I'm curious, how do you manage player absences in your game? I asked my players how they wanted to handle it during session 0 and everyone agreed that if you can't make it, for any reason, your PC doesn't get xp. By the way, I'm using experience points in my campaign.
We're a year in now and 2 players haven't missed a session. They are level 9. The rest have missed sessions due to vacations, sickness, and inconveniences. They are at various points in level 8.
I suppose I'm wondering if anyone has found an interesting approach to this. I don't consider it a problem.
I don’t consider it a problem either. But I also give XP for everything. I even give 25 XP instead of inspiration. So I expect them to be at slightly different levels, and I have ways for those who miss to try and catch up.
I don’t use XP for leveling, but I do use it for other things. What I do if someone misses a session is give them as much XP as I give the player who earned the least XP and was actually present. I don’t believe players should be punished for circumstances beyond their control (and not receiving XP is a punishment), but I also don’t think they should be rewarded MORE than players who were there (which is why I don’t give them the average or anything like that).
That said, the lowest-earning present player usually gets 0 XP, so it’s not that functionally different from “you don’t get XP if you’re not there.”
I don’t use XP for leveling, but I do use it for other things. What I do if someone misses a session is give them as much XP as I give the player who earned the least XP and was actually present. I don’t believe players should be punished for circumstances beyond their control (and not receiving XP is a punishment), but I also don’t think they should be rewarded MORE than players who were there (which is why I don’t give them the average or anything like that).
That said, the lowest-earning present player usually gets 0 XP, so it’s not that functionally different from “you don’t get XP if you’re not there.”
Just curious, what do you use XP for, if not for level ups?
With under a level spread, this is not a problem. Before 5E I would try to keep levels within + or - 2 of the average. Now days I would just keep them in the same tier.
When a player misses a session then they miss a session. My home game is XP for Gold using a site based exploration/adventure hexcrawl in a world of my own making for about..... 30 years now I suppose. Things are kept local, none of the "save the world" stuff, though world changing events have been influenced by their actions over the years. Since switching to 5e all characters start out at 3rd level and retire around level 10. At any given time the character levels can range all over the spectrum.
It's not your typical game, but I believe that's what draws people to it.
I don't really see the need to 'reward' players for perfect attendance, or 'punish' players for skipping out. The reward is that they get to play, and if they're not there, they don't. Seems like a non-problem to me. I use milestone leveling in my games, since I can't be bothered tracking XP, and my players prefer the clear understanding that they'll get levels upon completing goals they're given.
To answer the question on what I actually do when a player is absent - it depends a lot on what is going on in the game. If they're in the middle of a dungeon then I, or another player will 'bot' their character for them. The character is controlled in a way that the group agrees the missing player would behave. I'd rather not 'remove' them from the dungeon, since my encounters would have been designed assuming everyone is present.
However, if it's a circumstance where there is a plausible explanation to why that character would be absent (it's a new day in a city, for example), then we go with that (they had a private matter to attend to, or whatever). If I have the time in the week, I might run a 1 player D&D session over the phone with that player to find out 'what they got up to' on their own, then boom - instant inter-group roleplay prepared for next session.
People have busy, complicated lives, and I feel like we've got to be willing to suspend some disbelief sometimes for the good of the group to explain a player absence.
The running joke at my table is that a PC whose player misses a session “was in the bathroom” while the events were taking place. I don’t give any real penalty.
Depends on the campaign and the rules the players decide on at the start. I've run games where they still get XP, games where they don't, and, with a smaller group, games where we just reschedule. As long as everyone is having fun, there's no right or wrong way to handle it!
In the Pandemic I've been playing on Zoom and keep our player count to only 4. If someone misses a session, we simply don't meet that week.
I also use benchmarks for leveling so if we did go on without someone it wouldn't effect levelling. But I also use things like "you get advantage on BLAH next time it comes up because that was great RP" rather than "here's some EXP" for rewarding certain behaviors.
I like your approach. Specifically, that it was intentionally brought-up before the campaign started and everyone agreed to those parameters.
Everyone seems happy and I don't see a problem, especially if you prefer to do levelling by xp the curve to get to the next level at this point gets progressively longer so basically everyone is still generally even to not make much difference.
As syzygyeolith mentioned, playing at the table can be considered its own reward much more so than earning xp. All in all its case by case per table/campaign. Our D&D campaign started a few years ago and has been on hiatus since covid hit (online play didn't end up being as fun for our specific group in comparison to in-person because turns out the D&D was more so an excuse for everyone to ditch their families, imbibe, eat roasted or smoked meats, b.s. around, and still have fun. When we did originally start years ago I assumed everyone would show up regularly; naturally they don't for a variety of reasons and because life gets in the way, folks have spouses, children, etc. We didn't even see one guy for a long stretch of months. No problem. It's a relaxed game. When he did finally get the chance to show up, more fun for everyone, and by fiat everyone is at the same level so with the wizardry of DDB his sheet got updated appropriately in a matter of seconds.
Gotta love the "in the bathroom" or "gone out back" excuses to explain away a character not being present. I think any excuse (session long petrification, planar transported, visiting grandma's house in the woods) is fine, and I don't need a sensible reason (or any reason) for why Johnny and Jane (who weren't at the last session) suddenly are within the sealed dungeon alongside Tommy and Tammy who were at the last session.
Like many I run milestone and if a player can’t make it that’s fine, they still level with everyone else. It works for us, my most recent campaign a player who was at session 0 couldn’t make the first 3 game sessions due to life issues, first session he arrived at he instantly leveled up to level 2 and I integrated him into the party, a house they where stopping being burgled he was asleep upstairs in.
