I wouldn't offer XP for finding magical items - I might if the PCs made them after gathering a whole bunch of rare monster parts etc. Typically this would just mean increasing the XP for defeating a monster.
While I have been DM's for decades now, this is my first exposure with 5e
I intend to use experience in my current game and have always included XP for magical loot that the party obtains
5e doesn't seem to have any guidelines or charts for that and magic items are now listed by how rare (or not) they are
Does anyone have suggestions for determining XP ?
Thanks
In former versions of the system, the method of 1gp=1xp was used. Granted that there are no prices that are "set-in-stone" for magic items, as the value of said items is set by the DM at the table. You could borrow that mechanic and bring it forward. You haven't said how frequently you give out magic items in your games, which is another debated topic in 5e. Magic item frequency isn't set by the system in 5e either.
Having said that, I would caution you against this as there may be unintended consequences when it comes to PC advancement and balance within the party, and then scaling encounter difficulty. 5e was intentionally designed to omit the requirement for PCs to have magic items. I might suggest that you run a short (Levels 1 to 5) adventure with no, or very few, magic items first as an attempt to test drive this system. Then tailor to your particular tastes.
Either way, hope this helps, good luck and have fun!
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Also remember, even in AD&D days, Gygax clearly states in the DMG that magic items' value in gp does not count in full towards XP if it is an item the PCs are regularly using. They only get its full GP value in XP if they sell it or trade it in. For example, a Portable Hole was worth 50,000 gp to sell it (pg. 123, DMG, AD&D 1e), but only 5,000 XP. That's because if you keep it, a Portable Hole has many, many uses that will improve the Quality of Life for the party, and so if you use it, you only get about 10% of its value as XP. Similarly, a Shield +1 was worth 2,500 gp but only 250 xp if you keep it. And a Sword +2 was worth 4,000 gp if you sold it but only 800 xp if you kept and used it (DMG, pg. 124).
So at minimum whatever the GP value of a magic item is, you should not give them the full value in GP for experience. Even AD&D did not do that.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
thank you for the replies, I think I should have mentioned that I am pulling over an in progress 1e campaign to 5e as my playing group and I are interested in trying out 5e. So there is a level of homebrewing going on to make things fit. This is especially true since my version of the FR history is radically different from everything beyond 2e.
Based on the answers here, I think I know what I will do.
While I have been DM's for decades now, this is my first exposure with 5e
I intend to use experience in my current game and have always included XP for magical loot that the party obtains
5e doesn't seem to have any guidelines or charts for that and magic items are now listed by how rare (or not) they are
Does anyone have suggestions for determining XP ?
Thanks
XP is not given for treasure in 5e. Just for defeating encounters. If you want to give XP for treasure you will need to homebrew something.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Do you mean giving XP for just getting loot? Isn’t that just giving them a reward for getting a reward you just gave them?
If I were going to do anything with magic items and xp, it would be to make magic items cost xp.
I wouldn't offer XP for finding magical items - I might if the PCs made them after gathering a whole bunch of rare monster parts etc. Typically this would just mean increasing the XP for defeating a monster.
In former versions of the system, the method of 1gp=1xp was used. Granted that there are no prices that are "set-in-stone" for magic items, as the value of said items is set by the DM at the table. You could borrow that mechanic and bring it forward. You haven't said how frequently you give out magic items in your games, which is another debated topic in 5e. Magic item frequency isn't set by the system in 5e either.
Having said that, I would caution you against this as there may be unintended consequences when it comes to PC advancement and balance within the party, and then scaling encounter difficulty. 5e was intentionally designed to omit the requirement for PCs to have magic items. I might suggest that you run a short (Levels 1 to 5) adventure with no, or very few, magic items first as an attempt to test drive this system. Then tailor to your particular tastes.
Either way, hope this helps, good luck and have fun!
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Also remember, even in AD&D days, Gygax clearly states in the DMG that magic items' value in gp does not count in full towards XP if it is an item the PCs are regularly using. They only get its full GP value in XP if they sell it or trade it in. For example, a Portable Hole was worth 50,000 gp to sell it (pg. 123, DMG, AD&D 1e), but only 5,000 XP. That's because if you keep it, a Portable Hole has many, many uses that will improve the Quality of Life for the party, and so if you use it, you only get about 10% of its value as XP. Similarly, a Shield +1 was worth 2,500 gp but only 250 xp if you keep it. And a Sword +2 was worth 4,000 gp if you sold it but only 800 xp if you kept and used it (DMG, pg. 124).
So at minimum whatever the GP value of a magic item is, you should not give them the full value in GP for experience. Even AD&D did not do that.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Hello All
thank you for the replies, I think I should have mentioned that I am pulling over an in progress 1e campaign to 5e as my playing group and I are interested in trying out 5e. So there is a level of homebrewing going on to make things fit. This is especially true since my version of the FR history is radically different from everything beyond 2e.
Based on the answers here, I think I know what I will do.
OP: What did you do? How did it work?