[Pieter Turash]

I agree it is up to the DM to determine XP. I give everyone in the party XP for defeating a foe evenly. Keep in mind the things the group had to go through together just to get to that enemy. I also give bonus XP for excellent role-playing. I give XP for completing a task or for getting by an enemy without actually fighting (diplomacy). Things I never give XP for are for fighting and defeating an enemy by going off the mission at hand just to try to gain experience. Often times an enemy is not really an enemy and pc's will try to "pick a fight" just to try and get more experience.

As far as letting the players know how much experience they have, I think it is important for them to keep track themselves. As a DM, I have enough to try and keep track of. In addition, what if you have a Wizard that has Craft Wondrous Item as a feat? He has to know how much XP he has available in order to create that item. I believe in letting the pc's have as much control over their own characters as possible...it makes less work for me.

[zero]

This is just my two cents being added in here.

Somtimes XP should be awarded for charecter's who didn't get the chance.. there is a big differance on Ready... or willing...

As a DM you will must be law.. I have had the same problem as you have. It also boils down to AD HOC XP, if a fighter kills somthing with one hit he (in my opinion) should not get full XP for that critter. Why you ask? What is the fun in killing anything in one hit? There was one time and inexperianced DM allowed a 8 headed Hydra to dye by a single swing from a meadioker half-orc, while the rest of the party walked into the room just to veiw it spectacular display.

He got full XP for it bouncing him up 7 levels... I personally just looked at him and realized the fun was gone. Why try to do anything if the DM's favorite charecter killes something in one hit and even the guys preasent wasn't able to do anything about it. So it comes to the very contraversole point of "the universe has shifted." senario.

If a warrior charges into a wizerd suspended in mid air, rationalizing that there is a invisible bridge holding him up, as a DM you have one of two choices...
1. Allow an invisable bridge to actually appear, changing your encounter but allowing the PC to have his moment in triumph and changing the mage?
2. Allowing the fighter to fall to his death because there was never a bridge?

That is an extream example from your question.. but what do you do in the end? Your god you the DM.. it is your choice. There can be any amount of bikering after the fighter falles, because how do they know you "planned it?" I have had too many DM's try to "teach the players a lession" arguments to even give that point of veiw, but in the end it boils down to one thing... Does it make the story better.

Your mage mad because of the fighter killing everything in one hit.... here is a secret.. make the sucker last untill at least round two if there is only one monster... it might even get them to respect the lowly orc if this one has more than 4 hit points.

And if you think that they will end up fighting you on the "rules" of D&D remember that D&D has always stood on one thing... rules are guide lines. As in 3rd edition is missing one very important rule that was left out from 2nd. "These rules are just guide lind to make you world more realistic and make you job as DM more easier, if something doesn't fit... just tear, bend, straighten, or destroy them so they fit in your sessions."

man sometimes you miss the good ol' days. The game is about having fun, and the story. Combat should always be placed second so give them something tuff that the fighter can't kill, like puzzles and role-playing.

And HAVE FUN!

[Overlord]

My personal take on EXP awarding is that every character gets EXP for an encounter, because I think that people should also gain experience for watching as well as for participating. Obviously if the elven wizard didnt fight the enemy because he didnt feel like it, he wouldnt get exp. But I think that if they just didnt get a turn then they should get exp, because they see what other people do and notice things even if they dont manage to act.

Plus it helps keep players happy.

[dragonswale]

Very interesting debate, but here's something to ponder. Rgr6, Rgr6, Rog6, Bbn5, Sor6, and Clr6 meet and defeat a Young Black Dragon (CR4). How much Xp should each (all partricipated, though only Sor6 was attacked) PC get? Next the Rog6 disabled the CR4 trap on the Treasure Chest- Who gets how much Xp for that? Later Rgr6(1) faces Githyanki,Rgr5 in personal combat and wins. After all this Sor6 crafts a Wand of Lightning and pays 540 xp. Doesn't seem fair to me. Rog6 gets Xp for doing his job, Rgr6 gets xp for doing his job, but Sor6 loses Xp for doing her job!!!

It's a quandry!

