Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jamie_noone 03-23-07, 10:14 PM	The DMG says that if a PC is dead or not involved in the encounter for another reason, they don't get any XP. This made sense at first, but I'm wondering how far is it intended to go? For example, two sessions ago, a PC set off a secret door that spun him around into another room and deposited 3 skeletons from the other room into the room with his party. Since he was stuck on the other side, I ruled that he didn't get XP for that encounter. That made perfect sense to me then. But in our last session, two PCs ran ahead while the rest of the party healed up and the two ended up defeating the next enemy alone. Are they the only ones who get XP for it? It seems like that starts to open a whole mess of complications. In this last encounter, one of the two did no damage to the monster, took no attacks from the monster, provided the other PC with no healing or flanking bonus. So should he really be given any XP, since the other PC effectively solo'd the monster? What about the 3rd PC who caught up with them at the top of the 2nd round, just before the 1st PC delivered the killing blow? How much would one need to contribute to the encounter to get a share of the XP? If the cleric heals him during the battle does he get XP? What if he heals him after? What if he brewed the potion that the fighter uses in the encounter? Or after? Then what about traps? Is the rogue the only one that gets the XP from the trap he disabled? This isn't how it's supposed to work, is it? I thought I'd read somewhere that the whole party gets XP even though only the rogue disabled the trap, so it would make sense that the whole party would get XP even if only one PC defeated the monster. Thanks, Jamie
Empiro 03-23-07, 11:01 PM	All PCs get experience. Don't make things more complicated than that.
jamie_noone 03-24-07, 04:12 PM	I'd pretty much decided to go ahead and spread out the XP, unless a PC is dead or back at the inn. I figured it probably all evens out in the end, and I try to keep things simple. I was also kinda thinking it's like a sports team - even if you don't get off the bench in the championship game, you contributed to the team getting there, so you should still get a ring. But I was also wondering which method the RAW intends. Thanks, Jamie
Lindwyrm 03-24-07, 07:32 PM	For example, two sessions ago, a PC set off a secret door that spun him around into another room and deposited 3 skeletons from the other room into the room with his party. Since he was stuck on the other side, I ruled that he didn't get XP for that encounter. That made perfect sense to me then. He's involved in the encounter, as he triggered it. But in our last session, two PCs ran ahead while the rest of the party healed up and the two ended up defeating the next enemy alone. Are they the only ones who get XP for it? Trickier, but if the party put them back together then split the XP. In this last encounter, one of the two did no damage to the monster, took no attacks from the monster, provided the other PC with no healing or flanking bonus. So should he really be given any XP, since the other PC effectively solo'd the monster? He's definately in the encounter, even if he was unlucky enough not to be effective. Going this way would lead to such marvels as the rogue and wizard getting no XP from a golem encounter if they can't beat the DR and spell immunities. I'd say to only stop someone getting XP from something if they actively avoid getting involved, or have no way to be involved - they're miles away for example.
Merestil Haye 03-24-07, 07:38 PM	The DMG says that if a PC is dead or not involved in the encounter for another reason, they don't get any XP. This made sense at first, but I'm wondering how far is it intended to go? For example, two sessions ago, a PC set off a secret door that spun him around into another room and deposited 3 skeletons from the other room into the room with his party. Since he was stuck on the other side, I ruled that he didn't get XP for that encounter. That made perfect sense to me then. But in our last session, two PCs ran ahead while the rest of the party healed up and the two ended up defeating the next enemy alone. Are they the only ones who get XP for it? It seems like that starts to open a whole mess of complications. In this last encounter, one of the two did no damage to the monster, took no attacks from the monster, provided the other PC with no healing or flanking bonus. So should he really be given any XP, since the other PC effectively solo'd the monster? What about the 3rd PC who caught up with them at the top of the 2nd round, just before the 1st PC delivered the killing blow? How much would one need to contribute to the encounter to get a share of the XP? If the cleric heals him during the battle does he get XP? What if he heals him after? What if he brewed the potion that the fighter uses in the encounter? Or after? Then what about traps? Is the rogue the only one that gets the XP from the trap he disabled? This isn't how it's supposed to work, is it? I thought I'd read somewhere that the whole party gets XP even though only the rogue disabled the trap, so it would make sense that the whole party would get XP even if only one PC defeated the monster.In general, a PC should get a share of xp for any encounter in which he participated, no matter how ineffectually. In your first example, the PC that triggered the door did participate. it was his actions that discovered the door and allowed the other PCs the chance to fight the skeletons. i would say hs should have had xp. In a fight where one PC did all the work and the other had no effect, did he actively contribute? Did he attack the monster? Did he watch the exit for other dangers so they were not caught unawares by new monsters? If he did any of these things, he participated, even if only on the edges, and gets xp.
