Continued Epic Character development

[Dinma]

This may have come up before but I wondering if it is possible to include a veteran epic (V-Epic)
rewards system in BGTSCC for continued top level character development?

For example Top-level-characters can continue to improve in several areas when they earn experience.
As an example, after every additional 30,000 experience points a V-Epic Level is awarded and the
character would gain:

1. +2 Hitpoints (Represents smart combat wisdom especially when "certain" abilities have peaked)
2. +2 Skill points (Represents the continued knowledge advancement)

Additionally, every three (or more) V-Epic Levels players can pick an additional feat which can come from their
present class(es) or come from a predefined pool (DM discretion).

Obviously, if any of these is too heavy a coding lift or unbalancing then they should be tabled,
adjusted or perhaps replaced with other rewards all of which would based on ability to execute and
maybe community polling.

Such a system would add an additional development option for pinnacle level characters. If funding
is needed I suspect the player base would help and/or a kickstarter could be considered.

[Druchii]

This may have come up before but I wondering if it is possible to include a veteran epic (V-Epic)
rewards system in BGTSCC for continued top level character development?

For example Top-level-characters can continue to improve in several areas when they earn experience.
As an example, after every additional 30,000 experience points a V-Epic Level is awarded and the
character would gain:

1. +2 Hitpoints (Represents smart combat wisdom especially when "certain" abilities have peaked)
2. +2 Skill points (Represents the continued knowledge advancement)

Additionally, every three (or more) V-Epic Levels players can pick an additional feat which can come from their
present class(es) or come from a predefined pool (DM discretion).

Obviously, if any of these is too heavy a coding lift or unbalancing then they should be tabled,
adjusted or perhaps replaced with other rewards all of which would based on ability to execute and
maybe community polling.

Such a system would add an additional development option for pinnacle level characters. If funding
is needed I suspect the player base would help and/or a kickstarter could be considered.

Mmm the hp isn't so bad - and the creep is small but theoretically over months and years it could become quite damaging to balance - the skills definitely will sooner.

Additional feats also will become balance breaking very quickly considering how easy XP is to make on BG.

Hard pass even if I stand to benefit - sorry Dinma :/

[Hoihe]

An alternative could be apprenticeship tricks - for each X xp above 30, you can confer another PC 5000 XP with a token once a week.

A CD key can only use this 5000 XP token once a week.
A CD key can only retrieve this token once a week too.

Meaning, you could give it to you alts sure, but it'd not be very efficient. You also can't really use it to power-level someone - all you'd do is replace their quest XP with bonus RP XP.

[Rhifox]

The bonus HP/skill thing is probably OP, but what Hoihe suggested about apprenticeship exp actually sounds really nice.

[Steve]

How about after Level 30, for every 30k XP all INT, WIS, CHA-based Skills increase by 1 point, and all STR, DEX, CON Abilities decrease by 1 point.
Cause we ain’t gettin any younger....

[Rhifox]

How about after Level 30, for every 30k XP all INT, WIS, CHA-based Skills increase by 1 point, and all STR, DEX, CON Abilities decrease by 1 point.
Cause we ain’t gettin any younger....

Only if done by proper aging mechanics. Meaning, these changes happen over decades of character life.

[Druchii]

This would also imbalance because the game was not designed around this idea - races have wildly differing ages.

I stand to benefit as an Elf/Drow player, but I'd still rather not see stat changes once you hit 30 - I just fail to see it being implemented well.

As to conferring bonus XP - I think 5000 XP as something you can hand out once a week in bulk is a bit extreme. Everyone has their opinions on power-levelling and I have never personally been a fan of seeing character skyrocket mechanically before their RP can really keep up. Some people prefer it though so to each their own. Just does not sit well with me when levelling is hardly a problem here anyway.

If the idea is popular though, a toned down variant might be better. Say an RP token that gives very modest amounts of role play xp which can be handed out once per reset - but maybe no more than 100-150xp (still a lot if you place it all into one person but that achieves something closer to apprenticing in my view)?

That is theoretically around 2800-4000 xp assuming 4 resets in 24 hours after 7 days, but you aren't just dumping it onto one person and then that is you done - you can choose to spread that XP to others you might RP with at any given time. Not to mention if you are actually apprenticing someone and spending RP time with them, RP xp is already ticking every 3 entries or so. Its a considerable amount of XP over time considering RP tends to be very time-intensive.

