Magic Items as XP

[dymondy2k]

So by looking at some of the XP values in the 1e DM's guide I came up with a quick conversion guide for magic weapons and armor in BFRPG for those who award XP for treasure and magic items.

We start with the Base + 1 weapon

1d4 Weapons 100
1d6 weapons 200
1d8 weapons 400
1d10 weapons 600
Ammunition 100/20 (or 5xp per)
Light Armor 400
Medium Armor 600
Heavy Armor 800
Shield 200

Then add the following:
Each +1 Bonus 200
Special Enemy +2 100
Special Enemy +3 150
Special Ability 1 100
Special Ability 2 200
-Drain Energy
-Wishes

For Ammo (arrows, bolts, stones) these are for 20 of the item. If there are less, find the total, divide by 20 and then multiply by the amount they have to get XP.

I am still working on this in my spare time. I think Potions and scrolls should be easy if we base the XP on the level of the spell but some of the other specific items may have to have a certain value assigned to just them.

I wouldn't mind some feedback on this. FYI though we've beat the give XP/Don't give XP horse to death so lets not start another debate here.

[SmootRK]

As I said in the other thread related to this idea, I don't really care for giving xp for magic items and/or treasure.... but, this is a very good start of a really good system for those that feel otherwise. Nice and simple methodology here.

[Joe the Rat]

Something to remember on ammunition is that it comes in small quantities - 1d6 for random treasure found, I think. List per shot found, and maybe up the point value.

Even if you aren't directly giving XP for magic items, this could be a useful tool for assigning a "quest completion" value to a dungeon crawl.

[dymondy2k]

Joe.. could you give me an example? I know with Ammo I was worried that using the same numbers would make them worth more XP than a comparable reusable weapon. Are you thinking the per 20 is too high? I was just eyeballing the size of a standard quiver when I came up with that.

[Joe the Rat]

I thought there was a random count on the treasure tables - I may need to dig and see where I got that idea. Skimming adventures, I've found a few listing around a half-dozen at a time, and one with a score. I may have been thinking about a rule discussion on that one.

Either way, I think you should list the XP per ammo unit. I do agree that it should be less than reusables.

[Hywaywolf]

I am curious to know if people who give XP for gold and magic items (something I am in favor) reduce the amount of XP they give for killing monsters. BFRPG gives 2 to 3 times as much XP for monsters per level than the original B/X rules gave.

[dymondy2k]

I don't reduce monster XP.. but I also grant XP for the monsters if they come to a non-violent conclusion.. I guess I think of each room as an 'encounter' and how they beat it is up to them. Unlike newer versions of RPGs, BFRPG is definitely more like a distance race and less like a sprint when it comes to leveling. Even with the XP awards for treasure and magic, my players have finished 9 BFRPG adventures and are still level 4 and 5. Included in that is the fact that the players started out at level 2 since this was where they were at when I converted them from Microlite20.