Should a PC get XP for assisting outside of combat?

Question

Related, but about a PC not participating at all in a combat: Do people get XP for battles they weren't in?

Generally, experience points for a combat encounter are divided equally among the participants.

If a PC does not participate directly in a combat, but significantly contributes to the success of the party in another way, should they count as part of the combat party for the purposes of awarding XP?

For example:

• A PC scouts out the party that the PC's are planning to attack and relays back essential intelligence that allows the rest of the PC's to win the combat, but then the scout PC goes on another scouting mission or does something else rather than join the actual fight.
• A PC provides equipment, buffs, money, logistical support, diversionary tactics, or other resources to those who end up participating in the combat, but withdraws before the first round of "combat" begins. For example, a PC turns themselves in to the Town Guard and confesses to an offense. While the Town Guard is occupied in processing the PC into jail, the rest of his party attacks Town Hall.

Are these kinds of PC's actually considered participants in the combat, even though they did not actually swing a weapon, cast an offensive spell, etc.? That is, these are PC's that contributed, but did not specifically have any "combat rounds" where they had opportunities to take combat actions, roll dice, be wounded, etc.

If whether these roles count for XP is dependent on criteria, what differentiates an XP-worthy support role versus a non-XP-worthy support role? Could it, as @NautArch alluded to, involve whether the support PC risks their life or endures a substantial risk of being drawn into a literal round of combat (even though they successfully avoid it)? It would be more plausible, I think, to award XP to a PC who pilots a scout balloon over enemy territory and risks being shot at (even though he ends up not being shot at because the enemy does not see him as a sufficient threat because reasons), than it would be to award it to a PC who stays at home and casts buff spells on those going out.

The real life equivalents of the characters that I'm talking about here are essential elements of any real-life military, militia, or law-enforcement group - they are the drivers, transport pilots, dispatchers, mechanics, radio operators, cargo loaders, intelligence analysts, scouts, code breakers, etc. who enable the literal people with boots on the ground to accomplish their job.

MivaScott's mention of a heist analogy is also apt. The mastermind brooding in his basement, the hacker across town cracking gate passwords, the lookouts perched on rooftops, the getaway drivers stationed on dark street corners, and the mole at police headquarters cutting the brake lines on the police cruisers are all risking something by participating even though they might not be the ones literally rolling initiative against bank guards, jewelry store workers, etc.

Answer 1

Per the SRD (pg 258); Emphasis mine

Experience Points

The number of experience points (XP) a monster is worth is based on its challenge rating. Typically, XP is awarded for defeating the monster, although the GM may also award XP for neutralizing the threat posed by the monster in some other manner.

The GM can award XP just for being part of the plan. They do not have to get the same amount, but they should get credit where credit is due.

• The thief that is a distraction to a group of guards neutralized their threat just by making them be somewhere else.
• The barbarian across town that blew up a building as a distraction.
• The bard that bribed the guards days before so they wouldn't put up a fight.

See also: Are there alterantive ways to gain xp?

Answer 2

Yes

Of course, the DM is ultimately free to decide if, when, and to whom to award XP. Since leveling is the primary progression mechanic in D&D, XP awards are the primary incentive structure of the game. So the DM should award XP for non-combat assists only if that behavior is to be encouraged within the play group.

But always keep in mind - being denied progression for playing "wrong" isn't fun. If players are acting within the spirit of the game (i.e. cooperating, advancing the story/personal goals, etc.), and not trying to derail it, reward them for it.

Anecdotally, I once played with a particularly controlling DM who decided that characters only receive XP for a monster that they personally damage. Meanwhile, he didn't give spellcasters access to damage-dealing spells at level 1. So every spellcaster just cowered with a crossbow, and none of them ever made it to level 2. This all made sense within the fiction of the world he had built and the style of game he wanted to run - but he soon found himself without players. Because being unable to progress isn't fun.

Answer 3

The only guidance for giving out XP appears on page 260 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

When adventurers defeat one or more monsters - typically by killing, routing, or capturing them - they divide the total XP value of the monsters evenly amongst themselves. If the party received substantial assistance from one or more NPCs, count those NPCs as party members when dividing up the XP

The general rule for 5th edition is to use regular English when the rules are not specific as to the meaning of a word.

Defeat... v. ... win a victory over (someone) in a battle or other contest; overcome or beat.

Substantial assistance (as in the tenant for NPCs) is largely subjective and would be entirely subject to the DMs ruling. There is no reason a character would have to fight to gain XP.

Answer 4

In both your examples, the PC who is not in the actual combat is still participating in the process in an important way, and using his skills towards the party's effectiveness and victory. I would award experience equal to everyone else's to the PC assisting outside of combat in both cases. If, OTOH, the PC shirks his role in the plan and goes shopping or something else, I would not.

Answer 5

Generally DMs choice

In the end, there is no rule guideline for what to do here - the only rule is that it is up to the DM decide. Whatever you do: be fair, open, and honest with your players about their decisions and how it may impact their characters. Also be aware that managing split parties may be unfun for the party (and possibly you as the DM) not currently active at the table.

Split Parties

If your PCs have split their party so that group A is doing one task while Group B is doing another completely independent of each other, whether or not to share the pool of XP or split between the two encounters and PCs is up to the DM. Some related reading.

Case for Split XP

Each group of PCs (whether singular or plural) is off doing their own thing. Reward each group separately for what they've done. If Group A is fighting off 10 Minotaurs while Group B is fighting 2 Minotaurs, you may decide that Group B deserves more XP.

Case for Pool XP

Both Group A and Group B are working in conjunction for a single goal. Whether or not the encounters are equal doesn't matter - what matters is the final outcome that may not have been achievable without splitting the party.

Answer 6

The RAW is vague here but RAF I'd say absolutely. Anything that assists towards removing or avoiding an obstacle such as a monster or trap should be awarded XP for it. The bard that made a skill check to bribe the guards should be counted as defeating those gaurds, he made a skill check, which would have had negative consequences for failure, and he spent resources (money). The wizard that buffed a party that went in to fight monsters spent resources (spells) on defeating those monsters.

My personal play style has always been towards milestone levelling though. This way these questions don't even matter. Once the party as a whole acheives a specific goal, no matter how they do it, they all level up. This encourages creativity, discourages party splitting , encourages non-violent solutions to problems, makes for less bookkeeping for the DM and less metagaming from the PCs on how to get the most XP. If you have not used milestone levelling before you may want to use it. I have found that, at our tables, it is the superior option.