D&D 5E Why do we award Encounter XP instead of Adjusted XP?

[Delandel]

I've tried asking Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford this question on Twitter but no response. I want to know their intent behind this, because I have no clue why it's done this way:

A party of four level 2 characters are fighting five Goblins being led by one Hobgoblin. Encounter XP Total: 350, Adjusted XP Total: 700, a Hard encounter. You divide 350 XP equally to the characters if they win.

The same party goes against one Githyanki Warrior. Encounter XP Total: 700, Adjusted XP Total: 700, a Hard encounter. This time you divide 700 XP equally to the characters if they win.

I don't get it. Why are we supposed to award Encounter XP instead of Adjusted?

 

[Gecko85]

In the goblin example, there are 5 monsters that have a chance to hit the PCs each round, vs only 1 Githyanki. So, encounter XP is higher in the first example because there are more chances for the players to take damage. In other words: not all 700 XP encounters are the same.

 

[Delandel]

In the goblin example, there are 5 monsters that have a chance to hit the PCs each round, vs only 1 Githyanki. So, encounter XP is higher in the first example because there are more chances for the players to take damage. In other words: not all 700 XP encounters are the same.

The Encounter XP for the goblins is actually lower than the Githyanki, 350 vs. 700.

That's my problem: the PCs are being awarded less XP for fighting an encounter that's supposed to be equally challenging.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I've tried asking Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford this question on Twitter but no response. I want to know their intent behind this, because I have no clue why it's done this way:

A party of four level 2 characters are fighting five Goblins being led by one Hobgoblin. Encounter XP Total: 350, Adjusted XP Total: 700, a Hard encounter. You divide 350 XP equally to the characters if they win.

The same party goes against one Githyanki Warrior. Encounter XP Total: 700, Adjusted XP Total: 700, a Hard encounter. This time you divide 700 XP equally to the characters if they win.

I don't get it. Why are we supposed to award Encounter XP instead of Adjusted?

While I can't say with certainty, I believe it's intended to shape how players approach encounters.

Say you have 10 orcs in a room, and that this would be a deadly encounter for the given party. They have the option to kick in the door and fight the orcs head on. However, if they're clever, they might employ a ruse to lure some of the orcs out of the room. Now the party will face two easier encounters, but they still get the same xp as if they kicked in the door. IMO, it's intended to encourage "smart" play.

On the other hand, if you award adjusted XP, the party that kicks in the door earns more xp than the "smart" party. There is an argument to be made that this approach is fine, since the first party earns more xp while the second party gets to conserve resources. IME, however, players will follow the xp unless they have an overwhelming reason to do otherwise (such as if the group of 10 orcs is an almost guaranteed TPK).

One possible solution would be to simply award the adjusted XP to either party. You would have to figure out what to do in the event that an encounter shifts outside of its defined parameters though (an orc runs for help and 5 more orcs show up on round 4; do you readjust the xp to account for the new orcs or treat them as a second encounter or ...?). This will also increase the rate at which the party levels, which is something else to consider.

 

[Gecko85]

The Encounter XP for the goblins is actually lower than the Githyanki, 350 vs. 700.

That's my problem: the PCs are being awarded less XP for fighting an encounter that's supposed to be equally challenging.

Ah, sorry, I misread the post. I read those two backwards.

 

[Gecko85]

Ok, looking up the encounter rules and whatnot, I think you have it backwards. For 5 goblins, the un-adjusted encounter XP is 5x50=250. Since there are multiple monsters, you use a multiplier (in this case x2), so the adjusted XP becomes 500. You use the adjusted 500 XP, right?

 

[Fanaelialae]

Ok, looking up the encounter rules and whatnot, I think you have it backwards. For 5 goblins, the un-adjusted encounter XP is 5x50=250. Since there are multiple monsters, you use a multiplier (in this case x2), so the adjusted XP becomes 500. You use the adjusted 500 XP, right?

Per the RAW, you use the adjusted xp to determine the encounter difficulty, but the party is awarded the non-adjusted xp for defeating the encounter.

DMG pg 82

This adjusted value is not what the monsters are worth in terms of XP; the adjusted value's only purpose is to help you accurately assess the encounter's diffficulty.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Nope. You use adjusted XP to determine how hard the fight is, but the actual PC-earned reward is unadjusted XP.

This sort of thing--and other bookkeeping--is one of the reasons I've been giving solely story-based XP since 2E.

 

[Gecko85]

Per the RAW, you use the adjusted xp to determine the encounter difficulty, but the party is awarded the non-adjusted xp for defeating the encounter.

DMG pg 82

Ah, ok, missed that.

 

[Gecko85]

This sort of thing--and other bookkeeping--is one of the reasons I've been giving solely story-based XP since 2E.

Me, too. Can't remember the last time I awarded per-encounter XP, which is probably why I'm as confused as the OP