Here is a list of experience point awards I use. It contains many of the same entries given in the Dungeon Master's Guide, 2nd Ed. But I've extended and expanded it. A lot of these awards are given to encourage role-playing, something the AD&D core rules studiously ignore. These xp awards are geared towards a High Fantasy, High Magic campaign, where characters can reach 18th or higher level, so you may need to adjust these awards for your specific campaign. Please note I use non-standard coin values (see Character Creation Rules), so the experience point awards based on monetary value will almost certainly need to be changed for other campaigns. Where the term "kill" is used, it means to kill, banish, defeat, or otherwise overcome an animate opponent. It is my hope that other DMs out there will find this list useful. I also encourage you to send me suggestions and ideas (don't forget to remove the NOSPAM.
In my campaign, I give all the players a printed copy of this list for their use. It is the player's responsibility to keep track of any bonus awards he or she may get. This is to minimize DM workload. For hit dice-based awards, the player is responsible for keeping track of the creature(s) defeated, so the DM can provide the player with a hit die total. My players have so far really enjoyed the introduction of these improved xp award tables. The amount of role-playing has vastly increased - mostly because now the players have a definitive list of what the xp rewards are for role-playing. The end result, in my campaign, hasn't really been faster level advancement (though that has happened on occasion). Player enjoyment of the game has gone waaayyy up.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the players who have given me invaluable input in creating these lists. Most especially to Jerald Eaker, James Lell, Thomas Strom, and Sean McDaniels. Thanks, guys!
| Capturing opponent | xp value of opponent |
| Challenges-Accepting | 100xp |
| Challenges-Winning | 350xp |
| Embarrass the Bad Guy | 800xp |
| Fulfill Vow | 350xp |
| Good idea | 50-500xp |
| Humor award (must make people laugh) | 100-500xp |
| Move of Daring3 | +20% xp value |
| Role playing | 50-1000xp |
| Role playing-Dramatic moment | 200xp |
| Role playing-Got in trouble, knew better | 300xp |
| Role playing-Keeping in character | 100xp |
| Ruin DM's plot | 2,000xp + 10% for adventure |
| Save party (single-handedly) | 500-1000xp |
| Set Up Bad Guy | 2x XP value of creature |
| Single combat award | 2x XP value of creature |
| Stump the DM | 500-1000xp |
| Successful use of nwp for major gain 4 | 100-500xp |
| Per spell cast to further ethos1 | 100xp/spell lvl |
| Make new spell | 500xp/spell lvl |
| Make potion/scroll2 | xp value listed in DMG |
| Make permanent magic item | xp value listed in DMG |
| Repair magic item2 | 1/2 xp value listed in DMG |
| Per burial performed | 10xp |
| Per greater undead (vampire, lich, lower planar creature) destroyed | 500 xp |
| Per HD of undead destroyed | 10 xp/HD |
| Per spell level used against undead (non-cumulative with general priest spellcasting award | 150 xp |
| Per successful turning attempt | 300 xp |
| Per successful use of any other granted power | 100 xp |
| Per destructive creature defeated (can include farmers, humanoids, etc.) | 10 xp/HD |
| Per Dryad priest actively protects (Priest must take definite protective measures - setting guard animals using Animal Friendship, or regular monthly checks | 100 xp/year |
| Per Dryad rescued/saved from death (Cumulative with previous one.) | 300 xp |
| Per natural animal rescued, retrieved from captivity. (Does not include horses simply used as mounts. Does include any animal treated with cruelty.) | 20 xp/HD |
| Per spell level used to accomplish any task in this list (non-cumulative with general priest spellcasting award). | 150 xp |
| Per square mile of natural land protected (includes stopping non-natural forest fires, deforestation destructive farming, etc.) | 100 xp |
| Work of art created by priest | 10 xp |
| Education duty performed (school established) | 10% cost of school |
| Guidance duty performed personally | 20 xp |
| Followers of Bael killed/imprisoned | 10 xp/HD |
| Marriage duty performed | 10 xp |
| Spells cast protecting children, fighting priests of Bael, protecting people | 150 xp/spell level |
| Successful use of granted power | 100 xp |
| Work of art recovered (work must be previously unknown or stolen) | 20% of value |
| Each spirit captured | 10% of creature's xp value when alive |
| Each totem quest completed | 1000xp |
| Per new spell/magic item researched | 20% of gp value |
| Per unknown spell/magic item acquired | gp value of item |
| Per mage spell cast | 50 xp/spell level |
| Per adventure that accomplishes deity's goals | +10% xp for adventure |
| Per successful MR roll | 100 xp |
| Per use of any other granted power | 50 xp |
| "Lucky" number rolled on a d20 during play | 100xp |
| Item stolen or won while gambling | gp value |
| Per use of granted power | 100xp |
| Life threatening risk taken | 500xp |
| Life threatening risk taken & succeeded without using any priest/magical abilities | 500xp |
| Per use of a granted power | 100xp |
| Per assassination performed | 2x xp value of victim |
| Per plot successfully completed | 500xp |
| Per mission accomplished | 200xp |
| Per reptile rescued | 100xp + xp value of reptile |
| Per formal human sacrifice performed | 500xp |
| Per criminal brought to justice | 100xp |
| Per crime adjudicated | 100xp |
| Per execution performed | 200xp |
| Per revenge completed | 150xp |
| Per use of granted power | 100xp |
| Per mystery solved | 500xp |
| Per successful use of abilities | 200xp |
| Per gp obtained by theft/swindle/etc. | 2xp |
| Per HD creature defeated (bard only) | 5xp |
| Money (This can be modified at DM's discretion) | 10% of gp value |
| Return valuables to rightful owner | 50% gp value |
| Per HD of creature defeated in single combat | 10xp/HD |
| Per castle built | 6000xp |
| Per military group formed/trained | total levels of group |
| Style Kill2 | +10% xp value |
| Make new spell | 500xp/spell lvl |
| Make potion/scroll | xp value from DMG |
| Make permanent magic item | xp value from DMG |
| Per spell cast vs. foes/problems1 | 50xp/spell lvl |
| Per spells successfully researched (not cumulative with make new spell) | 500xp/spell lvl |
| Style kill2 | +10% xp value |
Reminder: All xp awards are subject to DM approval.
