Most Interesting Character Advancement Systems

[Mark Truman]

Hello all!

I'm looking at creating a new game that is designed to be played for long stretches of time.  At the moment, I feel like my thinking about character advancement is really limited.  I know about the D+D-esque model of killing things and getting XP, the more modern model of getting XP for coming to game, and the training action model that lets characters improve at fixed rates between sessions, but I'm having trouble thinking beyond those models. 

Can someone throw me some interesting character advancement ideas?

[stefoid]

In my game, I go with the theory that what ever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

In other words, whenever a character gets its arse handed to it, it advances a bit in that area where it failed.  It learns from mistakes.  In my game, conflict resolution is only dusted off when character goals are at stake, so its not like its happening all the time for every little dice roll that goes astray, only when a character is knocked out of an important contest, which is usually going to be vs. a significant NPC.

That also has the nice side effect of mimicking the kind of dramatic rhythm you see in fiction - initial failure leading to ultimate success.

[Callan S.]

Riddle of steel RPG had spiritual attributes. The player would designate them themselves. Like 'Love for my lady'. Then whenever the player pursued that spiritual attribute (importantly: Even if they failed in the pursuit), the attribute went up by one dice. Up to five dice. All added onto attacks or damage. At the end of a session you could take those dice and spend them to slowly increase stats.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

This topic is full of potential and there are many older Forge threads which can be linked here for a good foundation.

However, Mark, please check the requirements for the forum, posted in the sticky thread at its top - it's crucial that you post a link to some external document so we can see what you're working with. Your phrase "looking at creating" doesn't help me know what stage the project is in, or what pieces of the system are already in place, for instance.

Once you've posted that, then the discussion can continue. Also, everyone else, remember that even though a topic may be fascinating or invite all sorts of comment from you personally, you will only confuse others by posting to topics which need technical moderation of this kind. It gives them a double message about the rules here.

Best, Ron

[Mark Truman]

However, Mark, please check the requirements for the forum, posted in the sticky thread at its top - it's crucial that you post a link to some external document so we can see what you're working with. Your phrase "looking at creating" doesn't help me know what stage the project is in, or what pieces of the system are already in place, for instance.

My apologies.  I knew about the requirement, but my project is in such an early stage that I slipped and forgot that I needed something concrete to show you guys. 

I'll put something together and post it here when I get a few moments after GenCon. 

Thanks!