Questions tagged [experience-points]
This is for questions pertaining to 'experience points' or any other kind of point gained during play and used to 'level up' or otherwise permanently increase a character's abilities.
21
votes
4answers
2k views
Awarding encounter experience when enemies flee/get intimidated/are convinced to help
This is my first time DM'ing and I'm playing DnD 5e's "Lost Mine of Phandelver" campaign with 3 other players.
The PCs seem to have a trend of encountering a group of enemies, start fighting and ...
3
votes
2answers
661 views
When awarding xp, is the summoner's eidolon counted as a separate party member with respect to xp division?
Under Exact XP on p.399 of the Core Rulebook, it states that the XP for the encounter should be tallied and then divided by the number of party members. Each party member is then awarded this amount ...
6
votes
1answer
484 views
Is there a mathematical formula to determine how much XP is needed per level?
Is there a mathematical formula to determine how much XP is needed per level? In other words Is there a consistent formula for determining how much XP is needed to go up to any given level?
I ...
4
votes
1answer
98 views
Level adjustment reduction for high(ish)-level new characters
I am running a 3.5 D&D campaign and I have allowed my players to use the level adjustment reduction rules from the SRD. It is explained fairly OK for characters as they advance through new levels, ...
8
votes
1answer
609 views
How is XP awarded in AL for non-combat puzzles in Tomb of Annihilation?
I have been DMing our party for the final parts of Tomb of Annihilation.
Some parts of the adventure have vast numbers of puzzles. For example, tonight, the party spent almost four hours simply ...
6
votes
1answer
231 views
In Adventurers League, can you finish a module you started if you leveled out of it?
Here's a situation: Bob plays a 4 hours Adventurers League Tier 2 adventure with a level 10 character, but due to unforeseen time constraints, the module cannot be completed (only 3 hours in, for ...
2
votes
3answers
190 views
How can I level up or use my NPC army?
In my current campaign, I’ve managed to secure myself a fairly large kingdom, with an army of over 10,000 level 10s at my disposal. This would be incredibly useful if we weren’t in a fairly epic level ...
13
votes
4answers
2k views
How much XP does a monster created by Animate Objects add to an encounter?
I am making a boss fight. The boss can cast animate objects, a spell that can animate statues.
The spell gives information for, eg., 1 Large Construct:
Large - HP: 50, AC: 10, Attack: +6 to hit, ...
4
votes
1answer
326 views
Is AL DM allowed to adjust an encounter to max out the combat XP reward?
I DM an AL group of four. They agree to create new level 1 characters (they are experienced), but ask me to adjust the combat to give maximum possible XP in an adventure, in case they miss out the non-...
10
votes
6answers
2k views
Do imps and pseudodragons serving as variant familiars earn XP, or share XP with the party?
This question is directly related to two other questions:
Do familiars or animal companions earn or share XP with the party?
How is a variant familiar imp and pseudodragon (in the Monster Manual ...
12
votes
1answer
2k views
If a PC summons creatures to help fight does it lower your party’s XP?
Do summoned creatures take a share of the XP of an encounter? Let’s say a PC in a party of 3 uses a spell like Conjure Animals. He uses it to summon all 8 creatures. If they contribute to the combat, ...
1
vote
0answers
422 views
Implementing a “perk system” of minor boons? [closed]
Background
I have recently become the DM of a group comprised mostly of newbies and one or two older players who aren’t accustomed to 5e’s rules yet. I decided that, for my first campaign, I wanted ...
20
votes
3answers
2k views
Do PCs gain experience from a fight that they lost?
If the PCs lose a fight but do not die (e.g. imprisoned), do they gain experience points from the battle?
8
votes
1answer
403 views
Why is the XP awarded from an encounter the sum of monster XP values and not Adjusted XP?
The Dungeon Master's Guide presents guidelines for gauging encounter difficulty based on the Adjusted XP of monsters faced. The Adjusted XP is the sum of the monsters' experience values, modified by a ...
4
votes
1answer
152 views
How is PC experience calculated when higher level CR allies help in Adventurers League?
The recent adventure Tomb of Annihilation released by WotC includes allies that can join the party. As an open-world adventure spanning multiple PC levels and Tiers, PCs could potentially gain allies ...
