Flexible Experience Options for Associations

[The Pathfinder]

Hello.
 
How are you?
 
So I got to thinking about the three (or four?) major factions: The Numinous Order; The Wyrm Watchers; The Transcendent Conclave; and I think The Stewards of the Ark is still a thing, right? Anyhow, each of those factions offers bonus experience based on membership, up until 10th level. I think that's swell, not because it encourages people to sign up, but because it allows those people with strongly-defined and setting-related goals to pursue them without having to quest during every session to progress mechanically.
 
I thought about it, and then I thought, why don't the Associations have the same thing? A couple reasons off the top of my head: players can add players to Associations without an application, which could lead to abuse; further, a person is more likely to sign on with the faction just for potential XP.
 
But, if the issue is PCs abusing the system and not following through with Association-related goals, that leaves those PCs who are genuine (read: Most PCs) in the lurch.
 
So, got to thinking about it more; maybe we could cap the bonus XP at 8 instead of 10? Maybe require an app to get bonus XP? Didn't really fit.
 
-
 
Then I thought, well, the three major Associations are focused generally around three things: The Muster protects the village and upholds the law; The Aberdenn are hunters and scouts; The Caermyn are merchants and mercenaries. Why not support that behaviour?
 
For the Muster, create a patrol route based on placeables in and around the village, just like that beginning quest that takes you through Muskroot's Tower to the Mist's End. Alternatively, give a small XP bonus while within the village areas.
 
For the Aberdenn, offer a higher pay in GP/XP for skins and more points for food/water/herbs, or an experience modifer (5%?) in the Forgotten Forest.
 
For the Caermyn, offer bonus GP/XP for doing the caravan escort quests, or an XP bonus while the player has rented a merchant's stall.
 
-
 
Just little things like that can help direct and reward association activity while still allowing experience bonuses for Factions to be special and unique.
 
Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Book Of Hours]

Just to straighten it out, the factions don't get XPs up to 10th level. More like 6 or 7th, I don't know for certain. I just know my PC stopped once I got a short ways into 6th level.

[MirrorMask]

Bonus xp stops for non-faction pc's, which includes unaligned people and associates (Caermyn, Aberdenn, or Muster) at 6th lvl.  PC's in a faction (Stewards, Order, Watchers, Conclave) recieve an independent bonus xp which varies and does not stop until a high lvl like 10th.  If you are in one of those four and stopped getting xp wage at 6th lvl from it, then contact a DM to have it fixed.

[Pigadig]

The total amount of XP a faction PC can gain, as far as I understand it, is based upon 1) the XP total of their faction and 2) the amount of PCs in other factions and their xp.

In other words, if you've got barely anyone in your faction and everyone else has a lot, you might get XP until 10. Most people in factions will never get this though and will likely have it stop mid level 7, maybe low level 8 if they're "lucky".

[Ebok]

So I got to thinking about the three (or four?) major factions: The  Numinous Order; The Wyrm Watchers; The Transcendent Conclave; and I  think The Stewards of the Ark is still a thing, right? Anyhow, each of  those factions offers bonus experience based on membership, up until  10th level.

This was the original post by Johannes detailing the addition.

The XP wage has been extended and  increased for PCs who are in DM factions according to the following  formula. In addition to the standard advancement bonus, PCs will  receive:

XP Limit = 15000 + 30000 * Disparity Coefficient
XP per 10 minutes = 40 * Disparity Coefficient
Num := Count of PCs in your DM faction
Denom := Count of PCs in any DM faction
Disparity Coefficient = (1 - Num / Denom)^(log (1 + Denom) / log (2))

Thus a PC in a relatively less populated faction stands to obtain up to  40 xp per 10 minutes until level 10 whereas PCs in already  well-populated factions will hardly benefit at all. Players are  encouraged to plan their PCs accordingly to benefit from this new  change.

I quickly averaged this and placed it within a chart for you. As you can see, if there are 9 players in both the Wyrm watchers and the Conclave, and one player in the Order... that Order will get some benefit up until level 9. But If there are three within each faction it will cap at level 7.

I think that's swell, not because it encourages people to sign up, but  because it allows those people with strongly-defined and setting-related  goals to pursue them without having to quest during every session to  progress mechanically.

While it is certainly a reward for joining a DM faction, it's design serves to balances the number and levels of those players in that faction. This will not provide a major bonus that could in any way replace questing. I believe part of this was to establish some help for those DM faction that are very behind the other two in terms of power. This meant that when they were forced into competition the advantages one side might have would be slightly reduced.

Then I thought, well, the three major Associations are focused generally  around three things: The Muster protects the village and upholds the  law; The Aberdenn are hunters and scouts; The Caermyn are merchants and  mercenaries. Why not support that behaviour?

I dont believe the support they need is in exp. It would be better to see those who are doing these things correctly get rewarded in house in terms of power or authority within the city. HOwever you can push quite a bit more within these faction then outside them already... So I don't think this is a big issue.



In case you wanted a quick reference.

[Porkolt]

TL;DR:

Faction PCs get the same character advancement bonus as other XPs, and get a minor bonus added in, which averages around 10 xp.

[Talir]

Only the Transcendant Conclave, the Numinous Order and the Wyrm Watchers receive this boost. It's not a big deal by any means but an added bonus among the many others to playing in a DM faction.

Associations will not have the same but they have all their own little perks and opportunities.