XP Tier Advancement (Variant Rule)

This variant replaces level-based feat, spell, and trait acquisition with an experience point (XP) purchase system. Characters gain XP through play and spend it to acquire abilities directly. Character level increases only after sufficient XP has been spent.

This system separates vertical growth (level-based statistics) from horizontal growth (player-chosen abilities).

1. XP and Level Advancement

Characters gain XP through play as determined by the GM.

XP is spent to purchase abilities. Every 20 XP spent, a character gains one level.

Gaining a level increases only the following:

Hit Points

Mana Points (if applicable)

Skill Points

Base Attack progression (Rank)

Saving Throw progression (Rank)

Maximum skill ranks

Levels do not grant feats, spells, or traits automatically.

2. Purchasing Abilities

Abilities are purchased in Tiers. Each tier has a defined XP cost.

Tier Costs

2 XP per Tier — Minor / Narrow Benefit

4 XP per Tier — Moderate / Focused Benefit

6 XP per Tier — Broad / Core Benefit

Some abilities may consist of multiple tiers purchased separately.

A character must meet all prerequisites before purchasing a tier.

3. Spending XP

Spending XP to acquire a tier requires 1 action and cannot interrupt another creature’s turn.

XP may be spent during combat.

If XP is spent mid-encounter, the new ability becomes available immediately after the action is resolved.

4. Tier Power Guidelines

The following guidelines define expected power for each tier cost.

2 XP per Tier — Minor / Narrow

A 2 XP tier grants one of the following:

+1 per tier to a narrowly defined skill or highly situational roll.

A minor utility effect.

A primarily narrative benefit with limited mechanical impact.

A 2 XP tier should not significantly alter encounter math in most situations.

4 XP per Tier — Moderate / Focused

A 4 XP tier grants one of the following:

+1 per tier to a defined group of attack rolls, saving throws, or damage rolls.

+1 per tier to a broad skill category.

A 2 XP benefit applied to multiple targets or a small area.

A strong, encounter-relevant utility effect.

A 4 XP tier should noticeably affect encounter outcomes when applicable.

6 XP per Tier — Broad / Core

A 6 XP tier grants one of the following:

+1 per tier to all attack rolls.

+1 per tier to all damage rolls.

+1 per tier to all saving throws.

+1 per tier to all skill rolls.

A 4 XP benefit applied to multiple targets or a large area.

A 2 XP benefit applied to a very large area or numerous targets.

A 6 XP tier alters a character’s baseline competency across most encounters.

5. Bonus Types and Stacking

The game uses the following bonus types:

Attribute Modifier

Rank (includes level-based scaling and skill ranks)

Proficiency (+3, flat and non-scaling)

Circumstance

Competence

Innate

Item

Bonuses of the same type do not stack. Only the highest bonus of a given type applies to any roll.

Additional clarifications:

Rank bonuses cannot be purchased directly.

Proficiency bonuses are fixed and cannot be increased.

Innate bonuses are determined by race and cannot be adjusted by XP.

Item bonuses are granted only by equipment.

Circumstance bonuses are generally temporary and situational.

Most purchasable tier bonuses are Competence bonuses unless otherwise specified.

6. Prerequisites by Tier

Unless otherwise specified, tier prerequisites follow this structure:

Required Attribute Modifier ≥ Tier
OR

Required Skill Ranks ≥ (2 �— Tier �“ 1)

There is no Tier 0.

These prerequisites represent either natural aptitude (attribute) or trained mastery (skill rank).

7. Drawbacks and Reduced Cost

A tier may cost half its normal XP (1 / 2 / 3 XP respectively) if it includes a significant drawback.

Drawbacks are categorized as:

Common — Occurs frequently in normal play.

Uncommon — Occurs occasionally.

Rare — Occurs infrequently.

Only Common drawbacks qualify for cost reduction.

A qualifying drawback must:

Be guaranteed or highly likely to occur.

Meaningfully impact combat effectiveness, survivability, or core encounter resolution.

Affect the same sphere of play as the benefit.

The GM has final approval on whether a drawback qualifies.

8. Design Ceiling Guidance (Optional)

As a general guideline, purchased tier bonuses should not grant more than approximately half a character’s level (rounded up) to any single roll category through Competence bonuses alone.

This preserves bounded accuracy and prevents excessive stacking.

9. Racial Traits and Scaling

Racial traits that previously had a high static cost may be divided into purchasable tiers.

Races may define maximum allowable tiers for specific traits (such as size increases). Characters cannot exceed their race’s defined cap.

If a higher tier replaces earlier effects, the earlier tiers do not stack unless explicitly stated.

10. No Multiclassing

Class selection determines only:

Hit Point progression

Mana progression

Skill Point progression

Class skill list

Starting proficiency feats

Initial class features

All further abilities must be purchased with XP.

There is no multiclassing. Character identity develops through XP investment.