1 Does not include casting healing or protective spells outside of adventure. Example: You get nothing for healing everyone up after adventure when you are safe at home, restoring stoneskins at the end of the trip. You do get xp for doing any of these things during a fight, in between combats while enemies have withdrawn, or casting any divination spell during the adventure that has relevance towards adventure goals, immediate goals, or character goals.
2 These awards are for any kill made with style. For example, disarming an opponent of all weapons before finishing him off, cutting all the armor off of an opponent to force him to surrender (which also gets the Capturing Opponent award), or throwing a lightning bolt at the ceiling to crush enemies with falling debris.
3 Also known as the sheer guts award. Any action which takes unusually high risks. For example, instead of backstabbing an opponent, the thief uses his pick pockets ability to snatch away the bad guy's sword. Or: Letting the giant purple worm swallow you so that you can hack your way out from the inside.
4 Any use of a non-weapon proficiency that results in significant gain towards PC's or party's goals. Example: Using the gem cutter proficiency to create a replacement stone for the Crown of Ages.
Capturing OpponentPCs capture an enemy. This is the same as defeating him. No extra award if PCs kill opponent while he's still captured. If the opponent is released and is later again captured or killed by the party, they get the xp for him all over again. This award will get reduced with repetitious captures of the same opponent.
Challenges-AcceptingCharacter is challenged by NPC who can inflict real harm on PC, and accepts. Must stand chance of losing something valuable. Example: Thief accepting a challenge by Vecna (as in, the lich whose hand & eye are now artifacts).
Challenges-WinningSame as Challenges-Accepting.
Embarrass the Bad GuyPC puts opponent in very embarrassing situation, public or private. Public is worth more xp. Example: Stealing the evil anti-paladin's armor and clothes, setting the building he's in on fire, and fighting him in the street - while he's in pink polka-dot underwear.
Fulfill VowPC makes a vow to accomplish a task, slay an enemy, destroy an item, etc. and fulfills it. Vow must have difficulty attached, more dangerous than a Challenge. Example: Paladin vowing to destroy Lolth, and succeeds in module Q1 - Queen of the Demonweb pits.
Good IdeaAny tactically sound, brilliantly inspired, or otherwise unusually good idea. Examples: Using passwall on the floor to drop opponents through a bridge.
Humor AwardPlay must stop while players and DM laugh. Example: Lice: "Look!! A Dandrian!! GET 'IM!!!!" (Inside joke).
Role playing-Keeping in CharacterPlayer runs his character according to description. I.E. Hates magic & constantly reviles spellcasters, Has weak will when being seduced by women, Annoys the heck out of the local priest with philosophical discussions, etc.
Role playing-Dramatic MomentTearful expression of grief, vociferous exhalation of frustration, long-lost lovers scene, inventive laying of a curse, etc. Must have DRAMA.
Role playing-Got in trouble, knew betterPC went ahead and did something consistent with his character, which the player knew full well would cause him grief. Must put PC in danger, ruin reputation, ruin love interest, etc.
Ruin DM's PlotIf a PC ruins my plot, by accident or design, special award. Plot must be in shambles, with no hope of recovery.
Save Party (single-handedly)PC must, without assistance by any allies (familiars are an exception), rescue another PC (or the entire party) from certain doom. This doom can be a Role playing-Got in trouble, knew better; a Challenge, etc.
Set Up Bad GuyPC(s) arrange for an enemy to be taken out by another enemy, or by his own side (3x award for this).
Single Combat AwardPC challenges/is challenged by powerful opponent (must be at least equal or greater power to PC) to single combat. Non-cumulative with the regular single combat award of 10xp/HD. PC must win without any outside assistance. I.e., no prep time to cast protective spells (unless the bad guy gets the same), no summoning monsters to help with the fight, etc.
Stump the DMAny situation the player manages to put the DM into where the DM can't get a way out. Example: Anything not covered by published rules that also isn't in a player handout. One infamous Stump the DM award was: Casting a Dispel Magic and Fireball simultaneously - this resulted in a rules-decision.
Copyright 1999 by Guardian (cmuel59749@aol.com).