1
vote
0answers
23 views
Distributing exp during encounters [duplicate]
When I get to distribute exp to party members, should I give the same amount of EXP to everyone or split it by monsters killed/fight contribution?
9
votes
4answers
4k views
Can you earn XP for defeating a creature, then raise as undead & destroy it for more XP?
The party defeats a group of creatures by killing them, earning XP. Can they then raise the corpses as undead, release control so they're uncontrolled undead, then kill the undead for more XP?
Is ...
2
votes
0answers
104 views
Is XP only awarded to the PC that delivers the killing blow? [duplicate]
I have been a DM for 35 years, and now we are embarking on 5th ed. I am playing a 1st level Barbarian. Due to Ideals and Bonds and stuff, I am letting other party members get the “kill” on stuff I ...
6
votes
2answers
219 views
Do you gain XP when you die?
In Dungeon World you gain XP on a miss. However a bit of a discussion has come up recently in my circle of DW players as to whether missing a last breath roll, and subsequently dying, also causes you ...
17
votes
5answers
4k views
What do NPCs do with gained XP?
I'm the DM of our group with several player characters, and often there are NPCs with the party as well (partly because the party really likes persuading friendly creatures to come join them, and ...
3
votes
2answers
243 views
Cap XP earned from encounter? [closed]
In a game of D&D 5e last night we had to creep through a room containing ~1000 Duergar.
It should have been easy, as they were already distracted, but our Paladin, who we'll call Clanky ...
0
votes
1answer
185 views
How to distribute XP for player kill in free-for-all arena?
I'm designing a game of some sort of battle arena, which in every session there are 4 PCs fighting each other. The whole campaign will revolve on the arena fight and amassing XP to stand at the top.
...
3
votes
1answer
281 views
Is XP from solo kills during combat shared or not?
This scenario came up in a recent game I ran I and I'm curious on how it should be handled.
If, during an encounter where everyone in the party takes a turn, a character kills one of the enemies ...
1
vote
1answer
160 views
How do I determine the expected duration/runtime of older Adventurer's League adventures for purposes of DM rewards? [duplicate]
In reference to this question: How do I apply & record DM Experience Rewards?
Where in a published D&DAL Module (I'm specifically working with the Tyranny of Dragons modules) would I find the ...
22
votes
4answers
6k views
Are there any quick, reliable ways to level up in D&D 5e?
I am the Dungeon Master in a new campaign. Since I made the players start new characters, they were wondering if there was a fast way to gain experience. The players wanted the game to still be legit, ...
16
votes
3answers
2k views
Do I award experience points for a trap that goes off?
In a recent session my players triggered a trap that they didn't notice; it went off and did damage to most of the party.
I've done a rudimentary search through the Pathfinder SRD and couldn't find ...
5
votes
1answer
4k views
How do I apply & record DM Experience Rewards?
So at the ends of some of my adventure packets that I've run for D&D Adventurer's League it says things about DM rewards, which includes Experience Points. I'm concerned a little bit that I may ...
4
votes
2answers
186 views
What defines an XP generating encounter for PCs?
Based on this question, what is it that makes something qualify as an XP generating moment?
Are those moments generated by the PCs, or by NPCs away from them as well?
17
votes
5answers
3k views
Should a PC get XP for assisting outside of combat?
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 ...
21
votes
6answers
4k views
Are PCs that died counted when dividing a combat's XP?
Generally, XP is divided equally when an enemy is killed. So let's say a low level party of four all fought and killed an orc worth 100xp; they all get 25xp.
But what happens if the orc kills (...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
How do you calculate DM XP reward for an AL module without a prescribed time?
I recently started DMing Adventurers League sessions, and I've been told about DM rewards, being particularly interested in the XP I get after each DMed session.
Reading the AL DM guide, I understand ...
19
votes
5answers
7k views
How much XP can the Wish spell grant?
If someone had the Deck of Many things, drew the Moon and got a wish spell, and wished to "Level up as much as (They) can", how much XP would the wish spell give to the player?
4
votes
1answer
213 views
XP through the ages
I'm looking for the definitions and basic usage of experience points in all the versions of D&D. Of particular interest is the stated purpose of having xp (and levels) in the game at all, if it's ...
12
votes
1answer
3k views
Is the epic boon progression too fast?
