Thread by @TheBasicExpert1

I dislike milestone leveling because it doesn't fit within the more significant idea of how I want to run games like D&D. First, to define Milestone leveling. This article from CBR is the colloquial definition (despite this not being what the DMG says).

Sure, the 5e DMG says something different. Specifically, you give XP values to accomplishing specific tasks (page 261), which means, despite the CBR article, the 5e DMG wants you to track XP even with milestones.

But we already know most in this hobby prefer to avoid reading their rulebooks, so we must go with what is happening at people's tables. Namely, just giving a level when the players accomplish something "big."

I dislike this because, for my games, a seat-of-the-pants sandbox game where I want as much player character autonomy as possible, this immediately works against my stated goals.

This is why Gold for XP works for the kind of game I run. The CBR example talks about motivating characters to engage with "story beats," all of this seems like attempts to find solutions to a problem created by taking the game away from its roots as a game.

D&D is an adventure and exploration GAME. The traditional advancement method is sufficient in getting the players to interact with the game world and EXPLORE, not "engage with story beats."

Also, this leveling mode where the referee hands out levels becomes arbitrary GM fiat. It becomes, "You will not advance unless you engage with MY story." That is incredibly boring to me. No wonder games fizzle after 6 sessions.

Gold for XP, random loot tables, taxes, and upkeep costs for players (and training expenses) will always keep the players hungry to return to exploration in the hunt for more loot. The players create their own "story beats" in a genuinely free game with real player agency.

These ideas all go hand in hand. It's incredible how modern gamers think they know better without understanding this. Remove some aspect of this and the game's chances of falling apart or becoming more frustrating than necessary increase.

And it's not just modern gamers but many long-time gamers who seem to think they can remove a piece and be fine. Maybe they can. But telling everyone and anyone they should is terrible advice.

The articles like the screenshot above are careless and ignorant. It is not "better". It is not "easier". The natural compass for progression was already there. We just cut out, created a problem that was never there before, and then tried to fix it with more nonsense.