Author Topic: Ways to spend XP?  (Read 2567 times)

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Grim Sage

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Ways to spend XP?
« on: April 15, 2010, 11:02:23 AM »
We're starting a one-shot campaign soon (and might have more with the same rule later on), granting us some bonus XP to use on crafting, spells, LA buyoff et cetera.
We have the option to exchange unspent XP for a small amount of gold (2 gp per point of XP), but this is of course quite suboptimal.

For the record, we're starting at level 9 and have 5000 xp to play with; though if we're doing this anyway we might aswell make it a complete list for future reference.
Assume all 3.5 and unupdated 3.0 official WotC and Dragon Magazine material is allowed - our DMs generally allow these things on a case-by-case basis.

So, what to spend the bonus xp on?
Not everyone is a spellcaster, so I'd like to keep the list as varied as possible.
Of course, some or all of these can also be used with other sources of bonus experience, such as Dark Craft xp, Thought Bottle shenanigans and Experience is a River (all credit for the latter to loneknife).

Ways I've found so far:
- LA buyoff: 3000 xp for LA +1, 7000+9000 for LA +2, 11000+16000+18000 for LA +3
- Necropolitan: 2000 xp if done at level 3, 500 more for every level beyond that. (Also costs 3000 gp)
- Spellstitched template: 500 per point of wisdom of the target creature. (Also costs 1000 gp)
- Crafting magic items: 1/25th of the item's market value. (Also costs the item's half market value in gold). This can be reduced in several ways, as outlined here (thanks to Bastian & PlzBreakMyCampaign)
- Transference: Have another craft items for you using your own xp.
- Vow of Poverty: Spellcasters with this feat can spend xp instead of using costly material components, at the rate of 1 xp per 5 gp.
- Planar touchstone: Forging a link with the location after taking the feat costs 10 xp.
- Classes that spend xp:
[spoiler]Kensai spends xp to upgrade his signature weapon.
Erudite spends xp to learn powers beyond his normal allotment.
Spirit Shaman can spend 1000 xp on a ritual at level 19.
Beholder Mage can spend xp instead of using costly material components, at the rate of 1 xp per 5 gp.
[/spoiler]
- Spells and powers with an xp cost:
[spoiler] Focusing on Permanent and Instantaneous duration spells for now - a complete list might be added later. Epic spells are not included.
Spells:
Awaken - Druid 5 - Awaken one animal or tree. 250 xp.
Awaken, Mass - Druid 8 - Awaken one animal or tree / three levels. 250 xp per awakened creature.
Awaken Undead - Cleric 6, Sor/Wiz 7 - Awaken all mindless undead creatures within range. 250 xp.
Awaken Sand - Druid 6, Sand 6 - Awaken a mass of sand. 500 xp.
Awaken Construct - Cleric 9, Sor/Wiz 9 - Awaken a construct. 5000 xp.
Minor Servitor - Cleric 7, Sor/Wiz 5 - Animate an object of up to 1 cu. ft./level. 250 xp/cu. ft. affected.
Beget Bogun - Druid 1 - Create a bogun. 25 xp.
Animate Dread Warrior - Sor/Wiz 6 - Creates a Dread Warrior. 250 xp/HD of the creature.
Ice Assassin - Sor/Wiz 9 - Create a duplicate of a creature to slay the original. 5000 xp. Also costs 20000 gp.
Simulacrum - Sor/Wiz 7 - Create a duplicate of a creature. 1000 xp.
Incarnate Construct - Cleric 9, Sor/Wiz 9 - Adds Incarnate Construct template to a construct, turning it into a living creature. 5000 xp.
Axiomatic Creature - Cleric 8, Sor/Wiz 8 - Add Axiomatic template to a creature. 1000 xp. Also costs 10000 gp.
Mantle of the Icy Soul - Cleric 6, Druid 5 - Adds [Cold] subtype to a creature. 2000 xp.
Mantle of the Fiery Spirit - Cleric 9, Druid 8 - Adds [Fire] subtype to a creature. 2000 xp. Also costs 5000 gp.
Vile Death - Cleric 9, Dread Nec 7, Sor/Wiz 9 - Adds Fiendish template to an undead creature. 100 xp. Also costs 500 gp.
Nar Fiendbond - Cleric 7, Sor/Wiz 7 - Adds half-fiend template to a creature. Specifically adds +4 LA. 500 xp per character level of the subject. Also costs gp equal to xp cost. Cannot cast on self.
Mineralize Warrior - Sor/Wiz 6 - Adds Mineral Warrior Template to a humanoid creature. 250 xp/HD of the creature.
Monstrous Thrall - Domination 9 - Dominate any creature, instantaneous duration. 500 xp per HD or level of the subject.
Create Crossroads and Backroad - Druid 7 - Create a crossroads, a backroad to connect them, and a crossroads guardian at each end. 3500 xp.
True Creation - Creation 8 - Creates an object as per Major Creation, but instantaneous. Xp cost equal to half the gp value of the object, minimum 50.
Genesis - Sor/Wiz 9, Creation 9 - Creates a demiplane. 5000 xp.
Embrace the Dark Chaos - Cleric 8, Sor/Wiz 8 - Replace a feat for an Abyssal Heritor feat. 250 xp.
Shun the Dark Chaos - Cleric 8, Sor/Wiz 8 - Replace an Abyssal Heritor feat for another feat. 250 xp.
Energy Transformation Field - Sor/Wiz 6 - Area absorbs magic to cast a linked spell. 250 xp. Also costs 5000 gp.
Permanency - Sor/Wiz 5 - Makes a spell effect permanent. 500-4500 xp, roughly 500 xp per spell level, see description.
Wish - Sor/Wiz 9 - +1 inherent bonus to an ability score or an item of up to 25000 gp in value. 5000 xp, plus twice the normal xp cost of crafting the item if an item is created.
Powers:
Reality Revision - Psion/Wilder 9 - As Wish.
Genesis - Shaper 9 - Creates a demiplane. 1000 xp.
Matter Manipulation - Psion/Wilder 8 - Improve an object's hardness by up to 5. 250 xp per point of hardness added.
True Creation - Shaper 9 - Creates an object as per Major Creation, but instantaneous. Xp cost: 1/5th of the item's gp value.
Mind Switch, True - Telepath 9 - Exchange bodies with the subject - 10000 xp.
Psychic Chirurgery - Telepath 9 - Add powers known to a subject - 1000 xp per level of the power implanted.
Psychic Reformation - Psion/Wilder 4 - Exchange feats, powers and more learned during previous levels. 50 xp per level influenced.
Incarnate - Psion 5 - psionic Permanency.

