Make Experience Points Work for You

Best Advice Upfront: A DM should use an experience point system to incentivize the playstyle(s) they want to see in the game.

Experience points are a perfect carrot to guide players towards the DM's "favored" playstyle. The players always reflect their style by making choices and decisions while the DM can provides mechanical "rewards" for making those choices within a certain style. Viewed this way, it is a great way for a table to form a solid middle ground of how the game will be played.

I won't rant on why I dislike milestone leveling. I only mention it is because it rarely communicates to the players what playstyle will get rewarded. If the milestones are hidden behind the DM screen, players can begin to feel like they are trying to just guess at what the DM wants to happen.

A lot of OSR games do experience for gold. This is fine. It conveys the goal of the game is to go where there is gold and obtain it.  You probably won't have a high level of roleplaying (or at least—less) as it is not rewarded. Only pursuit of profit matters. 

[sidenote: "Only pursuit of profit matters" actually sounds like a fun style of game ala Acquisitions Incorporated]

That being said,  experience for gold doesn't do it for my OSR game.  I want to reward roleplay, making decisions in character, and the players preplanning the next session. I still want dungeons, so obtaining gold is also important.  But just recovering it isn't my main intention.

My DM, (@Painted_Squid on twitter, seriously check him out) began implementing the experience system from Mouse Guard in 5th Edition. Mouseguard gives experience for acting on your beliefs, acting on your trait, and accomplishing your goal. Over time he's made numerous adjustments to have it mesh with 5e and I hope at some point he publishes his trial-and-error thoughts because wow.

With all that in mind, here is my experience system using the mouseguard framework! Experience is calculated at the end of session, with achievement being a binary "if yes, then xp."

• 1 xp per 1 Gold Spent

  • I want the party to go to dangerous places were they can find gold. But I don't want it hoarded. Thus, make them spend the gold. All my players started in 5th Edition with milestone leveling. Specifically, the epic quest milestone system. They never focused on acquiring titles, improving property, or having hirelings to perform services. In a game where those assumptions are shared by all players, just xp for acquiring gold might be okay.

• 100 xp for Acting on Their Trait (once per session)

  • A characters should have a consistent and flavorful personality. This rewards players who embody their characters trait during the game.  I generally dislike someone who just RP's as the best version of themselves. I also want to draw players towards a better understanding of each others characters. If someone writes "bashful" as their trait, any RP done by that player will be more easily received as being "bashful" —without needing the skill required to audition for Critical Role. It also allows the table to reflect on choices and RP done by all players, as this review is performed at the end of a session. The constant session to session affirmation of a players personality is further reinforcement. I have another blog post in me re: traits, but I'll save that for another time.

• 100 xp for Accomplishing Their Goal

  • At the end of a session, I have my players fill out a single goal they would like to accomplish next session. It must have a "will they/won't they" element. I'm not always super strict on this because the true purpose of this is for me to vaguely plan next session without having feeling unprepared. This doesn't mean they are beholden to these goals & if something comes up that changes their direction I'm not upset. But I can at least know my pre-session prep is generally covering what they are intending to do, In a pure sandbox game with no "overarching plot," I would be nervous if I had little clue or insight into their plans, as games on VTT's come with certain expectations regarding battlemaps and other visual aids.

• 3 Awards, Each Worth 100 xp: Best RP/Overall RP/MVP

  • I don't want the number of awards to equal the player count. This is because they are not meant to be just divided equally. I want players to want these. If everyone gets them, then they are glossed over and have no impact. That being said, if the players tacitly (never said verbally) ensure no one gets two and the xp is usually divided around the players, I'm not stressed. The purpose of this is still fulfilled.
  • Lastly, It does favor some players over others initially. It is true that the more outgoing people are likely to get awards for RP. However, it can also be used to highlight players who display more subtle or unrecognized RP. Being rewards could even encourage that player to feel more comfortable occasionally RP'ing in more outgoing fashion.
  • People like awards and the feeling of being recognized. This gives players the opportunity to be recognized at the end of a session. It turns into a mini recap in a way of things the players found important. They are purposefully vague to allow the players to reward activity that they enjoy that other players did in the session. Sometimes, I also weigh in if I think a moment was subtle or particularly impactful to me. The term "MVP" may seem loaded, but it is intended to cover a player who "provides a critical contribution to allow the party to progress." My current players understand this terminology, but I could see the being a future point of change.

• 50 xp for Initiating a Chat Message to Another PC While In-Character (once per session)

  • This reward I'm not sold on yet—but it serves a small purpose. Part of why I love in-person games is the side conversations. It reduces pressure on me as a DM because I can resolve an individual's situation while other players plan or RP. Online games lack this mechanic unless you have breakout rooms—which are tedious and more work. For an in-person game this would be cut.

• 1 xp for a New Character per 1 Gold Spent on the Dead PC Funeral

  • Dying sucks. It can be dramatic, intense, and worthwhile. But at the end of the day—that player's progression is reset. This rule is intended to help with the suck. The other goal it accomplishes is to prevent the other players at the table from "moving on" quickly. Too often at the table I've seen a player die and then feel like their death had no meaning for the other players. I don't think anything will cause another player to feel the loss in the way the player whose character died wants them to feel. However, with a mechanic designed to honor the fallen, there can be a moment to talk about the fallen reverently knowing this will power up the new party member. 
  • It also makes sense in universe. More powerful people are going to want to work with/travel with those who honor their dead with opulence. It shows to the world that the Party is successful (acquiring lots of gold and not feeling financially insecure to spent it). It also provides an opportunity for the new character to be introduced. For example, "I'm sorry to hear about your friend, . . . are you looking for a hand to accomplish XYZ?"

This is a work-in-progress and likely will never be finished. But I hope it inspires others to try to tweak and experiment with experience points.