Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="FormerlyHemlock" data-source="post: 6480940" data-attributes="member: 6787650">That's really a problem inherent to the whole "level up by fighting things" system, not to XP multipliers per se. When going by RAW (no multipliers for large groups), the optimal strategy for level-grinding is to fight things one at a time, either by seeking out monsters in dungeons (or random encounters) or, even better, by summoning Allosaurs via Conjure Animals and ordering them to try to kill you, one at a time. Each 3rd level spell slot becomes 450 XP per day. (And yes, summoned creatures do count for XP per MM guidelines.) Even better, tell it to kill your buddy who is 600 feet away and armed with a longbow. Since you can't maximize reward, minimize risk by controlling the scenario.Granting XP for killing things leads to gamification of the game universe. It leads to PCs viewing dangerous creatures as a resource to be exploited, random encounters as a fun bonus instead of a threat, and crazy thrill-seeking behavior. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since ultimately it is a game, but it is an oddity.If you grant extra XP for harder encounters, expect to see certain PCs going into battle blindfolded and naked, fighting with their off-hand, in order to make the fights more "difficult" and thus more efficiently exploit the resource.</blockquote>