[Overlord]

If I was DMing, The rogue would get exp for disarming the trap and the rogue only. Other characters would gain this extra exp in other ways - Through roleplay, doing things that only their character can (lockpicking for a rogue, using spells in clever ways, etc) Also, crafting Magic Items isn't The sorcerers job. They have the ability to choose the feat and make magic Items as they wish, but it isnt neccessary. It isnt their job. (I think I'm right here - :S) Also, if they are all involved in the combat, they should all get exp. I think that goes without saying.

I've re-read my post, and while I realize that some of it may sound a little rude, i did not intend that. However, I cant think of a way to re-write it, so i'll have to give it to you like that. Many apologies.
-Overlord

[dragonswale]

Thanks for the input, but I still don't know how much XP the thief should get. Example: Rog6 Finds and Disables Pit Trap CR3. Does he get 600XP, or some portion thereof?

I understand about individual combat, to a point. Would Rgr6 vs. Rgr6 get 1800XP or some portion thereof?

Currently I use a formula for party experience as follows: INT(SUM(PClevel)/4)=Party Level {(6+6+6+6+6+5)/4=8}, CR6=1200[for an 8th level party]/6=200XP each.

Please respond to each point.

[PeterThompson]

Xp awards - the bain of a DM. If you are going to award battles based on your principles then you must award other areas of the game disproportionately. If a Rogue uses his skills well then reward him, a cleric heals then again reward him, a mage casts mage armor reward him. This does not work in my opinion.

A fighter is more geared up for battle in the main, and therefore is likely to get (i say likely but not definitely) get more of the kill from battle. Lets say a mage casts true strike on a fighter. He rolls a 19, he rolled well and would kill without the spell. Do you give the mage any or not ?

There are no hard and fast rules bar these for me;

1) You are DM, not the players - you reward XP, they take it and move on. Getting XP is only one reward from playing, or should be. )

2) Be fair in your distribution, it should not be focussed on one thing, XP all for battles fails, what about skills, roleplaying, spells, task completion, ideas, teamwork.

3) Reward them in other ways. Items, character engagement & plot, & most of all the enjoyment of the game.

4) I reward most for those who play their character - who roleplay, the battles i even out, the other areas i even out. If you are not sure then keep XP reward as even as possible. Arguments are less.

5) If all else fails then tell them their XP secretly. Any debates that ensue should be penalised, it reduces arguments !

Just my thoughts, no hard & fast rules, whatever keeps it fun. If they enjoy the night the Xp should be a bonus. Sometimes both as DM & player i have enjoyed the night so much i/we forgot XP.

cheers

[Psycho_kid3]

Basically my party and ihave made the switch to 3rd edition (3.5) from good 'ol 2nd edition. Fairly different, but we've played enough baldur's gate and NWN to stay in tuned. But anyway, I was looking through the Mostrous manual and noticed they don't list an XP value for each creature. How much XP am i supposed to award? If it is DM disgretion, somebody please give me a guide or method becuase i don't want to have to make it all up. Thanks for your help.

[Rintaran]

You'll notice that each monster has a CR or Challenge Rating. You're technically supposed to compare this with a table you can find in the DMG to determine how much XP an encounter is supposed to be worth.

[Celarnor]

There's a nice XP calculator that I found on this site that works in Microsoft Excel, you just enter in the EL or the CR, the number, the characters' level, bonuses, and any NPCs that don't get XP but have to be there for calculation purposes, and you're golden, calculates it for you. ::Hugs it::

[Shadowborn]

XP rewards for encounters are detailed in the 3.5 DMG starting on page 36. The table showing actual CR to XP conversion is on p37. There are also sections in that general area dealing with increased CR due to the circumstance under which the monster is encountered, CR for traps, and other useful information when dealing with how to reward your PCs.

[Celarnor]

Yeah...that too. It's a big chart, but I like to use the computer to do it instead, it takes less time, which is good, because my players really like getting on to the next adventure instead of sitting around waiting for me to finish all of my mathematical computations.

[Shadowborn]

I'd have to displace one of my players to get at the computer, as I set up shop on the kitchen counter and they have the living room. Of course, I've gotten pretty good at quick XP calculation, so it really isn't much of a problem and they're usually distracted dividing the treasure. I usually end up finishing before they do.