? on rogue experience points [Archive] - Wizards Community

? on rogue experience points [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jacl32
08-20-06, 07:20 PM When a rogue disables a trap, do the experience points get distributed to everyone or just to the rogue? :confused:
Ogre4Hire
08-20-06, 07:26 PM The whole party gets an equal share.

It's the same as if a fighter rolled a crit and dropped a monster by himself, or a character used Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff against an NPC.
Jacl32
08-20-06, 08:01 PM Thank you for the help :)
Giant Turtle
08-21-06, 12:50 AM The whole party gets an equal share.

It's the same as if a fighter rolled a crit and dropped a monster by himself, or a character used Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff against an NPC.

Thats not necissarily true. If one person does something without any aid from anyone else then they experience doesn't have to be shared. Technically, only one person had any affect. If a fighter killed a monster by himself, but the monster hit the rogue, then the rogue helped. If the rogue finds and disables a trap by himself, the party didn't do anything to earn Exp, the rogue did. Saying everyone gets exp just because they are there is like saying well, I know you, so you should give my half your paycheck. I didn't work for the money, but if we're friends, then it should be equally shared. In my group, if one person does all the work, then I ask that player if they want the Experience or if they want to share it.
hfolkense
08-21-06, 02:33 AM Thats not necissarily true. If one person does something without any aid from anyone else then they experience doesn't have to be shared. Technically, only one person had any affect. If a fighter killed a monster by himself, but the monster hit the rogue, then the rogue helped. If the rogue finds and disables a trap by himself, the party didn't do anything to earn Exp, the rogue did. Saying everyone gets exp just because they are there is like saying well, I know you, so you should give my half your paycheck. I didn't work for the money, but if we're friends, then it should be equally shared. In my group, if one person does all the work, then I ask that player if they want the Experience or if they want to share it.

You should really read the DMG again, I believe it sets the same exact example.

It has nothing to do with "wealth" or PC's participations but all to do with resources.

The line of thinking is.

There is a trap where the PC's must pass either by:

-Walking around it. No resources spent, the best possible outcome, short of deactivating completly the trap
-Disabling the trap. No resources spent, but situational (not every party has a rogue)
-Just "soaking it up". It spends resources (HP) probably needed later.

All of them award Full XP because XP takes into account passing a challenge, it doesn't specify if its from fight,talking or hiding.

With your line of thinking, if I have a wizard and I use all of my spells just before the Boss battle, and I sit there just doing nothing and hiding, I shouldn't gain any XP??

Are you serious? Where are the HP I saved by putting the guard to sleep, or killing the lame kobolds with magic missiles?

In short, according to the Book, deactivating a trap is full party XP, because it saves the party resources. It's the same that the cleric turning undead.
"Hey the undead are immune to critical hits, so the rogue doesn't hit that well and he is just there doing nothing, we should give him NO XP AT ALL"

Maybe you like to take XP like you say, but that's a houserule.
Loki5654
08-21-06, 05:58 AM The other thought to consider is what awarding XP in this fashion will do to party cohesion.

If you award the Rogue XP for bypassing/disarming traps, then the Fighter will want XP for individual kills. The wizard will claim mass XP for fireball kills. The group starts to break apart because the players are looking to gain XP just for themselves, or they start becoming selfish in response to other's selfishness just to stay even.

How I do it: I award group XP as per normal, but then I give out certain bonuses:

MVP Award: I let the players vote a Most Valuable Player and give that player a 10% bonus.
DM's Pet Award: Whoever I think did the best job, or whoever bought me pizza/soda/chips. Also a 10% bonus.
RP Bonus: Good RPing can net the players a 5% bonus. I've considered a 5% reduction for lack of RPing, but I figured that was too harsh. You can't force that sort of thing.

This bonus plan allows me to award individuals without slighting the group as a whole.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jacl32 08-20-06, 07:20 PM	When a rogue disables a trap, do the experience points get distributed to everyone or just to the rogue? :confused:
Ogre4Hire 08-20-06, 07:26 PM	The whole party gets an equal share. It's the same as if a fighter rolled a crit and dropped a monster by himself, or a character used Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff against an NPC.
Jacl32 08-20-06, 08:01 PM	Thank you for the help :)
Giant Turtle 08-21-06, 12:50 AM	The whole party gets an equal share. It's the same as if a fighter rolled a crit and dropped a monster by himself, or a character used Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff against an NPC. Thats not necissarily true. If one person does something without any aid from anyone else then they experience doesn't have to be shared. Technically, only one person had any affect. If a fighter killed a monster by himself, but the monster hit the rogue, then the rogue helped. If the rogue finds and disables a trap by himself, the party didn't do anything to earn Exp, the rogue did. Saying everyone gets exp just because they are there is like saying well, I know you, so you should give my half your paycheck. I didn't work for the money, but if we're friends, then it should be equally shared. In my group, if one person does all the work, then I ask that player if they want the Experience or if they want to share it.
hfolkense 08-21-06, 02:33 AM	Thats not necissarily true. If one person does something without any aid from anyone else then they experience doesn't have to be shared. Technically, only one person had any affect. If a fighter killed a monster by himself, but the monster hit the rogue, then the rogue helped. If the rogue finds and disables a trap by himself, the party didn't do anything to earn Exp, the rogue did. Saying everyone gets exp just because they are there is like saying well, I know you, so you should give my half your paycheck. I didn't work for the money, but if we're friends, then it should be equally shared. In my group, if one person does all the work, then I ask that player if they want the Experience or if they want to share it. You should really read the DMG again, I believe it sets the same exact example. It has nothing to do with "wealth" or PC's participations but all to do with resources. The line of thinking is. There is a trap where the PC's must pass either by: -Walking around it. No resources spent, the best possible outcome, short of deactivating completly the trap -Disabling the trap. No resources spent, but situational (not every party has a rogue) -Just "soaking it up". It spends resources (HP) probably needed later. All of them award Full XP because XP takes into account passing a challenge, it doesn't specify if its from fight,talking or hiding. With your line of thinking, if I have a wizard and I use all of my spells just before the Boss battle, and I sit there just doing nothing and hiding, I shouldn't gain any XP?? Are you serious? Where are the HP I saved by putting the guard to sleep, or killing the lame kobolds with magic missiles? In short, according to the Book, deactivating a trap is full party XP, because it saves the party resources. It's the same that the cleric turning undead. "Hey the undead are immune to critical hits, so the rogue doesn't hit that well and he is just there doing nothing, we should give him NO XP AT ALL" Maybe you like to take XP like you say, but that's a houserule.
Loki5654 08-21-06, 05:58 AM	The other thought to consider is what awarding XP in this fashion will do to party cohesion. If you award the Rogue XP for bypassing/disarming traps, then the Fighter will want XP for individual kills. The wizard will claim mass XP for fireball kills. The group starts to break apart because the players are looking to gain XP just for themselves, or they start becoming selfish in response to other's selfishness just to stay even. How I do it: I award group XP as per normal, but then I give out certain bonuses: MVP Award: I let the players vote a Most Valuable Player and give that player a 10% bonus. DM's Pet Award: Whoever I think did the best job, or whoever bought me pizza/soda/chips. Also a 10% bonus. RP Bonus: Good RPing can net the players a 5% bonus. I've considered a 5% reduction for lack of RPing, but I figured that was too harsh. You can't force that sort of thing. This bonus plan allows me to award individuals without slighting the group as a whole.