Help with Assigning Exp for a Large encounter.

[Jcosby]

Ok, I have an interesting question about calculating XP for a large encounter. There are a number of reasons this is not the norm. First there are seven player characters in the group, all of which are normal characters. No followers, NPCs etc. Secondly this was not a planned encounter. This was a strange occurrence came about by actions the PC’s took which delving in the dungeon.



What happened in short is due to the actions of the party they ended up fighting four encounters as one. I had them set up as four separate encounters fairly close to one another.



But what happened in the end was they were all piled onto the group at once. What I need help doing is figuring out how I award experience for such a large encounter with seven PCs.



The total fight had;



7 4th level Player Characters.



They fought;



5 Human Warrior Skeletons

1 Large Owlbear Skeleton

1 Med Sized Earth Elemental

1 Level 2 Human Cleric

1 Level 2 Gnoll Ranger

8 Gnolls (Standard)



All of the PCs survived although two were at negative hps at the end of the fight, although I don’t believe that reduces their share of the experience.



I used a CR/XP calculator to come up with 957 xp per player. Is this a reasonable amount of exp for a combat of this size? I’m still trying to get my mind wrapped around the 3.5 ed. Xp system.



Thanks

Jcosby

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Figure it out yourself. Use this

http://nazaire.home.insightbb.com/calculator.htm


(edit)
If I have entered everything correctly, we have 814 XP per character, according to the generator. Effective party level is 5.6 (because of the high number of characters). EL is 8.5, very difficult.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

According to the site Kae'Yoss provided, each PC should get 814XP.

However, not having access to the site's code or the 3.5 DMG at the moment, I can't tell you if that's actually correct or not.

EDIT:

And, based on KY's post above, I'll argue that we entered in the numbers correctly. Accordingly, the only issue is whether or not the site calcs everything correctly.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Is that XP calculator available as a download to be used offline?

 

[FireLance]

It makes it simpler that all the PCs are 4th level.

In total, the PCs defeated:

5 x CR 1/3 Human Warrior Skeletons
8 x CR 1 standard Gnolls
2 x CR 2 creatures (Owlbear skeleton, Human Clr2)
2 x CR 3 creatures (Medium Earth Elemental, Gnoll Rgr2)

A CR 1 creature is worth 300 xp for a 4th-level character, so a CR 1/3 creature is worth 100 xp. A CR 2 creature is worth 600 xp and a CR 3 creature is worth 800 xp.

So, each PC in the party gets (5 x 100 xp + 8 x 300 xp + 2 x 600 xp + 2 x 800 xp)/7 (because there are 7 PCs) = 814 xp.

If one of the characters was 5th level, he gets the same xp as a 4th-level character for the CR 1/3 and 1 creatures, and 500 xp for the CR 2 creatures and 750 xp for the CR 3 creatures. He would earn (5 x 100 xp + 8 x 300 xp + 2 x 500 xp + 2 x 750 xp)/7 = 771 xp. The rest would gain 814 xp, as indicated above.

 

[glass]

Depending on why they ended up fighting all those encounters at once, you might want to add-hoc increase the XP award by 20% or so, because of the increased difficulty of fighting all those people at once.


glass.

 

[the Jester]

Heh... by the RAW, you don't really worry about how many bad guys were there when assigning xp, each one provides a certain amount. As glass suggests, you could make an ah hoc adjustment, but I wouldn't recommend that if the pcs brought it on themselves (the ol' opening ten doors at once syndrome).

 

[glass]

Heh... by the RAW, you don't really worry about how many bad guys were there when assigning xp, each one provides a certain amount. As glass suggests, you could make an ah hoc adjustment, but I wouldn't recommend that if the pcs brought it on themselves (the ol' opening ten doors at once syndrome).

Oh yeah, I agree if the players brought it on themselves, no bonus (which it was why I said depending on the circumstances), but I got the impression from the OP that it was not entirely the PCs fault (at least). Could be reading too much into it, I suppose.

In any case, I made the suggestion because the PCs were low level. Once area effect spells become available, it might actually be easier to fight them all at once.


glass.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Well, the OP did say "due to the actions of the party" but I agree with you, glass. Setting up the encounter very closely to each other does enable such an event to occur and if it does, it cannot be entirely attributed to the party. I'd say +10% is a good value, though, based on what we know in this thread.

 

[Coredump]

Or maybe -10% if they did it by being foolish.....