Special mention: Gate, the Planar Ally and similar spells have a non-permanent duration to the servitude of the creature, but can indirectly grant permanent effects (such as having a called Solar cast Wish)
[/spoiler]

Stuff I missed / haven't checked (yet):
- Dragon Magazine
- Most Eberron material
- There could easily be more in the books I did check, as I skimmed over most of them and used the search function liberally.
- I seem to remember rituals costing xp, but the ones I've found all cost gold. Is it something I missed or just a faulty memory?
Anything else?
« Last Edit: April 17, 2010, 12:10:20 PM by Grim Sage »

Felix Underwood

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2010, 11:17:19 AM »
Just to clarify on the Awaken Undead; it's not just one mindless undead, it awakens all mindless undead within 25' +5'/2 levels.

Also, Libris Mortis lists the xp cost as 200xp, but the Spell Compendium increased the xp cost to 250xp.

With Necropolitans, I was always under the impression that if you start the game as one, you only apply the Level Adjustment.  The ritual to become one would only impact you if you were to undergo it during regular game play.

Grim Sage

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2010, 11:51:45 AM »
Thanks - corrected.
Also fixed some other minor errors I caught.

On Necropolitans - they're specifically created by the ritual mentioned in their entry.
Also,
Quote from: Libris Mortis
implies that you cannot become a Necropolitan at level 1. If the DM wants to waive the ritual and its cost, that's up to him, but this is RAW.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2010, 11:55:56 AM by Grim Sage »

PlzBreakMyCampaign

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2010, 11:43:02 PM »
I approve of this thread.

Also, all three of you have exactly 22 posts :)
[Spoiler]
Quote
An interesting read, nice to see a civil discussion
The point of Spell Resistance is to make it harder to get buffed.
And healed. Don't forget that.
Huge amounts of people are fuckwits. That doesn't mean that fuckwit is a valid lifestyle.
[/Spoiler]

Old Geezer's Law of Hobby Taste: The more objectively inconsequential a hobby is, the more disagreements within the community will be expressed in outrageously insulting, overblown, and ludicrously emotionally laden terms.

More Funny than Humble[Spoiler]
Quote from: PlzBreakMyCampaign
Your a shifter... you have all you ever need.
It blows MoMF out of the water

But if your greedy for more [Wish] for something that only effects you, like another class level or two that doesn't count against your ECL.
Quote from: hungryhungryhippo987
Yes, I'm the 3.0 "Masters of the Wild" shifter, the awesome kind. My favorite form to take is Force Dragon. Yes, I am immortal ... My character is hands down the coolest guy in the campaign and there is nothing I could possibly want.
PBMC gets a cookie for DotA r

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2010, 11:51:28 PM »
Legacy items
Linguist, Mad, Unique, none of these things am I
My custom class: The Priest of the Unseen Host
Planetouched Handbook
Want to improve your character?  Then die.

Felix Underwood

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2010, 12:30:21 PM »
Grim Sage, making a player paying for the ritual may be Rules as Intended, but I don't think it's Rules as Written.

During gameplay, if you want to undergo the ritual, you pay the cost as the rules say.

However, if you are making new characters, I believe the rules say just to apply the Level Adjustment.
(DMG, p172) (MM, p7)

...but I'll agree to disagree.   ;)

How you get there is not as important as what ECL you are in the moment.  One could just as easily write a character background for a 1st level fighter, saying she was a seasoned veteran (gained levels in fighter) but that had been raised from the dead a couple of times.  She'd still be a 1st level character like the other PC's, but she's have a some colorful stories to tell.

Frost Wolf

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Re: Ways to spend XP?
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2010, 07:41:27 PM »
Umm... It isn't on your list of allowed sources, but I've seen in a few books rules for spending xp to improve familiars. Giving them things like fast healing, wings, dark vision, extra limbs or weak SLAs.

The_Mad_Linguist

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