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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cheiromancer" data-source="post: 1638617" data-attributes="member: 141">Consideration of this extreme example makes me want to go back to my original method.Although... a party consisting of a 20th level character and two first level characters is pretty weird.  Even UK's system doesn't handle it.  The EL of the 20th level character goes down (from 18 to 15) when he gets 2 first level sidekicks!  Maybe a 20th level archmage and two 10th level assistants would be more reasonable.With the proposed method we divide the raw xp evenly between the characters, and for each character divide the result by that character's level; the result is the xp actually awarded to that character. Say the group consisting of the archmage and two assistants fight a vrock with a raw xp value of 50,700.  In the proposed method that's 16,900 raw xp for each character, which is then divided by character level- this results in 845 xp for the archwizard, and 1,690 per assistant.  4,225 xp total.  Here's a original method:Divide the raw xp by total levels, and award that amount to each character.  So the vrock would be worth 50,700/40 = 1267 xp for each member of a 3 person group.  3801 xp total.  Which is a lot better than 633 xp for a 20th level character and 12,675 xp per first level sidekick.In UK's system the party gets 75 xp/level (I'll omit the details), so 1500 xp for the archmage, and 750 xp per assistant.  3000 xp total.What happens if the archmage takes out the vrock by himself?  In method 2 (the proposed method) he gets all 50,700 raw xp himself, which converts to 2535 xp.  In method 1 (the original suggestion) the total is the same- 50,700 divided by "total party level" of 20, awarded to "each" character.  So 2535.  In UK's system he gets 100 xp/level or 2000 xp.Suppose the two assistants slew the vrock?  In method 2 they split raw xp and get 25,350 raw xp each, which reduces to 2,535 xp.  In method 1 they get the same result; the 50700 raw xp is divided by 20 (total party level) and that amount is given to each character.  So 2535 each.  In UK's system each gets 200 xp/level, or 2000 xp each.I kinda think the calculations are easier for the original method.  And it *does* work better for the extreme cases.  So I propose that we revert to the original rule:  that for each creature a raw XP total be calculated by the formula (CR^2)*300, and that when a party defeats the challenge, divide the raw XP total by the total CR of the party, and award that amount to each character.If anyone knows of a better way of tinkering with this system (the whole CR^2)*300 thing), I'd love to hear it![edit]I notice that in this post a vrock is CR 13.  In Upper Krust's work it is CR 15.  I suspect that all these elaborate calculations conceal the fact that there is considerable variation and estimation as to how difficult challenges actually are.[/edit]</blockquote>

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