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Message: <blockquote data-quote="amethal" data-source="post: 5323524" data-attributes="member: 22784">In 2nd edition, it was common for published modules to include XP penalties for the DM to enforce if the PCs did something the author didn't like.In some cases, it made sense from a certain point of view. If you accept that the PCs goal is to foil the bad guys, and there are certain things they can do that result in their allies getting wiped out and the bad guys getting stronger, then it might make sense to penalise XP. (You get XP for overcoming challenges and hindering the bad guys, and lose XP for creating unnecessary challenges and helping the bad guys.)In most cases, however, it was the author saying "Ooh, the PCs have been naughty by not acting in the way I want them to; they deserve to be punished."Either way, I didn't deduct XP then, and I don't do it now. If I find I'm running a campaign for PCs who are a bunch of ruthless psychopaths, I'd explain to the players that I'm not having any fun, and either the characters need to start behaving a bit better, or someone else is going to have to DM.(In theory, the same would apply if the PCs always refused to bend any laws, never offered any violence to anyone and never did anything adventurous - I'd ask for more excitement - but that situation has never come close to taking place!)</blockquote>