Giving EP to group with lvl differences?

[melkoriii]

OK the FRCS way is that one we use and prevents waht happened in my first 3ed game where one player got ahead by 2 lvls (others died, he got more xp from private encounters) and then he just kepted getting farther and farther ahead of the rest of the group.


Thanks

 

[the Jester]

The FRCS xp system is the only thing I use from FR.

Although I tweak xp awards more; I cut monster xp in half and give xp for roleplaying as well.

 

[kreynolds]

Although I tweak xp awards more; I cut monster xp in half and give xp for roleplaying as well.

Wow. My players must be lucky. I give XP for role-play, and I still give full XP for the monsters.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Re: Re: Re: Giving EP to group with lvl differences?

Can't you do it either way? Doesn't it usually amount to the same XP?

Two CR 5 monsters make an EL 7, and a 7 gives twice as much XP as a 5. Unless you're talking about odd situations, like a 14th level party facing that encounter, it usually works either way.

Most of the time, it's the same, but sometimes, the values aren't the same.

Say, the 17th-level party encounters two CR 7 critters. EL would be 9, so by EL they would still get XP (8 levels difference). But a CR 7 enemy won't give you any more XP at 17th (10 levels difference), so the encounter would give you no combat XP.

You might sometimes be willing to award quest XP for, say, defeating a whole warband or even army, and generating the EL and awarding according to that is a good guideline for this (maybe a fraction of that). Sure, that Orc Brb4 won't be a challenge for your average 15th-level party, but 60 of them... and that would be around EL 15.

 

[hong]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Giving EP to group with lvl differences?

Sure, that Orc Brb4 won't be a challenge for your average 15th-level party, but 60 of them... and that would be around EL 15.

I doubt that 60 orc brb4's would be a challenge for your average 15th level party either.

 

[Bagpuss]

How do you calculate EL and XP for parties larger than the standard 4 players?

I've got 3x 8th level and 2 x 7th level now. What XP would they get from say facing a CR 7 and CR 6 critters in a mixed group?

 

[kreynolds]

How do you calculate EL and XP for parties larger than the standard 4 players?

I've got 3x 8th level and 2 x 7th level now. What XP would they get from say facing a CR 7 and CR 6 critters in a mixed group?

[DMG Method] The average party level of this group would be 7th level. The CR 7 creature is worth 1,600. The CR 6 creatures (I'm assuming 3 because you didn't say how many) are worth 1,200 each (3,600 for three). Adding those together you get 5,200. Dividing that by the number of people in your party nets you 1,040 XP to hand out to each member of the party.

[FRCS Method] Start with the 8th level guy. Looking at the xp chart in the DMG, he would get 1,600 and 3,600 (the same as above), for a total of 5,200. Divide that by the number of people in the party and you get 1,040. Still the same as above. Here's where it gets different.

Your 7th level guy. Looking at the xp chart in the DMG, he would get 2,100 and 4,200, for a total of 6,300. Divide that by the number of people in the party and you get 1,260. Both of the 7th level guys would get this much XP, which is more than the 8th level guys will get.

So, with the FRCS method, the lower level guys get more XP because the fight was harder for them. With the DMG, it totally sucks to be lower level because there's no payoff, even in the long run.

 

[the Jester]

Wow. My players must be lucky. I give XP for role-play, and I still give full XP for the monsters.

Well, my intentions were twofold: encourage and reward roleplaying and slow down advancement. The default advancement speed in 3e is too fast for my taste.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Giving EP to group with lvl differences?

I doubt that 60 orc brb4's would be a challenge for your average 15th level party either.

Depends on the circumstance: on an open field, where the orcs come in a mob, and have to cross a great distance until they can attack the party, they probably wouldn't even take a single swing at the party (with all those mass destructives the spellcasters have then, and one or to archers), but in tight space, in a cave perhaps, they can indeed be the a challenge (the party won't be in overmuch danger, but it could be around the same as a single CR 15 critter)

How do you calculate EL and XP for parties larger than the standard 4 players?

Same amount of XP, divided amongst more characters (and of course you can pit them against more dangerous foes).

I've got 3x 8th level and 2 x 7th level now. What XP would they get from say facing a CR 7 and CR 6 critters in a mixed group?

The 7th-level PCs: CR6 means 1400 XP, plus 2100 XP for the CR 7. That's 3500 all in all. Divided by 5, they get 700 each.

8th: 1200 + 1600 = 2800; /5 = 560 per character.

 

[Galfridus]

What does the FRCS system do for extreme level differences -- i.e., a Level 1 hireling along with an 8th level party? If he survives, does he get humungous XP?