Angry at players...

[Wraithdrit]

* stays out of Piratecat's way, goes back to hijacking his own thread *

The monsters were all there in a get in the way sort of encounter. I don't feel an encounter that is less deadly due to circumstance should net as much XP. Case in point I refigured what I gave for bypassing the Shadow Dragon and the two EL 16 encounters grouped near it... equivalent as if the party had defeated a CR 13 (the party's current level) critter.

Coincidentally that is how I generally figure RP rewards if I feel they deserved them. CR reward = party average level.

 

[Piratecat]

Do you have any fun tactics planned for the fight? One good one: make the PCs think they're being attacked, so that they cast all of their one round oer lvl spells. Then withdraw - and attack again half an hour later.

 

[Silveras]

I agree with BardStephenFox's assessment. The only thing I would add is this: Be honest with them. Tell them straight out that you think they are abusing the information in the post-session wrap-up you gave them. As a result, you reserve the right to make changes to keep the Encounter(s) appropriately challenging.

As to awarding XP: Bypassing an encouter may, or may not, qualify as "overcoming it". If the Encounter was bypassed, that usually means 0 XP (no challenges overcome). If they got XP as a reward for bypassing a potential distraction (and thus avoiding the risk of getting seriously hurt), they should *lose* that XP for going back to it (being replaced by whatever they earn there). The simplest method is to figure out the XP they earn for the encounter, then subtract what you gave them for avoiding it.

 

[Negative Zero]

haven't read the entire thread (just most of the first page), but it seems to me that Wraithdrit is upset really at himself. if you make a mistake and give away info that you don't want the players to act on, then that's your mistake. you shouldn't punish the players for you mistake.

that said, actions should always have consequences. good and/or bad. just my two coppers.

~NegZ

 

[Plane Sailing]

My group of players are ALWAYS bypassing encounters. Sometimes they skip gaily past a couple of pages of NPC interaction and plot development. You just put it back in the file for use another day.

Duly noted

Too much effort being spent on intra-party conflict and grumblings to actually interact with NPC's!

 

[Plane Sailing]

Which brings up a perfectly wonderful question that I have been wondering about for a while. What does someone with blindsense get from an Arcane Eye? Anything? Someone with See Invisible? Arcane Sight?

Arcane Eye provides an "invisible sensor". I imagine the sensor as being an eye which is normally about the size of a tennis ball but very squishy (so it can squeeze through those small gaps). Blindsense would know that there was a diminutive "something" floating in that square. See invisible would see a tennis-ball sized eyeball. Arcane Sight would see a spherical mass of divination magic.

That's how I'd intepret it.

 

[Ohlec]

Just make the dragons hoard incorp...hahah. Going on stereotypes here, but dragons have hoards, and a incorpreal dragon is going to want to have some great hoard it can roll around in like Scrooge McDuck.

 

[Squire James]

As a general policy, I award full XP only when the threat is dealt with "permanently". Bypassing combat and leaving the threat in place to be met later is worth zero to half XP, with the balance awarded if the PC's go back and deal with it. Avoiding combat by coming up with some ruse that chases the dragon away is worth full XP, with zero XP awarded for foolish follow-ups.

Hold the line. Going back and killing the dragon now is not much more than a foolish waste of resources. Award no XP on an encounter where you already gave the full award! The treasure, on the other hand, is a valid reason to go back if it's substantial. It may be the WRONG reason, but it is a valid reason.

Now, the dragon undoubtedly saw the scry sensor and should know someone peeped in on him. He should probably be somewhat "on the alert" for the next few days. I suggest that Dispel Magic be on his spell list if possible... he'd know a prepared party will walk in with buffs. This is a reasonable tactic for any dragon, so something this simple is quite fair. I'd also suggest that he summon or call additional mooks to keep a PC or two busy while he reels out targeted Dispels.

 

[Nifft]

As a general policy, I award full XP only when the threat is dealt with "permanently".

So, if you fight the same bad guy six times, thwart his evil plan each time, but he always gets away, would you get any XP?

And how do you deal with NPCs who have access to Raise Dead et al.?

-- N

 

[Liquidsabre]

* stays out of Piratecat's way, goes back to hijacking his own thread *

The monsters were all there in a get in the way sort of encounter. I don't feel an encounter that is less deadly due to circumstance should net as much XP. Case in point I refigured what I gave for bypassing the Shadow Dragon and the two EL 16 encounters grouped near it... equivalent as if the party had defeated a CR 13 (the party's current level) critter.

Coincidentally that is how I generally figure RP rewards if I feel they deserved them. CR reward = party average level.

CRs generally are reduced or increased based upon circumstances and environment, says so in the DMG. So no worries there.

Whoah, how did they deserve XP for bypassing?? They didn't do anything did they? Heck, if they played smart and came up with a clever plan to bypass a couple very dangerous encounters....um, being alive and having no resources drained is it's own reward, no XP should be given at all. If you ask me the party had it easy, not having to risk life and limb and still getting XP...