Alternative XP System for one shot

[Araknee]

Hi All,

I like to do "one shots" that thakes into 3-4 sessions of 3-4 hours. Ok this is not really a one shot but a kind of mini-scenario in a few sessions. Players change a lot so continuity is not a thing.

The XP incentive is an important mechanism in the system but is useless in this case. So I need to focus on other resources. The main resource for incentive is willpower. So I tried to replace "you gain 1 WP every 5 beats" but there's so much source for WP that it's not really a thing.

Any other ideas for a better incentive than XP to resolve conditions, doing dramatical fail, etc. in one shots ?

[Tessie]

If you also play longer scenarios you could transfer the XP to those characters.

[Slagheap]

When I run one shots I just give 1 WP for each beat. It makes the players more willing to attempt things because they can almost always spend a will.

[Charlaquin]

There's actually a sidebar about exactly this in Mage. What it recommends is giving players tokens instead of Beats, which they can spend at any time to do one of the following things:
• regain a spent point of Willpower
• Apply 8-again to a single roll
• Add one automatic success on a contested action

Personally, I've slightly adapted this rule such that players still get Beats, but they can spend one Beat at any time to do something from the above list. That way players can save up their Beats and spend 5 of them for an Experience if they want, or they can spend them one at a time for small short-term bonuses; which ever they prefer.

[Vent0]

If you also play longer scenarios you could transfer the XP to those characters.

Or you could setup something like a centralized quasi-character (like an organization, such as a cult, group, etc.) and spend XP on that. Then have it as the common tie between the Sessions/Mini-Chronicles. Players can then draw upon the resources of the group between games, even if the individual characters are short lived.

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You could also treat Beats as temporary XP for a Scene - Say, spend 1 Beat for the use of Contacts for one instance. Or, depending on the scenario, a Supernatural Merit.

FATE let's you spend points to define setting elements, as well. You could implement something similar for Beats - the more a player acquires, the more they get to flesh out your setting to their desires. It also makes your world building easier (since you are sub-contracting it out).

[Araknee]

There's actually a sidebar about exactly this in Mage. What it recommends is giving players tokens instead of Beats, which they can spend at any time to do one of the following things:
• regain a spent point of Willpower
• Apply 8-again to a single roll
• Add one automatic success on a contested action

Personally, I've slightly adapted this rule such that players still get Beats, but they can spend one Beat at any time to do something from the above list. That way players can save up their Beats and spend 5 of them for an Experience if they want, or they can spend them one at a time for small short-term bonuses; which ever they prefer.

Great!

We always change characters (and players) so transfering XP won't work. But The Mage options are good.