XP and Advancement in Crowβs DCC Keep
Introduction
I have been gradually ironing out some additional ways of gaining XP and advancing characters old and new for my Dungeon Crawl Classics open table.
I wanted to solve a few problems with these rules:
- Reaching rough parity with the party quickly when rolling a new character
- Giving players coming from a more OC culture players easy buy-in for a new PC
- Implement XP for gold and give players some other gold sinks in addition to carousing (inspired by Keep 'Em Broke)
- Slowing the game as little as possible when a PC dies (we generally have 3 hours to play with big tables)
As a function of running the game in real life, the population is largely drawn from people who come first from 5e and may be playing their first game with varying player character levels and higher lethality, so I wanted to be sensitive to this play culture while also maintaining my campaign's vibe and identity.
These rules have all survived first contact with the table, but are still being tested in the long term. It may be more accurate to call them guidelines for now. Iβm looking forward to seeing how they evolve over time!
My Encounter Philosophy
Dungeon Crawl Classics has something of a vibes-based XP system, which is honestly my least favorite thing about the rules.
Specifically, it advises that the Judge award XP based on the difficulty of a fight. An easy fight is worth nothing, a near disaster is worth 3 XP.
What I dislike about this is a well-executed plan with no casualties is worth nothing, while a foolhardy charge into a castle gate is the best way to power level. That said, I didn't feel itβs worth throwing out the paradigm entirely, I changed the metric to significance of the engagement.
1 XP A couple of wolves on the moor, a small warband of humanoids (terrorizes travelers). Nuisance monsters like stirges/bloodbats.
2 XP A whole pack of wolves compelled by a dark force. A major crew of humanoids (crashes caravans). A dangerous monster, like a carcass crawler or vombis leeches.
3 XP A faction leader or βbossβ. A strategically significant band of humanoid enemies (vexes villages). A deadly monster of great renown or notoriety (e.g. The Hound of Hirot).
Achievements
I also hand out XP based on noteworthy, unusual, or otherwise poetic feats. In a recent game, I awarded XP to the party for instigating a coup against the Jarl and Sylle Ru, taking them alive, and leading them to the standing stones as bait for the Hound.
Such deeds are usually assumed to become common knowledge to NPCs, friend and foe alike.
This usually also ranges from 1-3 XP and I reserve it for things that make me marvel at my playersβ magnificent bastardry, and are not just things that Iβd expect as part of the usual adventuring.
1 XP Heroically saving another PC or ally NPC. A novel resolution to an encounter-level problem, a trap or puzzle.
2 XP Turning a foe into an ally by doing them a good turn. Craftily handling a dungeon-level problem, such as lingering curse, a flooded complex, etc.
3 XP Dispensation of poetic justice to a hated foe. Cleverly sidestepping a campaign-level problem that makes the Judge say holy shit
Training (XP for gold)
During downtime, a player character can seek out a trainer and spend gold on advancement. The trainer needs to have more HD than the player character or have some other quality about them that makes them a fitting tutor.
Examples of trainers used in my game so far include Mallory Weaver, Spider-Witch of the Pines; the veteran Wulfric, a longtime resident warrior of the Keep; Brother Bert, man of the cloth and former Knight Hospitaller of the Sunflower Order.
Training requires days equal to the PCβs level and adds 1 experience point to the PCβs current total. The cost of training is 10gp x the new total after training, e.g. a PC with 10 XP would buy training at 110 GP to go to 11 XP.
Carousing
Certain results on the carousing table award XP in addition to their other benefits, e.g. temporary luck, allies, etc. These rewards range from 1-3 XP.
At the moment, I'm using a quick and dirty hack of the Shadowdark carousing system. The XP scaling is more or less interoperable with DCC at the levels I've been playing, and plays well with luck.
Once I have a polished hack of the carousing tables, I'll link them here.
Death and New Player Characters
When a player character dies, the Judge will typically hand a pregen to the player immediately unless the player has a retainer or other NPC they wish to temporarily control.
When rolling a new PC, a player has a few options:
- Start with 4 level 0s, treating the current or next adventure as a mini-funnel
- Roll a new level 1 character
- Elevate an existing companion, retainer, or hireling to PC
Any recovered wealth or items from a dead PC is considered held in common or on loan until the end of the adventure.
A player may βwillβ wealth and items to a new PC at the following rates:
- Up to 250gp x level
- One magic item, plus an additional magic item per two levels.
Willed gold is considered βspentβ and is held at the Keepβs bank until withdrawn by the successor or the current PC decides to withdraw funds. The current PC continues to use any willed magic items, but these must be recovered to go to the next PC.
When a PC dies and is returned to the Keep or other safe haven, a player may spend money on a lavish funeral, which will give the new PC at the following rate with no limit.
100gp = 1 XP
This XP applies after a new character reaches level 1, post funnel.
A player other than the one who controlled the deceased PC can contribute to the funeral as well. Funds contributed in this way will add to the XP for the new PC, and the donor also gets XP according to the amount of gold they themselves donated.
Money spent on a lavish funeral is also added to the carousing pot for downtime, allowing the surviving and new PCs to drown their sorrows. At my table we call this the βPour One Outβ rule.
Due to the ever-present threat of the undead out in the Borderlands, most non-chaotic groups cremate their dead as soon as possible. Hint hint.