Defeating bad guy twice = double XP???

[Vraille Darkfang]

After a two-session-long battle taking up about 7 hours total, my players caused the Big Bad Evil Guy to flee and bumped off a good deal of his minions. Now comes the XP awards. Obviously they get full XP for those minions who fell based on CR, and I know that you can get XP for "defeating" foes which does not necessarily mean killing them, but what should I give 'em for defeating the BBEG and his surviving minions?

I'd give it to them (Unless the BBEG is going to be back in 1-2 hours; clsoe enough to call it a continous encoutner).

As for multiple XP.

If you erased the guys name, changed all the orcs to hobgoblins, would you give them XP for the "New" Encounter.

Give them XP based on the EL.

I usually give them XP each time, but it the Enemy goes back a lot, then they only get XP when they really defeat him.

 

[RigaMortus2]

RigaMortus2 raises an interesting point about villains coming back from even 'final' solutions, but in each of those cases it is a matter of DM fiat that the events so described in fact occur. Unless the characters had reasonable reason to suspect that thier 'final' solution was not in fact final and could have reasonably taken steps to make it final, I see no reason to punish the characters for doing the best that they could of done under the circumstances.

But this is always the case. It is DM fiat if the escaping BBEG comes back to try again, or if he is too scared to do so. It's all DM fiat.

 

[RigaMortus2]

There is a major difference between the bad guys fleeing because the PCs are kicking their butts, and the bad guys fleeing and the PCs negotiating that solution (in this case, to save a fellow PC).

In one case, it's a defeat of the bad guys. In the other, it's a draw.

Not in the case of awarding XP it isn't. They defeated the encounter either way. It may not be the way the DM intended for them to, but that is besides the point. The DMG specifies that you do not always have to kill your opponent to defeat him.

 

[KarinsDad]

Not in the case of awarding XP it isn't. They defeated the encounter either way. It may not be the way the DM intended for them to, but that is besides the point. The DMG specifies that you do not always have to kill your opponent to defeat him.

The DMG also specifies that it is up to the DM.

I do not consider this scenario to be overcoming the challenge. You do.

You must decide when a challenge has been overcome, Usually this is did the pc's defeat the enemy in battle? then they met the challenge and earned experience points. Other times it can be trickier. Suppose the pc's sneak past the sleeping minotaur to get to the magic vault, did they overcome the encounter? if the goal was to get into the vault and the minotaur was just a guardian, then yes. Its up to you to make such judgements.

My judgement is that a battle occurred, the PCs did not win, nor did they lose. The main bad guys forced a negotiation where they got away.

That is bloodied and bruised, but it is not defeated. No more than the bloodied and bruised PCs did not get defeated.

Hence, the reason I call it a draw.

Having the fight occur is not equal to overcoming the challenge.


Btw, if the DM was more quick thinking, he could have negotiated that the PCs leave the area in exchange for getting their fellow PC returned to them and the bad guys could have even kept their lighthouse. If the DM would have done this where the PCs left the field of battle as opposed to the NPCs, would you consider that the PCs overcame the challenge?

 

[Endur]

I give them full XP the first time, and more XP the second time. I give them more XP the second time because re-occuring bad guys level up and maybe have a template added too.

The exception would be when there isn't much time between encounters. If all the encounters are in the same day, the bad guy doesn't level up, and I only give one XP award.