Calculating XP for this.. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Calculating XP for this.. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Siduakal
08-02-05, 07:46 PM Okay .. say I have two ships

Ship A has.. X many level 1s, X Many level 2s, X many level 3s, X many 4s, and a 5th level captain.

Ship B has X many level 1s, X Many level 2s, X many level 3s, and a 4th level captain.

How do I calculate the XP rewards for both the NPCs involved and the PCs?

Assume that ship A has 20 Lvl 1s, 15 Lvl 2s, 10 Lvl 3s, 5 Lvl 4s, and 1 Level 5

And Ship B has 15 Lvl 1s, 10 Lvl 2s, 5 Lvl 3s, and 2 Lvl 4s

What do I do when Ship B wins to give them XP?
Nom
08-02-05, 08:08 PM How do I calculate the XP rewards for both the NPCs involved and the PCs?This is the first sign that you're barking up the wrong tree. Unless the NPCs are "in the party", so to speak, they never earn XP. Rather, an NPC has as much XP as the DM determines that they need.

You can apply the same rule with PCs, but most players prefer a more tangible achievement -> reward connection, thus the standard XP rules.

Now, assuming that your PCs are part of ship B in a large melee, your best bet is to figure out how many and which opposition the PCs significantly contributed to defeating, and award XP accordingly. If it were me, I'd probably be generous when evaluating the "contributed to defeating", but then reduce total XP by 25-50% to allow for the help.

Alternatives, perhaps better:

* calculate total XP for defeating ship A (all combatants), then divide by 32 (# combatants on ship B). Reward PCs accordingly.

* guesstimate a CR for the PCs contribution, and award based on that.

In any XP award situation, the important things are:
* the players feel that their reward fits their achievement
* the reward doesn't cause them to advance too quickly or too slowly

All the other XP rules just scaffold these two principles. Where the rules aren't easily applicable, just go with the principles.
Siduakal
08-02-05, 08:25 PM Well I was goin to do it standard so all NPCs and PCs got XP.

Why? They're a crew on a pirate ship. Probably best they advance together. (Though I do plan to limit them in their advancement..)

I guess I could always just bump the crew up a level when the PCs level, though.
WCH
08-02-05, 09:42 PM Figure out how dangerous the encounter was. If it was really close, give them each XP for an encounter of their level... that is, a EL 4 encounter is evenly matched with 4 lvl 1 PCs, so PCs get CR 4 XP divided by 4... which might as well just be even level.

Likewise, if the battle was easy, give less. Also take into account how active the PC was in the battle... bonus for being right at the front and doing all the work, penalty for hiding most of the time.
Nom
08-02-05, 11:22 PM Well I was goin to do it standard so all NPCs and PCs got XP.

Why? They're a crew on a pirate ship. Probably best they advance together. (Though I do plan to limit them in their advancement..)

I guess I could always just bump the crew up a level when the PCs level, though.If you wish to treat everyone as if they were a PC, you calculate CR for each character based on the total enemies defeated and then divide by the total number of characters.

However, I'd strongly recommend not doing it like that. Not the least because you are inflicting upon yourself an enourmous amount of unnecessary number crunching. If I were you, I wouldn't even use the tactical rules to resolve the parts of the battle the PCs aren't in - just summarise and let the PCs know every so often. Make opposed d20 rolls if you want some randomness.

Likewise, don't feel constrained by the XP rules when dealing with NPCs. Increase their levels when and if you feel it is appropriate. If it were me, they'd lag behind the PCs, but you may want a different feel.
Siduakal
08-03-05, 02:32 PM Actually, I have it planned for the boarding part if Stormwrack doesn't have the rules.

I'm going to roll %s with a chance the pirate NPCs are winning based on what type of crew the other vessel is for each sector I designate on the ship, each round.

If it's say.. 50/50.. and I roll a 52.. so one sides winning, but BARELY. I'll tell the PCs it looks like they're starting to lose their hold on that side.

