Character Advancement XP Revisited (5e Variant Rule)
Character Advancement XP Revisited[edit]
This variant rule uses the same rules for gaining experience points (XP) as those found in the 5e SRD, with one exception: NPCs of a CR lower than 1/8th of your character level don't provide XP when defeated. The table below shows what CR or lower doesn't provide XP at each level.
| Character Level | CR or Lower |
|---|---|
| 1st | 0 |
| 2nd | 1/8 |
| 3rd | 1/4 |
| 4th | 1/4 |
| 5th | 1/2 |
| 6th | 1/2 |
| 7th | 1/2 |
| 8th | 1/2 |
| 9th | 1 |
| 10th | 1 |
| 11th | 1 |
| 12th | 1 |
| 13th | 1 |
| 14th | 1 |
| 15th | 1 |
| 16th | 1 |
| 17th | 2 |
| 18th | 2 |
| 19th | 2 |
| 20th | 2 |
The main difference between this rule and RAW is how much each level requires before a character can advance to it. This is to better reward difficult encounters over large numbers of small encounters, and until 19th level, progression will be faster than usual. If your group prefers many small encounters, this rule might not be for your group. The XP required for advancement at every level generally equals the proficiency bonus of that level times the XP of a deadly encounter for a four-person party of the previous level (for example, 2 times the XP of a deadly encounter for four 1st-level adventurers to advance to 2nd level), as denoted on the table below:
| Character Level | XP |
|---|---|
| 1st | 0 |
| 2nd | 200 |
| 3rd | 600 |
| 4th | 1,400 |
| 5th | 2,900 |
| 6th | 6,200 |
| 7th | 10,400 |
| 8th | 15,500 |
| 9th | 23,900 |
| 10th | 33,500 |
| 11th | 44,700 |
| 12th | 59,100 |
| 13th | 81,600 |
| 14th | 107,100 |
| 15th | 135,600 |
| 16th | 167,600 |
| 17th | 210,800 |
| 18th | 263,600 |
| 19th | 320,600 |
| 20th | 386,000 |
Every 45,000 XP after level 20, a character can choose an epic boon.
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