-THE ESSENTIAL-
POWERS THAT BE
1D- Experience Points & Costs
Tiers: Even though PtB uses a ‘point buy’ system it also uses tiers to help vaguely track the relative power of characters and somewhat give levels to their potential power. Tiers is based on total xp.
1st Tier is 10,000- 20,000 (but stats do not start at ten for them so have to be purchased) and is called the Plebes, it encompasses most unimportant NPCs, at this tier a character cannot have any single thing above a 10. The 2nd Tier is 10,000-20,000 and is called the Empowered, but also includes exceptional non-empowered, at this tier the character cannot have any single thing above 20. This is the tier for important NPC's and for relatively new empowered. At this Tier and higher all Stats (Physical, Mental, Power, and Wealth) start at 10 base unless cannibalized. The 3rd Tier is 20,001-30,000 and is called the Elite, at this tier the character cannot have any single thing above 30. The 4th Tier is 30,001-40,000 and is called the Elders, at this tier the character cannot have any single thing above 40, and only those that relate to the characters power and/or source. Other than that the character is still limited to 30. The same goes for the 5th Tier of Greater Powers which power and or source related things can be raised to 50. The fifth tier is anything over 40,000xp and are truly god-like.
Narrator's Option- Leveled Tier Variant: Basically a rule idea to break tiers down into levels. For example the game could start with the characters on Tier 2, but specifically at level 16. In this variant the base XP for each level may be tweaked somewhat to be 1,000 per level so that a 16th level character would have 16,000 xp and would be considered 17th level at 27,000xp and so on. In this Variant the Narrator may also want to limit the number of Aptitudes to one, or possibly two, per level.
Earning: The rate at which experience points are doled out is entirely at the discretion of the Narrator. It is suggested that more than simple combat is factored into this equation. Cleverness, role playing and team work should all be rewarded. Anything that increases the enjoyment for the group should also be factored in to an extent. A good rule of thumb for doling out Xp for combat is to give the group a portion of the points of the foe they defeated, like 1/10th. If the narrator wants the characters to level more quickly or slowly can use a greater or smaller portion respectively. When it is a non-combat challenge or an avoided combat the same for or even more should be given. For situations where the challenge isn't another being but an event like a burning building or something non-living like a trap or something completely story based like a family member in the hospital the Xp is much more difficult for the Narrator to determine so usually must trust their gut. For this a system of checks (if they don't want the players to know) or poker chips (if they do wan the players to know) can really help track xp for role playing and such. Another good way, if the group is large enough, is to poll the group (either through secret poll or out loud) can help determine bonus xp and also get player feed-back. Categories like Best Role Playing, Most Valuable Player, Favorite NPC, Favorite Moment.
Buying: A player can use their experience to improve their character by spending points. The costs of the various points are listed below. It is up to the Narrator when a player can spend experience in this fashion, such as they have to wait until the character has some down time. Stats start at 10(including Power Stats and Wealth) for any Tier above Plebe and experience can be spent to grant a bonus to this roll, though the player can choose to cannibalize stats for more build Xp for other things, up to the point the Narrator allows though generally the minimum should be 4. The main limitation is that a character is limited by the Tier they are in, and can only have number equal to the ten times their Tier for any given thing, though dice do combine depending on the rolls. This applies to other things as well, such as resistances, attack types and such, however in these cases the Tier also limit the bonus beyond the Tier the character can have in a given thing. Ex: Totes the Bagman is a local thug of Tier 1, he is a tough guy with maxed out Fortitude and Resist, so when he rolls for Physical Resist it is 2d10, as he has 10 from Fortitude and 10 from Resist. If Totes the Bagman was similarly maxed out as a Tier 3 character he rolls for Physical Resist it is 6d10, as he has 30 from Fortitude and 30 from Resist.
Xp Costs
Stats: 100 per point
Resistance: 50 per point
Power Stats: 150 per point
Wealth: 100 per point
Aptitudes: range from 50 per up to 1,000 per.
Burning: Aside from improving their character the player can also use Xp on the fly to influence the Narrator and thusly the story. It is up to the Narrator if the Xp burn will be effective, though if not the player should not be forced to give up Xp just to find out. It is also up to the Narrator exactly how the action caused by the burned xp will come about. Lastly it is up to the Narrator how much xp might be required to effect the situation.
Such examples of this are as follows:
Start potential combat situation: 5
End combat in some way: 5
Get rescued from a situation: 3
A hint or clue to something: 1
Mulligan (see below): 1
Luck (see below): 1-5
If the Narrator is indecisive on something: 1-5 (auction)
Mulligan: One use of burning should always be allowed is to burn a point to get a reroll. Only reroll allowed for each roll. At higher tiers the Narrator can increase the cost of this, but this rule helps ensure the characters have a good shot at making to those levels.
Luck: Can be used in the case of a success or a fail. It grants a positive side effect to an action The Narrator may even allow it on an Epic Fail, but for that the cost may be upped.
Restructuring: If a player wants to alter a character and the Narrator's allows it they loose 1/10th of their xp as a sort of restructuring tax and can rewrite their character. The Narrator should then work in the transformation into the story somehow.
Auction: If when the players try to influence the Narrator/ story with Xp and the players are asking for contradicting points the Narrator may have a quick Xp auction to see who is willing to spend more Xp.