Arcane Experience?

[BloodyQuill]

Am I wrong to think that mage players would still gain beats from all these things it just won't be Arcane XP but regular XP instead?

[Cinn]

I guess Xyld is touching on what I felt needed to be discussed with Arcane Experience. Their purpose is to promote the thematics of mage - you have to pursue mysteries in order to improve your Awakened self - but mechanically the system seems ill suited for the chat. I just liked the idea of AEXP.

[Ephsy]

Am I wrong to think that mage players would still gain beats from all these things it just won't be Arcane XP but regular XP instead?

This.

[ChrisF]

Am I wrong to think that mage players would still gain beats from all these things it just won't be Arcane XP but regular XP instead?

That would likely be the case, yes.

[BloodyQuill]

Alright so if that's the case what seems to be left is arguing that supernaturals should or shouldn't get XP over the sites cap for various reasons.

I think that seems to sum it up.

[JillA]

Alright so if that's the case what seems to be left is arguing that supernaturals should or shouldn't get XP over the sites cap for various reasons.

I think that seems to sum it up.

I would agree.

To agree with what ChrisF has said just prior -- while at this point Jeff is not building (for example) an Arcane XP tracker, we are going to have, for example, a Mage-specific "Obsessions" tracker that is in addition to the Aspirations tracker that everyone has, so we are absolutely encouraging this sort of thing (and the points outlined by Xyld) as a means of obtaining beats. Totally valid.

Because this is the case, our normal XP tracking does cover the ground of HOW Arcane XP (for example) will be gained and allows it. It just won't be labeling or bucketing it in a separate pool from the normal XP pool.

Up until now there has not been consideration for Arcane XP (or any other specialty XP types) to go over the monthly XP cap.

SpoilerShow

For the sake of argument: To do so creates a larger trickle down series of questions on how to handle other aspects of the game, not the least of which is how to handle our base build XP growth throughout the game which is a universally determined pool - not one that is decided type by type.

By allowing a larger pool of XP to be awarded to particular character types over the standard monthly cap, it means that the new characters created of that type will have a much larger gap than other character types in a similar situation. This isn't automatically a --bad- thing but it -is- contradictory to the entire point of the practice to provide growing build XP pools.

If two policies are contrary, it's harder to determine which one has the greater value.

So for now, our Mages (etc) are benefiting from the current lack of specification because their entire bucket is available to spend how they wish. This follows our design directive: If there must be a distinction, it should be easier to spend XP than to earn it. In other words, once you've got it, it's yours to divvy out.