Information on using EL to give XP

[beldar1215]

Hello All,
I should know the answer to this question, but I don't. I'm going to start running WLD tomorrow night and I'm not sure how to use EL for giving out XP. Where is the info on donig this? Is there a chart to use like the CR chart in the DMG? Please help!!

Beldar

 

[punkorange]

basically compare the group level to the EL rather than comparing it to individual CRs.


I have recently started the WLD as well, I'm three sessions into it. I plan to run it as is mostly. I feel like being lazy, I didn't plan to run it when our group bought it. I wanted to play in it but couldn't resist the urge to read it since it was staying at my house.

 

[beldar1215]

I've worked all day so my brain is a bit fuzzy. I want to make sure I have the right idea. If the party is 1st level and the EL is level 2 they would get 600 xp for the encounter? Sorry if I'm being thick headed about this. I just want to make sure I understand correctly.

 

[MonsterMash]

600xp divided by the number of characters for the individual awards, so with a party of 4 PCs it'd be 150xp each for that encounter.

There are quite a few online calculators around, try this or this - those are both versions of the one that I use.

 

[beldar1215]

Thanks for the replies. I think I got it!

 

[Geoff Watson]

basically compare the group level to the EL rather than comparing it to individual CRs.

What's the point of that? It gives the same (or very similar) amount of XP.

Geoff.

 

[reanjr]

What's the point of that? It gives the same (or very similar) amount of XP.

Geoff.

For one thing, it can be very different. For instance, if an encounter takes place in room filling with lava against fire elementals who are immune, the EL might be increased by a couple notches to account for the extra difficulty over and above what the CRs of fire elementals would indicate.

 

[Ovinomancer]

AFAIK EL is not used at all for XP awards. Only the CR of the creatures involved. In situations where the encouter in significantly easier or harder, the DMG recommends using a % modifier to the XP award.

EL is only a tool for gauging the difficulty of the encounter, and not for XP awards. That's why the XP table lists CR's not EL's.

 

[dcollins]

AFAIK EL is not used at all for XP awards. Only the CR of the creatures involved. In situations where the encouter in significantly easier or harder, the DMG recommends using a % modifier to the XP award.

EL is only a tool for gauging the difficulty of the encounter, and not for XP awards. That's why the XP table lists CR's not EL's.

But you'll find that giving XP's by CR or EL actually results in the same XP, either way (subject to small bits of rounding in the table). The EL bonuses from difficulty exactly match the XP modifiers in the same table.

Try a few examples out and you'll see.

 

[seans23]

But you'll find that giving XP's by CR or EL actually results in the same XP, either way (subject to small bits of rounding in the table). The EL bonuses from difficulty exactly match the XP modifiers in the same table.

Try a few examples out and you'll see.

ok. A level 8 party encounters three vampire spawn (CR4). That's an EL7 encounter.
If you award by CR, you get 1800. If you award by EL, you get 1600.

When you start mixing up creatures with different CRs you really see the difference.