CharlieRock 03-24-07, 07:54 PM	In general, a PC should get a share of xp for any encounter in which he participated, no matter how ineffectually. In your first example, the PC that triggered the door did participate. it was his actions that discovered the door and allowed the other PCs the chance to fight the skeletons. i would say hs should have had xp. In a fight where one PC did all the work and the other had no effect, did he actively contribute? Did he attack the monster? Did he watch the exit for other dangers so they were not caught unawares by new monsters? If he did any of these things, he participated, even if only on the edges, and gets xp. Very nicely put. Also: here is this encounter calculator (http://www.d20srd.org/encounterCalculator.htm) to make things less complicated. :)
Voran 03-26-07, 07:52 PM	I find it better to just give blanket split up xp for all chars, regardless of involvement, but then give bonuses to the ones that did do alot/exceptionally. You reward the ones who don't tool around, but don't specifically penalize people for having bad luck.
Edymnion 03-27-07, 11:57 AM	I divy up xp based on the following questions: Were you capable of providing help, no matter how trivial? Did you try to provide help? If you are not in the same area as the combat, you were not capable of providing help, so no xp. If you were in the same area cowering in the corner, you did not try to provide help. If everybody is in the same area, monsters attack, everybody draws weapons and gets ready to attack, only to have the first guy in the initiative order get a lucky crit and splatter the thing in one hit? Everybody was there, everybody tried to help (it just wasn't needed), so everybody gets a cut of the xp. For the rogue in question trapped behind the gate, its going to depend, did he try to help his comrads (by throwing things through the bars, yelling out warnings, etc), or did he just kick up his heels and wait for the rest of the party to come rescue him? Honestly, as long as he so much as insulted the monster's momma, I'd give him a cut of the xp (he was trying to demoralize the opponent and/or draw it's attention to give his companions an edge). If somebody wants to run off ahead and fight things alone for a bigger cut of the xp, thats fine. But they had better remember that I designed the encounters for four PCs, and I'm not scaling them back just because one person got greedy.
Krusk 03-27-07, 12:07 PM	I give xp to anyone who legitimatly attempted to contribute in the encounter. The archer who missed with every arrow? xp Bard who inspired confidence all combat? xp Fighter who killed every single enmy? xp rogue who fell in a pit trap that he disabled right befor combat but spent combat climbing back out? xp Wizard who ran from combat and started scribing a scroll instead? no xp. Druid who wildshapes into a bird and avoids all of the fight? no xp. cleric who prays for the party instead of fighting? depends on if this has happened befor, if its a new thing and just to get out of fighting none, if it was a legitimate RP thing xp. For those that got no XP. if they had an ammount of hp that would mean combat was instant death, Then they would be excused, as long as they attempted to do something, druid as a bird flamestrikes or summons some things. gains him xp.
Tichrimo 03-27-07, 11:37 PM	My rule of thumb is anyone who is rolls initiative is generally in the XP pool for me. The druid who wildshaped or the wizard who wanted to practice calligraphy and buggered off may be pursued by enemies (thus making the "main fight" easier for the rest of the party)... The cleric who sits and prays for the party's souls might draw the ire of the opposing shaman and soak some divine badness that otherwise might have nerfed one of the PC's in combat... If you have to roll initiative, you're very likely to earn XP.
Krusk 03-28-07, 12:33 AM	if they attracted some of the enemies, or drew the ire of the shaman, they are being productive to the encounter so they get xp. My intent was the druid who wildshapes and runs away. Or the wizard who teleports to a safe place and scribes a scoll. Or the cleric who sits behind combat, vs some melee opponenents and is totally ignored.
Voran 03-28-07, 12:39 AM	I'd also suggest be wary about granting solo xp for things like when the rogue goes off and does his own thing and manages to live. Because this just encourages continued behavior. Soon you might end up with each individual char trying to score personal face time with you as the GM so they can get their own little pot of personal xp. Its bad enough that the solo rogue thing can possibly end up with the rogue pocketing everything they've laid hands on, no reason to give them extra xp for it.
Tichrimo 03-28-07, 12:58 AM	Most definitely agree -- if your first action is to expedite your departure from the encounter, you shouldn't benefit if your remaining comrades managed to win the day without your help. As for the solo rogue -- XP is typically awarded when the party defeats/bypasses an encounter. He might pocket some additional swag, but unless he helps his pals take out/bribe/confuse the ogres guarding it, no XP for anybody.
Nom 03-28-07, 02:14 AM	Generally, you're better to award XP equally and let the players deal with tagalongs. If one PC spends the entire adventure not contributing, he (or his player) shouldn't be surprised when he's not invited along on the next one (thus solving the XP distribution problem).
tos_shai_hulud 04-02-07, 02:07 PM	I agree. Each player plays a part in a party, not necessarily in combat. The party diplomat with a crap attack bonus who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, has no magical aptitude, and no combat-related skills at all should not be denied experience in combat any more than the rest of the party should be denied experience when he negotiates the surrender of the enemy horde. The fact that the game is based around combat experience is more for convenience than anything else. Combats are more simple to judge experience than other situations. But without the diplomat there, the party may never have found out about the item they are currently chasing. Perhaps without the diplomat, they would have made enemies with the quest giver and never had their combat encounter at all. Because in the end, each player contributes in their own way, it is best to assign equal experience to each player. In the end, it does all balance out.
Magnus029 04-02-07, 04:27 PM	Be careful with giving XP to just one or two members of a party, this may lead to people thinking "hey lets just you and me move ahead, we don't really need them and they suck up the XP from us."