Single Encounter per Day XP Calculation?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

When the PCs have a single encounter in a day (e.g., a wandering monster result while traveling), how do you handle the XP?

I had a party with an ECL of 7 facing an EL 7 encounter and it was embarassing how easily they mopped the floor of the enemy. They just brought out all the big guns and held nothing back.

There's gotta be a way to adjudicate the appropriate XP for such a scenario. It definitely wasn't worth the EL 7 XP that they would have otherwise earned if the encounter had taken place in a regular adventuring day.

Thoughts?

 

[Jhaelen]

When the PCs have a single encounter in a day (e.g., a wandering monster result while traveling), how do you handle the XP?

Completely as written.

In my campaign I roll 6d6 per day; on a 1 or 2 there's an encounter. So there can be 0-6 encounters per day. The Encounter Level ranges from (average party level =) apl-2 to apl+4. Sometimes they get lucky, sometimes they're having a tough time. In the end it all evens out.

 

[Starbuck_II]

When the PCs have a single encounter in a day (e.g., a wandering monster result while traveling), how do you handle the XP?

I had a party with an ECL of 7 facing an EL 7 encounter and it was embarassing how easily they mopped the floor of the enemy. They just brought out all the big guns and held nothing back.

There's gotta be a way to adjudicate the appropriate XP for such a scenario. It definitely wasn't worth the EL 7 XP that they would have otherwise earned if the encounter had taken place in a regular adventuring day.

Thoughts?

That is how 3.5 was designed. The DMG says that will happen. This is why it recommends 4 encounters of equal level (easy/normal difficulty) a day. Over time that will result in them being weakened enough to be a challenge.

If you want fewer encounters that aren't easy it says: depends on number encounters/day.

If want 3 encounters a day: ECL +1, ECL +1, ECL of equal level. or ECL +2 and ECL +1, ECL-1, and etc , etc variations.

1 encounter a day: ECL +4 is recommended (that wiol be a tough fight that rewards players for going nova as they should if battle that tough).


So the reason the encounter was easy is because it was supposed to be according to DMG. Give exp as written. Just remember, that was why it was easy.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Huh?

If you give an EL +4 encounter, sure it's harder but they're also earning proportionately more XP. Only if you give EL +0 XP for an EL +4 encounter does what you're saying make sense.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Huh?

If you give an EL +4 encounter, sure it's harder but they're also earning proportionately more XP. Only if you give EL +0 XP for an EL +4 encounter does what you're saying make sense.

Yes, the DMG expects more exp for harder fights. I didn't say otherwise.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

If that EL 7 encounter had instead come after 3-5 other EL 7 encounters, in a similar vein it'd likely feel MUCH harder than an "equivalent" challenge. It's up to the DM to balance encounter rates, and a few "gifts" like your example are nice on occasion to let the PCs just give it everything and have fun with it. As long as there's also some days they're getting hammered by lots of encounters, it should balance long-term. It takes 13.3 equivalent CR fights to level up, so one little experience like that isn't going to cause much damage in the long run.

 

[Jack Simth]

When the PCs have a single encounter in a day (e.g., a wandering monster result while traveling), how do you handle the XP?

I had a party with an ECL of 7 facing an EL 7 encounter and it was embarassing how easily they mopped the floor of the enemy. They just brought out all the big guns and held nothing back.

There's gotta be a way to adjudicate the appropriate XP for such a scenario. It definitely wasn't worth the EL 7 XP that they would have otherwise earned if the encounter had taken place in a regular adventuring day.

Thoughts?

This is expected. There's a reason that the DMG recommends 4 encounters per day. Each individual party member is CR 7 (theoretically, at least, assuming no +LA races), and has a 50/50 chance of being able to solo a CR 7 opponent (barring matchings of strengths to weaknesses, of course). Four level 7 PC's should mop the floor with a CR 7 opponent if they're not holding anything back.

The only real problem here is that the PC's had no reason to conserve - for whatever reason, the players knew this would be the only encounter of note - that's your problem, not the XP to give the players. I personally roll percentile dice based on time, and some ad-hock modifiers based on where they are and what they've been up to recently (their fame/infamy, essentially).

 

[irdeggman]

What were the circumstances of the encounter?

Was the creature using its full advantage?

Was it out of its normal environment?

All of these and more determine what the EL of the encounter is (and thus the appropriate adjustment for xp).

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Everyone seems to be skirting the issue.

There will always be single encounters per day. To have 4+ encounters per day just to make the XP system work is silly.

The issue is: should PCs be getting full XP for single encounters per day that are far easier than they would otherwise be if they happened during a "normal" encounter day?

It's quite common to have single encounters while traveling. When this occurs, PCs are able to "blow out" the enemy of their own EL, earning more XP than the encounter was worth. If you up the EL to make it a challenge, then they're getting even more XP.

If you were going to give a % of XP to account for the fact that it's a single day encounter, what would be a good % for an EL equal to the party's level? 50%? 75%?

 

[irdeggman]

Everyone seems to be skirting the issue.

No they are not.

You are asking a rules question in the rules portion of the forum and so are getting answeres based on the RAW.


Per the RAW this is exactly how it is supposed to work.

My question on circumstances is very relevant since if the creatures from the encounter are not played to their full potential the EL changes (and thus the xp).