If I roll maybe a 97.. I'll tell the PCs that they've all but lost control of that side and their pirates have been forced on deck.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Siduakal 08-02-05, 07:46 PM	Okay .. say I have two ships Ship A has.. X many level 1s, X Many level 2s, X many level 3s, X many 4s, and a 5th level captain. Ship B has X many level 1s, X Many level 2s, X many level 3s, and a 4th level captain. How do I calculate the XP rewards for both the NPCs involved and the PCs? Assume that ship A has 20 Lvl 1s, 15 Lvl 2s, 10 Lvl 3s, 5 Lvl 4s, and 1 Level 5 And Ship B has 15 Lvl 1s, 10 Lvl 2s, 5 Lvl 3s, and 2 Lvl 4s What do I do when Ship B wins to give them XP?
Nom 08-02-05, 08:08 PM	How do I calculate the XP rewards for both the NPCs involved and the PCs?This is the first sign that you're barking up the wrong tree. Unless the NPCs are "in the party", so to speak, they never earn XP. Rather, an NPC has as much XP as the DM determines that they need. You can apply the same rule with PCs, but most players prefer a more tangible achievement -> reward connection, thus the standard XP rules. Now, assuming that your PCs are part of ship B in a large melee, your best bet is to figure out how many and which opposition the PCs significantly contributed to defeating, and award XP accordingly. If it were me, I'd probably be generous when evaluating the "contributed to defeating", but then reduce total XP by 25-50% to allow for the help. Alternatives, perhaps better: * calculate total XP for defeating ship A (all combatants), then divide by 32 (# combatants on ship B). Reward PCs accordingly. * guesstimate a CR for the PCs contribution, and award based on that. In any XP award situation, the important things are: * the players feel that their reward fits their achievement * the reward doesn't cause them to advance too quickly or too slowly All the other XP rules just scaffold these two principles. Where the rules aren't easily applicable, just go with the principles.
Siduakal 08-02-05, 08:25 PM	Well I was goin to do it standard so all NPCs and PCs got XP. Why? They're a crew on a pirate ship. Probably best they advance together. (Though I do plan to limit them in their advancement..) I guess I could always just bump the crew up a level when the PCs level, though.
WCH 08-02-05, 09:42 PM	Figure out how dangerous the encounter was. If it was really close, give them each XP for an encounter of their level... that is, a EL 4 encounter is evenly matched with 4 lvl 1 PCs, so PCs get CR 4 XP divided by 4... which might as well just be even level. Likewise, if the battle was easy, give less. Also take into account how active the PC was in the battle... bonus for being right at the front and doing all the work, penalty for hiding most of the time.
Nom 08-02-05, 11:22 PM	Well I was goin to do it standard so all NPCs and PCs got XP. Why? They're a crew on a pirate ship. Probably best they advance together. (Though I do plan to limit them in their advancement..) I guess I could always just bump the crew up a level when the PCs level, though.If you wish to treat everyone as if they were a PC, you calculate CR for each character based on the total enemies defeated and then divide by the total number of characters. However, I'd strongly recommend not doing it like that. Not the least because you are inflicting upon yourself an enourmous amount of unnecessary number crunching. If I were you, I wouldn't even use the tactical rules to resolve the parts of the battle the PCs aren't in - just summarise and let the PCs know every so often. Make opposed d20 rolls if you want some randomness. Likewise, don't feel constrained by the XP rules when dealing with NPCs. Increase their levels when and if you feel it is appropriate. If it were me, they'd lag behind the PCs, but you may want a different feel.
Siduakal 08-03-05, 02:32 PM	Actually, I have it planned for the boarding part if Stormwrack doesn't have the rules. I'm going to roll %s with a chance the pirate NPCs are winning based on what type of crew the other vessel is for each sector I designate on the ship, each round. If it's say.. 50/50.. and I roll a 52.. so one sides winning, but BARELY. I'll tell the PCs it looks like they're starting to lose their hold on that side. If I roll maybe a 97.. I'll tell the PCs that they've all but lost control of that side and their pirates have been forced on deck.