diff --git a/src/k_hud.cpp b/src/k_hud.cpp
index 55920f755..4ee6e65c0 100644
--- a/src/k_hud.cpp
+++ b/src/k_hud.cpp
@@ -5739,12 +5739,21 @@ static void K_drawDistributionDebugger(void)
 	// V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 50, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("secondDist = %u", rouletteData.secondDist));
 	// V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 58, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("secondToFirst = %u", rouletteData.secondToFirst));
 
+	if (rouletteData.preexpuseOdds > rouletteData.useOdds)
+	{
+		V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 10, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("items NERFED %u -> %u", rouletteData.preexpuseOdds, rouletteData.useOdds));
+	}
+	else if (rouletteData.preexpuseOdds < rouletteData.useOdds)
+	{
+		V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 10, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("items BOOSTED %u -> %u", rouletteData.preexpuseOdds, rouletteData.useOdds));
+	}
+
+	/*
 	V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 10, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("pre-exp dist %u", rouletteData.preexpdist));
 	V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 18, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("pre-exp useOdds %u", rouletteData.preexpuseOdds));
 	V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 26, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("        dist %u", rouletteData.dist));
 	V_DrawString((x >> FRACBITS) + 20, 34, V_SNAPTOTOP, va("     useOdds %u", rouletteData.useOdds));
-
-
+	*/
 
 #ifndef ITEM_LIST_SIZE
 	Z_Free(rouletteData.itemList);
diff --git a/src/k_kart.c b/src/k_kart.c
index a35682bdd..b9e7b0179 100644
--- a/src/k_kart.c
+++ b/src/k_kart.c
@@ -4091,7 +4091,7 @@ boolean K_Overdrive(player_t *player)
 	S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_cdfm35);
 	S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_cdfm13);
 
-	player->overdrive += (player->amps)*3;
+	player->overdrive += (player->amps)*5;
 	player->overshield += (player->amps)*2;
 	player->overdrivepower = FRACUNIT;
 
@@ -4112,7 +4112,7 @@ boolean K_DefensiveOverdrive(player_t *player)
 	S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_cdfm35);
 	S_StartSound(player->mo, sfx_cdfm13);
 
-	player->overdrive += (player->amps)*2;
+	player->overdrive += (player->amps)*3;
 	player->overshield += (player->amps)*2 + TICRATE*2;
 	player->overdrivepower = FRACUNIT;
 
@@ -14771,21 +14771,29 @@ boolean K_PlayerCanUseItem(player_t *player)
 
 fixed_t K_GetExpAdjustment(player_t *player)
 {
-	fixed_t exp_power = 1*FRACUNIT/100; // adjust to change overall xp volatility
-	fixed_t exp_drainrate = 995*FRACUNIT/1000; // adjust to change overall item chaos
+	fixed_t exp_power = 3*FRACUNIT/100; // adjust to change overall xp volatility
+	fixed_t exp_stablerate = 3*FRACUNIT/10; // how low is your placement before losing XP? 4*FRACUNIT/10 = top 40% of race will gain
 	fixed_t result = 0;
 
+	INT32 live_players = 0;
+
+	// Increase XP for each player you're beating...
 	for (INT32 i = 0; i < MAXPLAYERS; i++)
 	{
-		if (!playeringame[i] || player->spectator)
+		if (!playeringame[i] || players[i].spectator || player == players+i)
 			continue;
-		
-		result -= exp_power;
+
+		live_players++;
+
 		if (player->position < players[i].position)
-		{
-			result += FixedMul(exp_power, exp_drainrate);
-		}
+			result += exp_power;
 	}
+
+	// ...then take all of the XP you could possibly have earned,
+	// and lose it proportional to the stable rate. If you're below
+	// the stable threshold, this results in you losing XP.
+	result -= exp_power * FixedInt(FixedMul(live_players*FRACUNIT, FRACUNIT - exp_stablerate));
+
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/k_roulette.c b/src/k_roulette.c
index 20ea24e64..84ec445d4 100644
--- a/src/k_roulette.c
+++ b/src/k_roulette.c
@@ -1490,7 +1490,7 @@ void K_FillItemRouletteData(const player_t *player, itemroulette_t *const roulet
 	roulette->preexpdist = K_GetItemRouletteDistance(player, roulette->playing);
 	roulette->dist = roulette->preexpdist;
 	roulette->preexpuseOdds = K_FindUseodds(player, roulette);
-	roulette->dist = FixedMul(roulette->preexpdist, player->exp);
+	roulette->dist = FixedMul(roulette->preexpdist, max(player->exp, FRACUNIT/2));
 	roulette->useOdds = K_FindUseodds(player, roulette);
 
 	for (i = 1; i < NUMKARTRESULTS; i++)
diff --git a/src/p_inter.c b/src/p_inter.c
index 5a95788d5..2032c7930 100644
--- a/src/p_inter.c
+++ b/src/p_inter.c
@@ -3565,4 +3565,6 @@ void P_PlayerRingBurst(player_t *player, INT32 num_rings)
 	{
 		P_FlingBurst(player, fa, MT_DEBTSPIKE, 0, 3 * FRACUNIT / 2, i++);
 	}
+
+	K_DefensiveOverdrive(player);
 }