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Hi, thanks for looking at my thread!
I'm curious, how do you manage player absences in your game? I asked my players how they wanted to handle it during session 0 and everyone agreed that if you can't make it, for any reason, your PC doesn't get xp. By the way, I'm using experience points in my campaign.
We're a year in now and 2 players haven't missed a session. They are level 9. The rest have missed sessions due to vacations, sickness, and inconveniences. They are at various points in level 8.
I suppose I'm wondering if anyone has found an interesting approach to this. I don't consider it a problem.
I don’t consider it a problem either. But I also give XP for everything. I even give 25 XP instead of inspiration. So I expect them to be at slightly different levels, and I have ways for those who miss to try and catch up.
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I don’t use XP for leveling, but I do use it for other things. What I do if someone misses a session is give them as much XP as I give the player who earned the least XP and was actually present. I don’t believe players should be punished for circumstances beyond their control (and not receiving XP is a punishment), but I also don’t think they should be rewarded MORE than players who were there (which is why I don’t give them the average or anything like that).
That said, the lowest-earning present player usually gets 0 XP, so it’s not that functionally different from “you don’t get XP if you’re not there.”
Just curious, what do you use XP for, if not for level ups?
Ability score increases.
With under a level spread, this is not a problem. Before 5E I would try to keep levels within + or - 2 of the average. Now days I would just keep them in the same tier.
No Gaming is Better than Bad Gaming.
When a player misses a session then they miss a session. My home game is XP for Gold using a site based exploration/adventure hexcrawl in a world of my own making for about..... 30 years now I suppose. Things are kept local, none of the "save the world" stuff, though world changing events have been influenced by their actions over the years. Since switching to 5e all characters start out at 3rd level and retire around level 10. At any given time the character levels can range all over the spectrum.
It's not your typical game, but I believe that's what draws people to it.
...cryptographic randomness!
Petrify them, drug them, or have them be on a personal errand, have them tend to a supper or social gathering, or have them be on a a side quest.
Or better yet, have revolving door trap them in a different part of the dungeon and they eventually meet back up.
Mystic v3 should be official, nuff said.
I don't really see the need to 'reward' players for perfect attendance, or 'punish' players for skipping out. The reward is that they get to play, and if they're not there, they don't. Seems like a non-problem to me. I use milestone leveling in my games, since I can't be bothered tracking XP, and my players prefer the clear understanding that they'll get levels upon completing goals they're given.
To answer the question on what I actually do when a player is absent - it depends a lot on what is going on in the game. If they're in the middle of a dungeon then I, or another player will 'bot' their character for them. The character is controlled in a way that the group agrees the missing player would behave. I'd rather not 'remove' them from the dungeon, since my encounters would have been designed assuming everyone is present.
However, if it's a circumstance where there is a plausible explanation to why that character would be absent (it's a new day in a city, for example), then we go with that (they had a private matter to attend to, or whatever). If I have the time in the week, I might run a 1 player D&D session over the phone with that player to find out 'what they got up to' on their own, then boom - instant inter-group roleplay prepared for next session.
People have busy, complicated lives, and I feel like we've got to be willing to suspend some disbelief sometimes for the good of the group to explain a player absence.
The running joke at my table is that a PC whose player misses a session “was in the bathroom” while the events were taking place. I don’t give any real penalty.
Depends on the campaign and the rules the players decide on at the start. I've run games where they still get XP, games where they don't, and, with a smaller group, games where we just reschedule. As long as everyone is having fun, there's no right or wrong way to handle it!
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In the Pandemic I've been playing on Zoom and keep our player count to only 4. If someone misses a session, we simply don't meet that week.
I also use benchmarks for leveling so if we did go on without someone it wouldn't effect levelling. But I also use things like "you get advantage on BLAH next time it comes up because that was great RP" rather than "here's some EXP" for rewarding certain behaviors.
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I like your approach. Specifically, that it was intentionally brought-up before the campaign started and everyone agreed to those parameters.
Everyone seems happy and I don't see a problem, especially if you prefer to do levelling by xp the curve to get to the next level at this point gets progressively longer so basically everyone is still generally even to not make much difference.
As syzygyeolith mentioned, playing at the table can be considered its own reward much more so than earning xp. All in all its case by case per table/campaign. Our D&D campaign started a few years ago and has been on hiatus since covid hit (online play didn't end up being as fun for our specific group in comparison to in-person because turns out the D&D was more so an excuse for everyone to ditch their families, imbibe, eat roasted or smoked meats, b.s. around, and still have fun. When we did originally start years ago I assumed everyone would show up regularly; naturally they don't for a variety of reasons and because life gets in the way, folks have spouses, children, etc. We didn't even see one guy for a long stretch of months. No problem. It's a relaxed game. When he did finally get the chance to show up, more fun for everyone, and by fiat everyone is at the same level so with the wizardry of DDB his sheet got updated appropriately in a matter of seconds.
Gotta love the "in the bathroom" or "gone out back" excuses to explain away a character not being present. I think any excuse (session long petrification, planar transported, visiting grandma's house in the woods) is fine, and I don't need a sensible reason (or any reason) for why Johnny and Jane (who weren't at the last session) suddenly are within the sealed dungeon alongside Tommy and Tammy who were at the last session.
Boldly go
Like many I run milestone and if a player can’t make it that’s fine, they still level with everyone else. It works for us, my most recent campaign a player who was at session 0 couldn’t make the first 3 game sessions due to life issues, first session he arrived at he instantly leveled up to level 2 and I integrated him into the party, a house they where stopping being burgled he was asleep upstairs in.