Adaptive Experience (5e Variant Rule)
Adaptive Experience[edit]
This rule is intended for games of D&D 5e using Experience Points (abbreviated as XP). Additionally, this variant is only intended for use by experienced Dungeon Masters, as balancing can become an issue in games where this rule is not properly accounted for.
Rather than mere linear progression, Adaptive Experience allows a player to choose how their character develops over the course of a game. Instead of automatically leveling up after gaining enough Experience Points, this variant rule allows for characters spend their XP as they wish. Upon completing a long rest, a character can spend their XP in the following ways:
| Benefit | Base XP cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Level Up | Varies | The character gains a level in one of their classes. |
| Multiclass | Varies | The character gains their first level in a new class. |
| Ability Score Improvement | 500 | The character increases one of their Ability Scores by 1 |
| Gain a Feat | 1,000 | The character gains one Feat that they fulfil the prerequisites of. |
| Additional Proficiency | 250 | The character gains proficiency with a new Tool or Language. |
Character Advancement[edit]
You can determine the XP cost of your next level up by consulting the Class Level Cost table.
The class a character gains at 1st level becomes their Primary Class. To determine a character's equivalent level, add together a character's level in their Primary Class, and half of all their levels in Secondary Classes (rounded down). A character's equivalent level cannot exceed 20. Use this total to determine where your character lies on the Character Advancement table.
The Character Advancement table determines your character's proficiency bonus, as well as the maximum number of Ability Score Improvements and Feats you can buy.
After you purchase a level of a class that would normally give you an Ability Score Improvement as a feature, you are instead refunded 1,000 XP from the amount spent if the level is for your Primary Class. Otherwise, you are only refunded 500 XP.
Additionally, if your class would grant you an Ability Score Improvement at a level other than 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, or 19th, you also gain the ability to purchase additional Ability Score Improvements and Feats beyond the normal maximum. Your maximum number of Ability Score Improvements increases by 2, and your maximum number of Feats increases by 1.
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Multiclassing[edit]
The class a character gains at 1st level becomes their Primary Class. All other classes a character gains are their Secondary Classes. A character's combined levels of all their Secondary Classes can never exceed their level in their Primary Class.
As a character gains more Secondary Classes, as it becomes harder to focus on any one class. This is reflecting by an increasing XP cost for purchasing a Secondary Class according to the Multiclassing Cost table below.
Additionally, a character must spend twice as much XP as normal to Level Up a Secondary Class if they have 2 or more Secondary Classes.
A character only increases their maximum hit points when they gain a level in their Primary class, or when they gain an even level in one of their Secondary Classes. Finally, a character's level in their Secondary Classes is halved (rounded down) when determining their Spell Slot Contribution. For example, a character with 5 levels in Bard (Primary Class), 2 levels in Sorcerer (Secondary Class), and 4 levels in Paladin (Secondary Class) would have spell slots as if they were a 7th level spellcaster. Other Improvements[edit]This sections contains rules regarding the following: Ability Score Improvements, Feats, Epic Boons, Tools, and Languages. Ability Score Improvements and Feats[edit]At 1st level, the number of Ability Score Improvements (abbreviated as ASI) and Feats a character can have is limited to 1 each. However, a character unlocks the ability to buy more ASIs and Feats as a character's equivalent level increases, as determined by the Character Advancement Table. Like normal, a character cannot increase their Ability Scores above 20, unless they are benefiting from an effect or feature that allows them to do so. Epic Boons[edit]Upon reaching an equivalent level of 20, a character can begin spending XP to gain an Epic Boon. The cost for doing so is 30,000 XP. Page 231 of the DMG has examples of some standard Epic Boons. Tools and Languages[edit]By expending XP, a character can gain proficiency with one Tool or Language of their choice. This is in addition to all of the Tools or Languages that a character is normally proficient with.
Supplemental Experience Points[edit]Normally, characters can only gain XP by defeating or subverting combat encounters, and are rewarded based on the Challenge Rating of their foes. However, this does encompass the full range of challenges a character will face. For this reason, a DM can reward supplemental XP to characters when they complete any of the following challenges. General Changes[edit]No matter the source, Experience Points are always divided evenly to all members of a party. Due to this, all party members will obtain the exact same number of XP, and at the same rate. XP can be divided into decimals, if needed. When a party is rewarded with XP, if they received substantial assistance from one or more NPCs, those NPCs are counted as party members when dividing up the XP in that instance. This should only come into play in situations when an NPC made a challenge easier, and does not apply to NPCs that were created by a spell or class feature. The XP reward for securing a treasure hoard and completing a quest is based upon the level of the party that encounters them. For example, if a party has equivalent levels ranging from 1-4, they should be rewarded according to the 1-4 reward of the corresponding table (after facing an appropriate challenge, of course). For parties that don't fit into one of the designated ranges, the DM determines the range based on the average level of the party, or based on the level of difficulty that the party has faced. Finally, the DM should feel free to slightly modify the amount of XP rewarded when they deem it appropriate. For example, when characters complete a quest that is central to the campaign, the DM should increase the XP reward by up to 100%. Alternatively, when players do an exceptional job, overcome exceptional odds, or maintain exceptional roleplay, the DM might increase their XP reward by up to 20%. XP reductions should be used sparingly, but might be used to steer parties away from problematic behavior. Skill Checks[edit]Skill Checks only reward XP when they help to further the progression of a story. For example, successfully unlocking a door in a dungeon for the first time might reward XP, while simply buying a lock and picking it would not. In order to maintain the pace of an adventure, a DM can choose to keep track of the XP the party would earn from successful Skill Checks and only reward them when they begin a long rest.
Treasure Hoards[edit]Upon finding a Treasure Hoard, a DM might decide that XP should be rewarded. As these Hoards are usually found at the end of dungeons, this XP reward encapsulates all of the traps, discoveries, and other non-combat challenges the party faced to reach this point. In campaigns of a normal pace, the following XP rewards should be multiplied by the number of player characters in the party, then evenly distributed. Without NPC assistance, this means that each character gains the amount of XP listed.
Quest Completion[edit]By granting characters XP for completing quests, the DM can reward player for exhibiting their character's strengths and following pre-planned storylines. However, characters should only be rewarded with XP for quests that lack a specific Treasure Hoard, otherwise characters will gain levels too rapidly. Each mainline quest is intended to reward players with enough XP to level-up (after a 100% increase), and like Treasure Hoards, the following XP rewards should be multiplied by the number of player characters in the party, then evenly distributed. Without NPC assistance, this means that each character gains the amount of XP listed.
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