The PHB's required XP for leveling can generally be described as, "For your next level, you'll need more than what was required for this level," with a notable exception between going from level 10 to ...
-6
votes
2answers
267 views
When skipping over fishing, how much experience should be gained?
I recently asked a question about how to handle the contest between a large fish and a fisherman using fishing tackle, and the answers seem to mostly agree that such contests should be abstracted to ...
5
votes
2answers
235 views
Is there a guideline for deciding how many points a GM should award players?
I recently started reading on GURPS and I haven't found something that tells me how many points I should give to the players after each session. Is there something I'm missing or is there a secondary ...
6
votes
2answers
228 views
Milestone leveling and XP cost for crafting / XP penalty for multi classing
So looking at milestone leveling it basically says you level up when the DM determines it is time to level up based on a major accomplishment event etc.
How does something like a multi classing ...
4
votes
1answer
193 views
As a player, what can I deliberately do during play to earn The Veil's 1 XP end-of-session award for having my beliefs tested?
The Veil offers 3 end-of-session XP awards, the first of which is that if a belief "was tested or challenged", you get 1 XP (p268). Getting into trouble because of a belief nets you 2 XP, and ...
8
votes
1answer
117 views
When a multiclass demihuman reaches max-level in one class, does she need to keep splitting exp?
Suppose a multiclassed elf thief/wizard reaches max level in thief (14th, 880,000xp), but can still advance pretty far as wizard (with 880,000 she is a 12th-level wizard, and has still 5 more levels ...
10
votes
4answers
441 views
When is a trap with an automatic reset considered defeated?
Suppose that for whatever reason the trap in question is never disabled, perhaps because there is no rogue or perhaps because no one can find its moving parts due to unlucky Perception rolls. The trap ...
5
votes
1answer
164 views
Who pays the XP cost for a spell the Eidolon casts?
The epic spell Eidolon creates a magical duplicate of the caster, "fully rested" and with all the spellcasting potential of its level.
Including the ability to cast spells with a XP cost.
Who pays ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views
What is it like to play in a campaign with Milestone XP? [closed]
I am currently playing D&D fifth edition with a GM I have never played with before. He will be giving out XP in milestones, so that we will be given XP when we do something specific or reach a ...
6
votes
2answers
142 views
How does Experience Point Value work on sold magic items?
I'm trying to make sure I understand this correctly. In the original (Advanced D&D) Dungeon Master's Handbook starting on page 120 outlines various magic items. In the value tables there is ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
Do athasian druids follow the PHB druid XP progression and organization?
Athasian druids have their guarded lands, and pretty much don't bother each other. So having a druidic organization like the one in the PHB seems not likely. Also, they don't seem to become hierophant....
1
vote
1answer
222 views
Can we use Tiers of DMG for 3 Pillars Experience System?
Unearthed Arcana provides a new possibility of granting experience: Three-Pillars Experience
This system is based on tiers (see page 2 1st paragraph). The only part I can find any explanation of ...
42
votes
7answers
7k views
I erased an obstacle from having ever existed. Should I get any experience for it?
In yesterday's session, our characters scouted a room full of reanimated corpses, and it was the only way to go through. Our characters were completely exhausted of resources and couldn't rest, so I ...
20
votes
10answers
937 views
How can I balance gradual character advancement for new players vs. trying to keep the PCs at a similar level?
I've been running an Open Table game this summer and it's going pretty well. I normally favor milestone leveling or other forms of keeping all PCs at the same level so I don't have to deal with level ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Handing out XP per encounter is overwhelming; solutions?
TL;DR: I'm looking for a technique for handing out XP during sessions that is both rewarding for the players and easy to handle as the GM. Doesn't have to be RAW; personal experience is welcome.
I ...
10
votes
2answers
3k views
Do experience points in 5e continue to stack or do they get expended and leave carry over points towards the next level?
I run two campaigns and decided to run them differently based on the PC desires. In the combat-heavy war-torn campaign I expend all points except those over the leveling up threshold to make it ...
31
votes
7answers
7k views
Do PCs understand the leveling system and its experience requirements?
Do PCs understand the nature of the leveling system and its experience requirements? For example, suppose a PC is just below the XP requirement for a level and is planning to undertake a major quest. ...
