Are Red Shirts given experience?

[reapersaurus]

Saying a PC isn't "Heroic" because they tried to get the local populace to defend their own town is pigeon-holing.

YOUR definition of a hero apparently is someone who goes around solving everybody's problems for them and grandstanding, proving how much better they are than all the 'normals'.

I can easily picture a heroic PC that actually tries to involve NPC's and make other people better thru trial by fire, and facing challenges, etc.

This hero wouldn't be suggesting the villagers go out and die so the PC's can dodge one attack - the villagers would be in a much less dangerous position, simply doing what they can to help the full-time adventurers.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I've had too many experiences of PCs trying to round up the help of every peasent in town to face some minor threat. Not Heroic in the least. Making them split the Xps is a good way to enforce heroics. Not realistic, no, but DND isn't about Realism, it's about heroic adventure, and if they don't wanna play heros you need some metagame tool to play to their greed to beat hero into there head.

There are lots of logical in game reasons to not bring along deadweight:
--Time: stopping and chatting when you should be striking quickly gives the enemy more time to prepare or continue with his Evil plan
--Speed: PCs are very mobile for pursuing, fighting, and/or fleeing; fodder can't usually keep up
--Reputation: "Yeah, they are heroes all right--the kind that those who help them never come back alive."
--Degree of Success: The total number of "victims" dead at the end of the day can be a valid factor in determining xp rewards.

 

[Zerovoid]

I've had too many experiences of PCs trying to round up the help of every peasent in town to face some minor threat. Not Heroic in the least. Making them split the Xps is a good way to enforce heroics. Not realistic, no, but DND isn't about Realism, it's about heroic adventure, and if they don't wanna play heros you need some metagame tool to play to their greed to beat hero into there head.

I also give away bonus XPs for heroic acts and acts fitting a "good" alignment.

I guess if that's been a problem in the past for you, it makes sense to do it that way. OTOH, I've had players refuse help because the NPC's would take their XP. That just seems really stupid. Putting aside the notion of endangering peasants, I don't see why they should refuse help from qualified NPC adventureres, which I've seen done. Erky Timbers in the Sunless Citadel comes to mind.

Its always better to attack with overwhelming force, and I'd like to promote smart RP, and gathering allies before fights.

If I had your problem, I would definately have those commoners soak up the XP.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

There is also a deep meta-game problem with discouraging bringing qualified NPCs along: it sets up the expectation that whatever danger lurks ahead the PCs can best without any assistance.

That is a Bad Thing IMHO. It encourages a lot of bad player habits. YMMV.