XP/leveling limits in Greyhawk/Lake Geneva

[foster1941]

Hey Scott,

I saw on Gygax's email list that you were discussing the topic of XP/leveling limits (i.e. what happens when a 1st level character finds a 100,000 g.p. gem -- does he gain only enough xp to go to 2nd level, or all 100,000) and were having trouble locating where Rob discussed this issue was handled in Greyhawk/LG. I know that the conversation there has moved on (and Gary already confirmed how he handled the issue), but since I also remembered that discussion with Rob and was curious I went looking and found it. So, in case you were still looking, here's the appropriate series of posts (from this thread on the PPP boards):

SWGregg
Earl of the Realm
Posts: 42
(2/5/04 11:18 am)

Didn't Robilar have a problem with a relative who took over his castle because he thought Robilar was dead after he got sent to China?
Scott

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The Pied PiperRJK
Lord of Dimensions
Posts: 1582
(2/5/04 5:22 pm)

Yes. Gary had a distant "cousin" show up as heir to the estate. assumng Robilar had perished in the Castle. He proceeded to work up to 7th level (before EGG put a cap on the leveling) He went from 1st to 7th level from a massive haul of gems when a large party sacked a gem tree on a level with... Ooops, Can't tell you that. Let's say that Gary kept on rolling for this one particular gem which kept going up in value, as he kept rolling 1's for it. Before long it increased from 500 gold to something astronomical--100,000 gold or more I fear, and with his split from the other treasure as well, his experiece made him 7th or 8th level.

He was sorely disappointed when I returned to the point of even not wanting to remain at my castle, so off he went never to be seen again. The episode with this relative-NPC didn't last long, so we never really named him, IIRC.

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SWGregg
Earl of the Realm
Posts: 42
(2/7/04 12:04 pm)

Quote:He went from 1st to 7th level from a massive haul of gems...

So, if you are first level and you gain 100,000 experience points, you go directly to 7th level?
It doesn't actually say it anywhere in the rules, but a lot of people use a rule that once you get enough experience points to reach the next level, you stop getting experience points until you level, and any excess experience gained on that outing would be lost.
This example is an extreme one, and I don't think many 1st level characters will find 100,000 gp gems, but it does make dual-classing and the bard seem not so arduous.
Scott

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The Pied PiperRJK
Lord of Dimensions
Posts: 1588
(2/7/04 3:27 pm)

Read my previous post closely. EGG put that cap rule into effect in the playtest version of D&D because of things like this happening. Right after that happened, in fact, that rule changed to what it is now in AD&D 1st edition.

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SWGregg
Earl of the Realm
Posts: 43
(2/7/04 4:09 pm)

Ahhhh, I see now. When I read,

Quote:He proceeded to work up to 7th level (before EGG put a cap on the leveling)


I took it for some level cap placed on Robilar's cousin.
Scott

[Scott]

Thats the one.
Thanks Foster.
Scott

[Falconer]

Thank, Foster.

Though, of course, Rob doesn't really clarify the mechanics of the cap the way Gary did. Regards.

[Axe Mental]

Didn't some of you guys play with EGG as DM? Did he let you keep EAPS over what was needed to advance, or were they lost?

ALso wasn't there some magical means to increase in levels at an excellerated rate? If I remember correctly you aged in the process. Perhaps a piece of magic in the DMG.

[Scott]

EGG invited me to come and DM for him and his PC Nigby, a 9th level m-u and former apprentice of Bigby. I have an adventure written, I just need to find the time.
Per Gary, you keep the experience over the amount needed to level, as long as you don't gain enough to gain more than one level. He says he typically will cut it off 100 points shy of the next level. For example, a first level cleric with 0 experience points goes on an adventure and gains 5,000 xp. The cleric would gain one level and have an xp total of 2,991.
I don't know of any item that lets you gain xp at an accelerated rate, just the items that bump you up a level.
Scott