Best Method of Dividing XP?

[orsal]

P is a party of n characters whose levels are p₁, p₂,... p_n
​

This is what we want to calculate:

xp = character n's xp from encounter X​

To do this a DM will have to calculate one or both of the following

[...snip]



A 3.5-style xp formula (rapid catchup) is

xp = (Chi(X) / n) / p_n​

I was getting really confused trying to sort this out, until I realized you're using n for two different things, number of PCs and the (arbitrary) index number of a particular PC. I think what you want to say is this:

P is a party of n characters whose levels are p₁, p₂,... p_n
​

This is what we want to calculate:

xp(k) = character k's xp from encounter X​

To do this a DM will have to calculate one or both of the following

[...snip]



A 3.5-style xp formula (rapid catchup) is

xp(k) = (Chi(X) / n) / p_k​

 

[Cheiromancer]

Thanks orsal! I think I found and replaced all the n's.

[edit]kanithardm- the 3.0 FRCS method is the same as the 3.5 method. [/edit]

 

[kanithardm]

I use the 3.0 FRC method. Give each character the same amount of XP as if everyone else was his level. That way the 20th with the three 1sts would get XP equal to 1/4 of how much XP 4 20ths would get for killing the wraiths.

 

[Laslo Tremaine]

As a concept, XP does not exist in my game. I removed every reference to it, and fixed all the spells/game mechanics that require it into versions that do not. It's not as hard as it sounds. I just level everyone up when I feel it is appropriate.

Me too!

 

[S'mon]

My basic approach:

PCs use the 3.5 method. Lower level get more XP.

NPCs who are higher level than the PCs get a regular share of the XP using 3.5 method, ie less XP.

NPC Cohorts & NPCs slightly lower level than PCs get a 1/2 share of the XP. Either they get XP share increased for being lower level or they get 1/2 what their patron PC gets.

Animal companions, familiars & mounts are normally outside the XP equation, they don't suck up XP or earn XP.

NPC followers much lower level than PCs usually don't get a slice of the encounter XP, they get small ad-hoc awards. If there are lots of them and they contributed significantly they typically get something like 1 standard XP share, or 1/2 the encounter XP, divided amongst all of them.

Eg: In a group of 4 6th level PCs, 2 4th level cohorts, and 8 2nd level Followers, I divide XP into 6 equal shares.

Each PC gets a share, 1/6 the entire pot.
Each Cohort gets a 1/2 share, 1/12 the pot, which will usually be increased for being lower level, using the 3.5 method.
Each Followers gets 1/8 of a share, 1/48th the pot, again increased for being lower level.

 

[Trickstergod]

Same XP for everyone.

Then again, I'm a communist and make all the characters have the same level as well, excluding something like being hit with a level drain or creating magic items.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

You're not seriously telling me you have 2nd levellers & 10th levellers in the same group in your campaign? I was thinking NPCs! I keep all PCs within 1 level of each other, in 3e it's vital not to have a big level spread among the PCs.

Heh, sorry, no, I have seen games where if your character died you started over fresh with a 1st level character, no matter what the level of the rest of the party. For some reason the new characters kept dying...

The DM skipped 2nd ed. entirely, and tried running 3e exactly the same way he ran 1st ed. (into the ground). Mind you it didn't work too well in 1st ed. either, but I seem to recall a line in the DMG suggesting that it was the preferred way of handling new characters.

In his game you sometimes ran into 1st level characters in his 15th level party, at least until the players stopped showing up. (Then he complained 'bout that...)

The Auld Grump

 

[3catcircus]

Oops - a typo on my part - I typed a 2 instead of a 3...

Your example is patently impossible. A Druid must be 16th level just to attain a Tyrannosaurus as an animal campanion. Additionally, a Druid who trades in his animal companion for a Tyrannosaurus sacrifices 15 effective levels worth of animal campanion advancement. In fact, in order to have a 30 HD Tyranosaurus as an animal campanion a Druid is required to be 30th level. A 60th level Ranger can achieve the same results. If that weren't enough the bonus HD awarded to an animal companion does not increase the animal's size. A 20th level Ranger's strongest option is probably a Megaraptor, a CR 6 creature, with 8 hit dice. That isn't what I'd call a gamebreaking ability. Familiars are a great deal less powerful... Even Improved Familiars have half the hit points of their master and must use their master's BAB for all attacks. Familiars are extremely fragile.