It just seems gimmicky to XP dump on people simply because you reached max level. If bored at 30 - roll a new toon or focus on the RP. If you cannot find any RP, roll a new toon for when your main is on a go-slow.

[Hoihe]

How about after Level 30, for every 30k XP all INT, WIS, CHA-based Skills increase by 1 point, and all STR, DEX, CON Abilities decrease by 1 point.
Cause we ain’t gettin any younger....

Only if done by proper aging mechanics. Meaning, these changes happen over decades of character life.

I would be a very happy camper if we could have a server that lasted for a proper 6 centuries at 1:1 time ratio ! Just gotta find out how to increase life expectancy IRL.


In seriousness, I could see maybe also a temporary 10 min/level buff for a large sum of XP - something like 20K so you could use it pre-30 if you really wanted. It could give a marginal AB buff of like +2 or AC of +2 and so on. A bit of an extra edge for events/bosses but nothing that you can afford to keep up 24/7.


Also, said XP to buff thing would be fluffed as the result of contemplation/reflection, not some weirdo trade of life expectancy for power.

[The Whistler]

there already is such a thing as described in the op, it's called gearing. why does every game nowadays need this endless treadmill of progression, anyway ?

[Hoihe]

there already is such a thing as described in the op, it's called gearing. why does every game nowadays need this endless treadmill of progression, anyway ?

Gearing does not provide a reliable sense of "achievement" while experience gain and its payoffs do. Furthermore, gearing is tied with lootruns, whereas XP can be obtained in numerous ways. Even when going adventuring in a party, there's a good chance all you'll get is maybe 2-3k gp's worth of loot for a full dungeon - before accounting for consumables.

By tying a way to cash out on XP - either to support mentor roleplay or to make looting easier through temporary buffs to power - one can have a constant sense of progress.

And furthermore, it is possible to cap out on gear for a character. Some characters faster than others.

[flipside43]

There are plenty of ways to develop your character through role-play or as The Whistler pointed out, through gearing. Personally, I don't really think any changes are necessary at this point. Crafting would be another good alternative but, don't hold your breath!

[Steve]

How about after Level 30, for every 30k XP all INT, WIS, CHA-based Skills increase by 1 point, and all STR, DEX, CON Abilities decrease by 1 point.
Cause we ain’t gettin any younger....

Only if done by proper aging mechanics. Meaning, these changes happen over decades of character life.

Leveling itself is a "change" that "happen[s] over decades of character life :p!"

The whole things is skewed beyond help...might as well just give up on making sense of it.

[Rooftops]

I would vote for maybe getting another feat once your character reaches the peak of XP at lvl 30. When you stop getting xp for anything.

The feat pool would be something that is chosen by the staff and allocated to the player via an NPC and script in the nexus.

Once the feat is taken it would drop a tag on the character marking them unable to be RCR'd.

[zhazz]

I am not a fan of endless progression on the mechanical axis, which increases to skills, attributes, feats, AC, AB, HP, and more would be. At some point in any RPG the power creep of a character must come to a hold. With anything beyond that based on past and future deeds, reputation, and alliances.

Deeds, reputation and alliances is largely tied to RP, and how a character conduct themselves when interacting with others. However, quests or key moments in a lengthy plot line are also a factor for this.

Suggestion
Therefore I think it would be much more interesting to have a progression system to go alongside the XP system, which can be accessed at any time by visiting a NPC. A system where XP can be traded for small quests that themselves award no XP, but rather gifts the character with a token upon completion.

Said token then signifies that the character has performed some deed. Furthermore the token can be shown to others (use token - click on target) as proof of the deed. Rather than a character just making a boisterous claim, they now have actual proof of it — proof that can be used in RP situations to establish credibitility and thus reputation, tying into RP.

Of course the tokens can also be traded, which gives them an added value. However, when showing a token to another character, a succesful Sense Motive should reveal whether or not the token was genuinely earned. A successfuly Spot check should reveal some sign on the token of who originally earned it.

Or in short: A monster hunter guild

Examples of XP payment for a token could be:

XP Cost	Target
350	Wyrmling (Hilltop Ruins - Level 2)
1000	Goblin Soothsayer (Mine North of Beregost)
10000	Naga Queen (Serpent Temple)
25000	Balor (Greypeak Mountains)

[chad878262]

character development is not the same as mechanical improvement... character development at level 30 will continue to be defined by your interactions with other players and on occasion with DMs. One must consider how your character wants to be viewed by others and how much you want to invest to that end. Roleplay and all that.