D&D 5E Splitting xp between characters of different lvls?

[The Crimson Binome]

Handing out XP is more of an art than a science, especially when you have vast disparities in level. The game hasn't really considered a party with that large of a gap in it since... AD&D, or so. For what it's worth, back then they also had the rule that you could never gain more than one level at a time (effectively, that meant once per dungeon, since it took so long to train).

 

[Ocule]

Even though 5e can handle characters of multiple levels id still advise against too large of a gap between levels. What is an easy challenge for your level 18 would kill your level 1 thirty times over again. The keeping to hit values within the same bracket was to allow the use of multiple weaker monsters to challenge players, because level differences still suffer in terms of damage and hit points.

So at higher levels i can put a big bad in a room with a dozen zombies on his team and the zombies will contribute to the fight but probably drop in 1 hit. As for players if you MUST have them at different levels keep them in the same tier of levels. Other than that, distribute exp evenly or your players will resent you

 

[Tortoise]

I prefer an older method for dividing experience when NPCs are involved.

Pack bearers count as one eighth of a character each.
Simple men-at-arms count as a quarter of a character each.
Other more experienced NPCs count as half a character each.

It takes a tiny bit of extra math sometimes, but the PCs get the largest part of the XP.

 

[Anth]

So suppose I am DMing a group of 3 lvl 1 PCs that are traveling with a CR 5 NPC, as if they are apprentices learning the ropes. How should I be dividing an encounter that is worth 1000 xp? Should it be even distribution (each gets 250 xp) or should the CR 5 NPC weigh more (and if so, how much more?)?

If I use the ES@1-rule I would go in the opposite direction, because the low level characters should be able to catch up with the high level characters. The higher level character should get less and the low level characters should get more xp.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I prefer an older method for dividing experience when NPCs are involved.

Pack bearers count as one eighth of a character each.
Simple men-at-arms count as a quarter of a character each.
Other more experienced NPCs count as half a character each.

It takes a tiny bit of extra math sometimes, but the PCs get the largest part of the XP.

How strange. Are there high level pack bearers running around then?

We always did half XP for henchmen but simple men at arms, linkboys, and pack bearers didn't gain levels and thus didn't earn XP.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Oh, I see. So if Captain America bites it, the Avengers go get Paul Blart: Mall Cop?

That would have made the Brubaker run...interesting.

On the question of level disparity, I'd be cautious of having characters from too-separated tiers together for this reason. I'm reminded actually of how the DMG breaks down groups of levels that are treated as fairly equal for treasure and the like: having characters within 3-5 levels of each other is the traditional issue, rather than the odd "Heironeous is an Equal Opportunity Employer and 1st-level Adventurers have equal rights to apply for this delve vacancy." Having the occasional adventure of far-disparate-leveled characters is fun (we've done it in 'crossovers' of groups in our campaign), but you need to manage the threats so everyone has a narrative role besides "hide in the back" or "cannon fodder."

On the slight-difference level (the 1sts with a 5th, for example, in the OP), I agree that you can divide the XP equally. If the higher-level character did something exceptional (often based off increased abilities and survivability), feel free to award a slight additional bonus (not enough to push him over, but if he gets an extra 10% after a particularly-heroic showing, he feels good about the increased award while the others get to feel good about leveling faster due to to facing the more heroic threats).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to write up a low-level Apparatus of Kwalish variant (only big enough to stand on) for my Folk Hero town guard to stop thieves with before he receives his shield...

 

[Tortoise]

How strange. Are there high level pack bearers running around then?

We always did half XP for henchmen but simple men at arms, linkboys, and pack bearers didn't gain levels and thus didn't earn XP.

We let them "level" so if we needed a replacement character and there was an NPC left we could have the player that lost a character stay in the action by temporarily promoting the NPC to a PC. At least until the party got to town and a newly rolled up PC could be added.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Pack bearers need to level so that they can throw ASIs into Strength and become better at carrying your loads!

 

[Grazzt]

Evenly. It helps the lower level PC catch up.

Yep this. Always split evenly, if they contribute, and no matter the level differences.