Carousing and friends

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It has recently occurred to me that I have been running carousing incorrectly. In my game, XP has so far only been awarded from spending GP on a 1 to 1 basis, so if you spend 100 GP on carousing you get 100 XP (and maybe some adventure hooks and/or complications). So far so good. The problem comes when you can spend money on other things that have an independent benefit. Suddenly the upside to carousing doesn’t look so good in comparison to the other options (and this has been borne out by observed player choices).

In a discussion on Google Plus, it seems that most people run carousing so that you get initial XP for recovering treasure and then more XP from spending it on carousing (which is obvious, now that I think about it). In other words, carousing is an XP multiplier, at the cost of potential complications. Thus the structure of carousing is actually more like 1 GP = 2 XP. So from now on that is what I will do.

In addition to carousing, there are several other activities for spending GP and reaping XP that are structurally similar (get a bigger payoff, but also risk complications if a saving throw is failed). The options are:

Each of these activities has some potential minor payoff if the saving throw is passed. Successfully rendering judgment might improve the reputation of a cleric and make it more likely that NPCs will seek assistance from the cleric in the future. There might be a positive reaction bonus from the NPCs that participate in carousing. Magic-users might be able to identify some aspects of a mysterious enchanted item. Fencing hot property or finding someone to buy controlled substances from (like poison) might be the outcome of successful streetwise. None of these side effects are guaranteed though. The major benefit of carousing and friends is as an XP multiplier: 1 GP = 2 XP.

In the most recent version of carousing on Jeff’s blog, the saving throw required to carouse without incident is poison. That makes sense, as one is trying to resist the effects of partying hard. A save versus spells might work for magic-user experimentation, but there is no appropriate save for either judgment or streetwise. These are both social activities, so a charisma check might be logical, but structurally the check should be about experience (and thus level), not inherent talent. Given that poison is generally the most favorable saving throw, the solution I have come up with is to have any of these multiplier activities require an abstract saving throw. The player may just use the most favorable save available (this preserves the numbers for carousing while extending the same chances to the other three multiplier activities).

Thus, in all four cases, the procedure is as follows. Roll 1d6 and multiply by 100 GP for the cost. Then, take twice that in XP. Make a saving throw (use most favorable). Upon failure, roll on the appropriate complications chart. No more than one such activity may be attempted per week of downtime, though other activities (such as working on a scroll or training retainers) may be pursued during the same week.

Optional rule: characters may attempt an off-class activity, but it does not function as a multiplier (that is, the activity results in 1 XP for 1 GP). I’m really not sure about this, to be honest, but I kind of like the idea that a fighter can steal a peek at a grimoire and attempt to puzzle through some of the spells at great risk. It could even have some interesting game consequences (we have to identify this magic item, but there are no magic-users or sages available). I’m not sure that any player would ever take up this option, though. Also, I think other classes should be able to carouse, but I don’t like the idea of always sharing the fighter’s toys. So freedom for anyone to do anything but with lesser payoff seems like a decent option.

I need to write up complications tables for judgment and streetwise. Success tables for all four might be fun too.

5 thoughts on “Carousing and friends

  1. Gus L

    That’s on Judgement Failures Options – perhaps overly juridical:

    Inquisitor – An inquisitor (ordained, freelance or extraplanar depending on deity)of your religion has seen your judgement and either (33%) believes it sagacious and just or (66%) believes you to be in error. Either way he claims you need to do something for ugly and dangerous him – either as penance (to learn harshness toward the heretic for example), or because he thinks you’re the right Cleric for this dangerous mission on behalf of the faith.

    Appealled – The judged disagrees with your judgement and has managed to appeal your ruling to a superior cleric of your faith. To avoid being overturned (suffer an XP penalty equal to the money spent on judgment) the Cleric must travel to the higher level clergy and plead his case and spend 2D6x100GP per level making the case (appeals are expensive!).

    Evidentiary Issues – The judged (or the ‘victim’) has managed to stymie you on evidence issues, hiding and concealing what you need to judge fairly. Either way you must abandon the case or spend another session/money/save of judging trying to overcome this obstacle. If the case is abandoned – no XP and a -1 to future judgement saves in this locality as the people think you’re a pushover.

    Technicality – Your judgement is technically correct but unpopular. You get your XP, but for the next 4D6 weeks your reaction roles with the people of the locality are at -1 for every 100 GP spent on the judgement. You god is happy if its any solace

    Competitor – A Cleric of another cult, sect, religion or order has snatched the case from under your nose and pushed you aside. You simply lose the money spent on judgement (unless he or she is somehow unable to complete his judgement).

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    1. Gus L

      Only if you walk away from it – if you keep at it you can get the XP as if it’d been successful. A cleric is penalized by his gods for shrugging and abandoning his duty when justice is hard to get.

      Still as a gameplay option I see where that’s coming from.

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