IKRPG Character Construction 102 - XP and you!

Before I took a look at how I decided to create my first character for the IKRPG I thought I would take some time to have a look at how the XP system works. The primary reason for this is that whilst I was building the character I realised how important it is to understand how it is going to advance as we play, also to avoid disappointments further down the track when I worked out that I could not get the Abilities or Skills that I thought I would get.

So, first up how do you earn XP in the Iron Kingdoms RPG?

1. Play Award - 1 XP for turning up!
2. Teamwork Award - 1 XP for working together as a team and utilising each others strengths
3. Milestone Bonus - 1 XP for finishing chapters or short term goals
4. Conclusion - 1-3 CP for completing the storyline

Based on this I think it is pretty safe to assume that you would be averaging 2-3 points per session, over a decent number of sessions (i.e. completing some milestones along the way to finishing a greater storyline)

So what do you do with this XP? As your XP total increases you pass Character Advancement Milestones, the first one (for example) is when you hit a total of 2 XP, you get to add 2 levels or points, to your Occupation Skills. Advancement happens pretty quickly during the first few gaming sessions and within 3-5 sessions chances are you will have picked up a few skills, a stat point increase and 1 (yes one!) of either a Spell, class Ability, Connection or Military Skill. Just for the people keeping score that is 1 out of those 4... That is why I kept harping on about the importance of a little planning as there is a good chance you are going to be balancing the desire to have both Military Skill increases as well as new Abilities, even worse if you happen to be Gifted and want to learn some new spells!

Some of you may be thinking that I am going off the deep end, after all there will be more XP and more increases... that is true, but they do not come thick or fast and as soon as you want to have two Military Skills (say you want to use a melee weapon as well as a ranged one, or a shield for instance!) at maximum level as well as picking up Abilities from both your Careers you are going to have to make some hard choices. Better you take a look at what you are in for now and make some of those hard calls up front.

So what does the XP table look like? A little bit like that...

By the time you have finished the Hero level (that is where you can only have 2 levels or points in a skill, you will have picked up:

• +10 Occupational Skills
• +5 Stat points
• +5 Spells, Abilities, Connections OR Military Skills and
• +3 Archetype benefits

So by the time your party hits "Veteran" (at a guess 20 or so sessions) you will have pretty nicely covered off most of the Occupational Skills, had a nice Stat boost and maxed out the main stats you have chosen to focus on, picked up some nice Archetype (based off being Gifted or Mighty etc) benefits and had to make some really hard calls on the other ones. My Ogrun (for example) spends 2 points on raising the Great Weapon and Shield Military Skills, does not worry about Spells (he is not Gifted), could care less about Connections and has picked up 3 Abilities split between his two Careers. 

Over the next 100 XP (so going up to a total of 150) he will pick up a further +5 Spells, Abilities, Connections OR Military Skills - spending 4 out of those 5 on increasing Great Weapon and Shield, he has 1 slot left open to pick up an Ability - hope I chose well!

After getting my head around the XP system I realised that I had better start my plan for my Ogrun again as just because I can have two starting Careers does not mean that I will have enough advancements to fully utilise them, so I needed to make some hard calls right at the beginning. Next time I'll have a look at those and see what changes I made to my initial plan.