Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RedUncle 06-13-06, 11:29 AM	as a DM, I'm having a hard time getting a really solid understanding of how to award experience points ---- (I've been a player up till now) -------- somehow I feel like I'm doing something a bit wrong ... although I've gone over the books dozens of times, and I can't find anything specific that I'm actually doing wrong... it still doesn't feel entirely "fair" --- and at the end of our sessions, I feel a little overwhelmed trying to recall who did what (aside from monster-killing) ------- some of my players are poor combatants, and as a result they feel a little neglected at the end, when I award points, if all I do is calculate kill-based exp. points......... I feel that an incorperation of plot-based points is also valid.... also - here's an example of something that's got me confused: assume, if you will, that two players take off 95% of a monster's HP ------ and that a third delivers the fatal blow, but missed all the previous combat ---- how does one award XP in this situation? technically, player 3 KILLED the beast... but that wouldn't be fair to the first two, if he got all the "credit" ... the first two did all the work! I'd really love to confirm the actual process of recording your player's actions - and how you keep track of their experience points... is there a special DM sheet somebody could recommend - one that allows the DM to quickly record data that will eventually be converted into exp. points? please, explain this to me as if I'm a complete idiot --- D&D is an absolutely wonderful game... but it can get a little complicated! especially for somebody new to DM'ing, like myself! thanks in advance! - warm regards
Dragonmann 06-13-06, 11:41 AM	It is generally best to reward the entire party with xp evenly for monster fighting. In life failure (chronic missing) can be a better teacher than success (every swing a critical). Also the party should never know if the guy watching their backs actually prevented the kobold assassin from running up with a dagger of venom, or if he just stood there and watched the fight. As for individual rewards, if there is something you remember clearly at the end of the night that was the player, and not the dice, then by all means give them a little something extra. And finally, at the end of every session I asm my players to select the best role-player and best moment. Then give an xp award for each. This encourages players to role play more, and in one case in my game, step on a skeletal wolf, to step on a skeletons shoulder, to jump over both to reach the necromancer behind them. Sure it broke all sorts of RAW, he took 3 AoA that missed, made 2 attack tolls that did no damage to get over, and successfully confronted the necromancer. Now over a year of real time later I still remember the whole thing, that gets xp.
RedUncle 06-13-06, 11:50 AM	hey those are some good tips! thanks! ... so, it's okay to keep it fairly simple and award the entire party as a single entity? essentially, everybody gets the same number of XP at the end of the session?
DarkWarriorKarg 06-13-06, 11:56 AM	In 3.5, people can get more or less xp for an encounter depending on their level. If your whole party is teh same level, then no problem. If your party is average 5th, and the level-drained paladin is now permanently 3rd, the paladin gets more XP from an encounter than the rest of the party. Note that ECL is to be used, so a 3rd level Drow character is considered 5th. This site might help you: Click here (http://nazaire.home.insightbb.com/calculator.htm).
RedUncle 06-13-06, 01:57 PM	This site might help you: Click here (http://nazaire.home.insightbb.com/calculator.htm). outstanding! this is sure to come in handy... thanks
ekomega 06-13-06, 02:47 PM	The standard method of calculating EXP in DnD assumes everyone participates. Then the experience of the monster they defeat, based on CR and party level, is divided evenly among all combatants. The only way you don't get EXP for being involved in combat is if you are unavailable for the entire battle, from start to finish. So if you come into a battle unconscious (the PCs are dragging you around), or dead, or turned to stone, etc. You don't get EXP. But if you were stone, and in the third round of combat (of 4) the wizard heals you, you still get EXP. If in the first round, first action of combat, the enemy wizard knocks you unconscious with one spell, you still get EXP because you were involved in the battle at all. Even if you remain unconscious for the rest of the battle. It doesn't matter who hits who, or who kills what, or who casts what spell. some of the classes are mainly "support" classes, and should they be penalized because they healed the fighter instead of killing the goblin for themselves? Everyone is supposed to be working together. It shouldn't be about "fair" or "not fair". If your players really get upset that the fighter is doing 80% of the monster's HP, and the rogue only the last 20%, then they are being really childish and need to grow up. Everyone is working together as a team, and they share the rewards like a team (for EXP anyway).
RedUncle 06-13-06, 06:29 PM	I really appreciate everybody's posts in response to my question - it's helped clear up just about everything that initially made me feel uncertain ........ in defense of my players: they're actually really great - they never complain, but sometimes I sense a tiny lack of enthusiasm - and I was worried if it was resulting from a technical error on my part ---------- now that I'm confident in that regard, I can't wait till next time we play!! I've spent all day preparing for my next session... and I have a great feeling about it!! thanks again, guys