As the 5th day of the campaign ends, I think it’s a good time to award some experience points and proceed with character development. This post won’t advance the story, but it’s definitely relevant campaign-wise (and gameplay-wise), and I’ll therefore keep it in the main, numbered, batch of posts, rather than placing it somewhere as a with the eyes of the referee insert.
The rules for developing a player’s character can be found in the Player’s Manual at pages 40-41. At the end of a session, your character gets experience, he may also increase his CUF and the unit’s morale may change. Let’s proceed in order.
EXPERIENCE POINTS
Experience points are awarded by asking the following questions. Each time the reply is ‘yes’, you get an experience point:
- Did you participate in the game session? You get one XP just for being there
I won’t be counting single game sessions; I’ll award a single XP point to all characters for making it to here.
- Did you follow your moral code despite significant risk to yourself or your group?
The captured LEADER is probably not going to make it, but the players helped the town of Praszka significantly over the past 24 hours. That fits in all their moral codes, so they each get another XP.
- Did you risk or sacrifice something significant to realize your big dream?
I won’t award any XPs for this one (I purposely set broad-scoped big dreams for all characters).
- Did you travel through at least one hex on the travel map that you had not visited before?
This is definitely a yes: the players have travelled roughly 90km from Kalisz to Praszka. I will award each of them one XP for the off-road travel and one XP for having entered Praszka. (the rules state that you can only get 1 XP per question, but I’m squishing 5 days of campaign in this one)
- Did you overcome one or more dangerous events, using violent or non-violent means?
14 enemies killed, 2 injured, 4 captured and a technical destroyed (and that’s just in Praszka). Everybody gets 1 XP.
- Did you risk your life for the PC who is your buddy?
Nobody really risked his/her life for anybody else, so I won’t award any points for this.
In conclusion: everybody gets 5 XPs
5 XPs are enough to raise a skill level from none to D. Players can only raise the level of skills they have successfully used during the session, or they can increase the level by having someone else with a higher skill level instruct them for a shift.
- LED increases his MOBILITY skill from none to D: he has used it successfully at Garage Hotel and it goes well with his Runner specialty
- NASCAR has half of his skills at D level. He saves his XPs until he has enough to bring one up to C level (D to C requires 10 XPs)
- DONNA could definitely use a boost in her RANGED COMBAT; she has D so she will keep her XPs until she has the 10 required to raise the level.
- ALEX increases his SURVIVAL from none to D: he has used it successfully on day 2 to hunt a rabbit and it goes well with his Hunter specialty.
COOLNESS UNDER FIRE
Let’s move to coolness under fire (CUF): “after each session in which you made a CUF roll and succeeded, you have a chance to increase your CUF. Roll the base die for your CUF. If the result is a 1, increase your CUF one step. The maximum CUF score is A” (Player’s Manual, page 40)
Only LED and NASCAR have made and succeeded a CUF roll. LED already has CUF A so I won’t bother with his roll.
- NASCAR rolls CUF [D10] = rolled 1!!!
NASCAR increases his CUF from B to A.
The rules also state that “However, becoming cooler under fire can make you emotionally numb. Each time your CUF increases, roll your base die for EMP. If the result is 6 or higher, your EMP rating is permanently reduced by one step, to a minimum of D” (Player’s Manual, page 41)
I don’t really like this mechanic, though I get that it makes sense. Yet I like that all my characters have EMP B because I can then play with positive reactions to the events the world presents to the players. On the other end, having somewhat less compassionate players can lead to some interesting dynamics inside the group, so I’ll go with it:
- NASCAR rolls EMP [D10] = 2 SUCCESSES (rolled a 10)
NASCAR has steeled his nerves, but the price is a colder heart. NASCAR’s EMP drops to C
MORALE
Finally, let’s see if the group changes its Morale. “At the end of each session, you should jointly in the group assess if your unit morale has changed as a result of events during the session” (Player’s Manual, page 41)
Your morale increases one step if:
- Your unit has been in combat and defeated its enemies
- You have helped other people in some material way
- Your unit has travelled at least one hex on the travel map toward your goal
- The PC in the unit with the highest Command skill level has increased their skill level.
The first two have happened, the third hasn’t (the players have not set a clear goal so far) and the last one hasn’t happened. So, unit Morale increases by 2.
Your morale decreases by one step if:
- A member of your unit has been killed or fatally wounded
- A member of your unit is starving at the end of the session
- A member of your unit is dehydrated at the end of the session
- A member of your unit is sleep deprived at the end of the session
- A member of your unit is hypothermic at the end of the session
None of the above applies, but I’m house-ruling a -1 on Morale because the players couldn’t help the captured LEADER from Garage Hotel.
Final balance: unit Morale increases by one step, from D to C.
FINAL COMMENTS
According to the rules, experience points are awarded at the end of each session. If you have players sitting around the table, and you only meet once a month or so, it makes sense that a full day of game is rewarded with the possibility of improving your characters, regardless of how much in-game time has passed.
But I am alone at the table, and I can therefore set my own pace and adjust the rules as I see more fitting. Despite this being the 34th post of this campaign, only 5 days have passed in-game.
I’m trying to progress this campaign with at least one foot firmly set in reality, and it seems odd to award experience points at the end of a single fight, which may have lasted an entire day to (role)play from start to finish, but only a few minutes in-game. It feels too close to a videogame.
That’s why I’m being conservative with the number of XPs given. Progression will be much more likely to a grind, but I am comfortable in advancing my players’ abilities a little every once in a while.
I guess my final advice is: find your own pace. Something that makes sense game-wise, but also feels satisfactory for everyone around the table.