Bubble 2.6 · House Rules
Alternate
Experience System
Characters advance by meeting each level's requirements: accumulating Experience Points and completing narrative milestones that track who they're actually becoming.
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter I · Advancement Requirements
Advancement Requirements
Each level requires a set amount of XP plus the narrative criteria from the chart below.
- Minor Goals.
- Smaller personal accomplishments the character plans and completes: learning a new skill, solving a puzzle, aiding an ally in a small way that matters.
- Time.
- The minimum in-game duration at the current level before advancing, measured from the moment the level was gained. Time passed in a narrated time-skip counts in full.
- Self-Reflection.
- A period where the character evaluates their growth, decisions, and relationships. Downtime works, so does a narrative beat where they take stock.
- Major Goals.
- Larger objectives that take planning and usually help: building a lasting alliance, recovering a powerful artifact, resolving a significant arc.
- Quests.
- Predefined challenges set by the GM, tied to the main story or subplots.
- Moment of Failure.
- The character attempts something important and fails, and the failure has to matter.
- Meeting New People.
- Meaningful interaction with NPCs: deepening relationships or forming new ones.
- Growth.
- Measurable progress in personal development: a major flaw overcome, a difficult skill mastered, a narrative goal closed out. A single accomplishment satisfies Minor Goals or Growth, never both.
- Achievement.
- A success surpassing any the character has managed before: defeating a legendary foe, or reaching a goal they have held since play began. A single accomplishment satisfies Major Goals or Achievement, never both.
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter II · Advancement Chart
Advancement Chart
| Level | XP Required | Minor Goals | Time | Self-Reflection | Major Goals | Quests | Moment of Failure | Meeting New People | Growth | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | 200 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | 300 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 4 | 400 | 4 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| 5 | 500 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| 6 | 600 | 6 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| 7 | 700 | 7 | 1 month | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 8 | 800 | 8 | 3 months | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| 9 | 900 | 9 | 6 months | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 10 | 1000 | 10 | 9 months | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 11 | 1100 | 11 | 12 months | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 12 | 1200 | 12 | 15 months | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — |
| 13 | 1300 | 13 | 18 months | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 14 | 1400 | 14 | 21 months | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | 1500 | 15 | 2 years | — | — | 6 | — | — | 1 | — |
| 16 | 1600 | 16 | 3 years | 1 | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | — |
| 17 | 1700 | 17 | 5 years | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 18 | 1800 | 18 | 8 years | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| 19 | 1900 | 19 | 12 years | — | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| 20 | 2000 | 20 | 20 years | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter III · Uses for Experience Points
Uses for Experience Points
Level Advancement
Covered above under Advancement Requirements.
Feats and Traits
Spend XP for additional feats and traits. Costs scale with the number purchased during the current level.
Table II · Feats and Traits| Type | Cost Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General Feat | 250 XP + (100 XP × feats purchased) | A general feat, not tied to combat or mythic systems. |
| Combat Feat | 300 XP + (100 XP × feats purchased) | A feat that provides direct combat benefits. |
| Other Feat | 300 XP + (100 XP × feats purchased) | Teamwork, crafting, or metamagic feats. |
| Trait | 50 XP + (50 XP × traits purchased) | An additional trait, per GM approval. |
| Overpowered Feat | 2000 XP + (1000 XP × feats purchased) | Reserved for extremely powerful or custom feats. Magic User, Gestalt, Prestigious, Mental Paragon, and Physical Paragon may not be purchased this way. |
| Mythic Feat Upgrade | 500 XP + (250 XP × upgrades) | Enhances an existing mythic feat. Each upgrade requires its own completed and confirmed Mythic Trial. |
| Sphere Talent | 200 XP + (100 XP × talents purchased) | Sphere of Might or Sphere of Power talents. |
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter III · Uses for Experience Points
Uses for Experience Points, continued
Monstrous Hit Dice
Characters with natural HD (monstrous humanoids, dragons, and the like) may spend XP to increase their total HD. HD bought this way are natural HD.
Cost: new total HD × 100 XP.
Force NPC Level-Up
Spend XP to raise an NPC's level. NPCs can't exceed the average party level this way.
Cost: (the NPC's new total levels × 100 XP) + (50 XP × levels raised).
Example: raising an NPC from level 5 to level 7 costs 800 XP (7 × 100 + 2 × 50).
Extra Hit Points
Purchasable once per level.
Table III · Extra Hit Points| Hit Die Size | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1d4 | 50 XP |
| 1d6 | 60 XP |
| 1d8 | 70 XP |
| 1d10 | 80 XP |
| 1d12 | 90 XP |
Extra Skill Points
Cost: 10 XP per skill point. You can't buy more skill points per level than your Intelligence modifier allows.
