolkit or dice)
- +1 to a random stat
- acquire a stake in a business such as a (1: local brewery, 2: local food joint, 3: local metalworker, 4: local alchemical shop or druggist, 5: local protection racket, 6: local affiliated corporate security outfit)
- obtain a promise from a local shady cult of a (1: free reincarnation, 2: greater metachemical healing, 3: stored clone body, 4: teleportal intervention when you break this totally safe gas-filled bauble, 5: a one-use summoning figurine, almost certain to summon a demon under your control, 6: a single-use ten-hour sanctuary amulet)
- gain a bonus HD for hit point recovery or acquire a bonus feat or an additional bonus fatigue rank.
I'm really liking this! Would be fun for a classless setup, not dissimilar to the RuneQuest/Elder Scrolls model.
ReplyDeleteI actually run my D&D pretty classless. There are three broad classes: wizard, thief and fighter, which specify what is easier to level up and what is harder.
DeleteIt does give odd results sometimes, but that's fine for the story.