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter III · Uses for Experience Points
Uses for Experience Points, continued
Limit Breaker
Cost: 200 XP.
Benefit: Treat the character as 1 HD higher for feat prerequisites, Ethos abilities, magic item requirements, and maximum skill ranks. Doesn't increase actual HD, class levels, or hit points. You may not hold more Limit Breakers than your Tier.
Ethos Enhancements
For characters using the Ethos system.
+1 maximum Ethos Points: 100 XP. Points purchased this way may not exceed your Depth.
Racial Evolution
Gain an additional optional racial feature, per GM approval.
Cost: 100 XP. You may hold a number of Racial Evolutions no greater than your Tier + 1.
Ability Score Increases
Cost: 100 XP × current ability score bonus (minimum ×1). The increase is an inherent bonus.
Example: increasing a score with a +3 bonus costs 300 XP.
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter IV · Martial Arts Training
Martial Arts Training
Spend XP to train in martial arts, in the tiers below.
Entry Level Martial Arts
Cost: 500 XP.
Base abilities:
- Kata Resource.
- You can now earn Kata, the resource that buys martial arts abilities. You gain 1 Kata at the end of any combat with a worthy foe in which you landed at least one attack using your martial specialty; the GM may award 1 more for a climactic fight.
- Martial Die.
- Add 1d4 damage to attacks made with your martial specialty. The die is multiplied on critical hits. With unarmed strikes or two-handed weapons, increase the die by one step. Your Martial Die may not exceed d10 from any combination of sources.
- Martial Specialty.
- Choose one specialty from the list below.
Training requirements: a practice day is eight hours, and there's no compressing more than one day's practice into a day. You may instead train one hour a day at half speed. Practice days accumulate. A worthy foe is a creature whose HD equal or exceed your own.
Entry abilities. Each may be acquired once, unless stated otherwise.
Table IV · Entry Abilities| Ability | Requirements | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Style Feats | 500 XP, 5 Kata, 3 weeks practice | Choose a style or technique chain that works with your specialty; gain its feats as bonus feats as you meet their prerequisites. |
| Focus Feats | 250 XP, 1 Kata, 1 week practice | Gain Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, or their greater versions, ignoring fighter prerequisites (may take multiple times). |
| Improved Martial Dice | 100 XP, 1 Kata, 2 weeks practice | Increase your Martial Die by one step (may take twice). |
| Expanded Martial Arts | 300 XP, 2 Kata, 1 week practice | Add another martial specialty. |
| Special Attack Expertise | 300 XP, 1 Kata, 3 weeks practice | Add a bonus Martial Die per 4 BAB when using attack actions. |
| Vital Striker | 400 XP, 2 Kata, 1 week practice | Your base Martial Die is multiplied on vital strikes. |
| Combat Talent | 200 XP, 1 Kata, 1 week practice | Gain a Spheres of Might combat talent. |
| Basic Strike | 100 XP, 1 Kata, 1 week practice | Gain a 1st-level Strike Maneuver usable once per day. |
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter IV · Moderate Level Martial Arts
Martial Arts Training, continued
Moderate Level Martial Arts
Cost: 2000 XP, 10 Kata, 10 weeks practice, defeat 5 worthy foes.
Base ability:
- Martial Accuracy.
- Roll your Martial Die when you make your first attack each round and add the result as an Insight bonus on that attack.
Moderate abilities. Each may be acquired once, unless stated otherwise.
Table V · Moderate Abilities| Ability | Requirements | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Martial Dice, Greater | 100 XP, 1 Kata, 2 weeks practice | Increase your Martial Die by one step. |
| Weapon Training | 300 XP, 3 Kata, 2 weeks practice, Weapon Specialization | Gain the fighter's weapon training feature, or increase its bonus by one step. |
| Advanced Weapon Training | 200 XP, 3 Kata, 1 week practice, Greater Weapon Focus, 1 worthy foe | Gain an advanced weapon training option. |
| Combat Training | 200 XP, 2 Kata, 2 weeks practice | Gain a combat feat with Weapon Focus prerequisites, ignoring requirements. |
| Precision | 200 XP, 2 Kata, 1 week practice | Gain 1d6 sneak attack damage (may take multiple times). Sneak attack dice from this ability cannot exceed half your base attack bonus, rounded up. |
| Talented Precision | 100 XP, 3 Kata, 1 week practice, sneak attack | Gain a rogue, slayer, or investigator talent that modifies sneak attack. |
| Combat Striker | 500 XP, 5 Kata, 3 weeks practice, Basic Strike, 1 worthy foe | Gain a Strike Point pool equal to your BAB; initiate Strikes by spending points. Spent points return after 8 hours of rest. |
| Learn Strike | 100 XP, 1 Kata per level, 1 week practice | Learn a Strike Maneuver up to one level higher than your highest known (may take multiple times). You may not learn Strike Maneuvers above 5th level from any combination of sources. |
| Extra Strike | 100 XP, 2 Kata, 1 week practice, Combat Striker, Vital Strike | Gain an additional Strike Point. |
| Vital Strike Expert | 300 XP, 5 Kata, 3 weeks practice | Spend Strike Points to apply Vital Strike to Strike Maneuvers. |
| Martial Magic | 200 XP, 5 Kata, 3 weeks practice, 1 worthy foe | Gain a ki pool equal to half your BAB, with the standard ki benefits. |
| Magic Talent | 100 XP, 1 Kata, 1 week practice, Martial Magic | Gain a ki power or ninja talent that uses ki. |
| Martial Boost | 200 XP, 1 Kata, 1 week practice, Martial Magic | Spend ki to activate Boosts; gain a 1st-level Boost. |
| Extra Boost | 100 XP, 1 Kata per level, 1 week practice | Gain a Boost up to one level higher than your highest known (may take multiple times). You may not learn Boosts above 4th level from any combination of sources. |
| Weapon Domination | 300 XP, 4 Kata, 3 weeks practice, Martial Magic, Combat Striker, Advanced Weapon Training | Spend a ki point to gain Mythic Power Attack when performing a Strike. |
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter IV · Martial Mastery
Martial Arts Training, continued
Martial Mastery
Cost: 6000 XP, 60 Kata, 20 worthy foes, 1 year of practice.
Base abilities:
- Perfect Die.
- Your Martial Dice always deal maximum damage. This does not apply to Martial Accuracy, which is still rolled.
- Living Weapon.
- Attacks with your martial specialty count as epic and aligned (alignment chosen when you gain this tier) for overcoming damage reduction.
Mastery abilities. Each may be acquired once, unless stated otherwise.
Table VI · Mastery Abilities| Ability | Requirements | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Martial Dice, Perfected | 100 XP, 1 Kata, 2 weeks practice | Increase your Martial Die by one step (may take twice). |
| Twin Specialties | 400 XP, 5 Kata, 4 weeks practice, Expanded Martial Arts | The benefits of two specialties you know apply simultaneously. |
| Flowing Accuracy | 500 XP, 8 Kata, 6 weeks practice | Martial Accuracy applies to every attack in your full attacks, instead of only the first attack each round. |
| Grand Strikes | 300 XP, 5 Kata, 4 weeks practice, Combat Striker | Your Strike Point pool increases by half your BAB, and you may learn Strike Maneuvers up to two levels higher than your highest known. |
| Deep Ki | 300 XP, 5 Kata, 3 weeks practice, Martial Magic | Your ki pool increases to your full BAB. |
| Worthy Rival | 200 XP, 3 Kata, 1 worthy foe | Once per combat, reroll one failed attack roll against a creature whose HD equal or exceed your own. |
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Alternate Experience SystemChapter IV · Martial Specialties
Martial Arts Training, continued
Martial Specialties
Each specialty provides a benefit tied to its weapon type:
Table VII · Martial Specialties| Specialty | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Axes | Each successful Cleave adds +1 damage to your next attack (max = BAB) |
| Blades | +1 to critical confirmation rolls per half BAB |
| Bows | Gain an extra range increment per 4 BAB |
| Close | Gain 1d3 precision damage; improves at BAB 3 and every 3 after |
| Crossbows | Gain an extra range increment per 4 BAB |
| Double | Alternating strikes add +1 to hit on the other end (max 1 + 1 per 4 BAB) |
| Firearms | Gain an extra range increment per 4 BAB |
| Flails | Ignore 1 point of shield bonus per 4 BAB |
| Hammers | Ignore 1 point of hardness per 2 BAB |
| Monk | Add +1 to CMD per 4 BAB |
| Natural | Gain 1d4 bonus damage on critical hits per 4 BAB |
| Polearms | Ignore 1 point of DR per 2 BAB |
| Siege Engines | Ignore 1 point of hardness per 1 BAB |
| Spears | Ignore 1 point of DR per 2 BAB |
| Thrown | Gain an extra range increment per 4 BAB |
| Tribal | Ignore 1 point of hardness per 2 BAB |
| Unarmed | Unarmed strikes scale as a monk's, using BAB as monk level |
Alternate Experience System
Bubble 2.6 · House Rules
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