Splitting XP with long-term NPCs?

[Taed]

I didn't find anything about this in the various books, but I assume there's a sentence about it somewhere...

I'm DMing Keep on the Shadowfell and the party has picked up Splug (though we call him Splurg) as a long-term NPC. My secret DM plan is that Splug probably won't last past the end of the module, either by dying or by stealing their money and sneaking off into the night. There's a chance that he'll see enough $$$ to stick around (the PCs are giving him a full share of the money at this point), but he's an NPC, not a companion.

So, since I don't intend to keep track of his XP or level him in any way, should he get a share of the XP? My first reaction is no, but he's proving at least as useful as the weakest members of the party and he is fighting and pulling his weight (though always at no risk to himself).

Can anyone point to the rule(s) about that?

Thanks!

 

[Nytmare]

I don't know if it appears in the rules anywhere, but I'd only give him a split of the XP if Splu(r)g's own abilities rose to the point where he was making you readjust the level of the encounters the group was getting into.

If he's as weak as a 1st level skirmisher however, and he's absorbing an even split of a higher than first level party's XP without gaining anything for it himself, the party is losing out.

 

[LightPhoenix]

If you're going to keep him around as a fighting member of the party, he should get a full share of the XP. That said, unless you're low on players I wouldn't have him stick around. I'm running a small group (three players) and I've been increasingly frustrated with the companions because they're taking focus away from the PCs. It was more pronounced when I was running them in combat, as I assume you are with Splug.

 

[Mentat55]

I would never split XP with an NPC. I'd make Splug into a companion character using the DMG2 rules. If he ends up staying long term with the party, I would simply make his level match the party level. In battles, I would add the equivalent of one level-matched monster to the XP budget, but wouldn't actually total it into the budget -- this would be my way of accounting for Splug's contribution to the party.

 

[Starfox]

The rules does say how to handle this (just don't ask me where, DMG1 I suppose). You don't split xp. Instead, you add monsters of an xp value equivalent to the NPCs xp value to each encounter, without giving out any additional xp. Another way of putting it is that you subtract the NPCs xp value from the xp reward of each combat encounter.

This assumes NPCs bult as NPCs, that is as monsters. NPCs that have full character writeups are really not NPCs at all, but PCs run by the game master. They don't have an xp value (only critters do) and if you use them, I suppose splitting the xp could work. However, as they have to share brain-space with your opponents, they will never be as clever or useful as true PCs, so I think I'd only subtract half a share from what the party gets while still giving them full xp.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I would never split XP with an NPC. I'd make Splug into a companion character using the DMG2 rules. If he ends up staying long term with the party, I would simply make his level match the party level. In battles, I would add the equivalent of one level-matched monster to the XP budget, but wouldn't actually total it into the budget -- this would be my way of accounting for Splug's contribution to the party.

Per DMG2 (p. 33), companion characters do in fact gain XP as a full party member. Adding additional monsters to the XP budget basically takes care of this anyway. Instead of dividing by 3, I add monsters and divide by 5. In the end, it works out the same either way.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I think if I were a player I would not like the idea of an NPC getting my xp, so don't tell them, just keep the xp behind the screen. The above ideas sound good, inceasing the difficulty enough and figuring it out so the party gets the same xp as they normally would.

 

[Talysian]

I think if I were a player I would not like the idea of an NPC getting my xp, so don't tell them, just keep the xp behind the screen. The above ideas sound good, inceasing the difficulty enough and figuring it out so the party gets the same xp as they normally would.

Only thing I use XP for is building encounters, I've long since taken to having people level at plot appropriate places.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I would simply subtract the NPC's XP value from the encounter XP total.

That said, not only are they giving up XP to him, but gold as well. Either I would make sure to give the party extra GP later for the amount they are giving up keeping Splug around, or not have him cost XP... if you do subtract XP AND gold, you are in effect double penalising the party, IMHO. Think of it as being similar to spending GP for potions - they make the encounter easier, but penalise the party by requiring money, rather than by decreasing the encounter XP for making it easier.

I would also have Splug cut and run as soon as he thinks its safe, or as soon as things become too dangerous - my read on him is that he is a greedy coward, not a mercenary, and as such having him cut his losses as soon as he can (especially if he can run off with some of the party's loot) is totally in character.

 

[Taed]

Either I would make sure to give the party extra GP later for the amount they are giving up keeping Splug around, or not have him cost XP... if you do subtract XP AND gold, you are in effect double penalising the party, IMHO. Think of it as being similar to spending GP for potions - they make the encounter easier, but penalise the party by requiring money, rather than by decreasing the encounter XP for making it easier.

I would also have Splug cut and run as soon as he thinks its safe, or as soon as things become too dangerous - my read on him is that he is a greedy coward, not a mercenary, and as such having him cut his losses as soon as he can (especially if he can run off with some of the party's loot) is totally in character.

I will certainly not be giving them extra gold. It was their decision to take him on as an NPC (the other party playing just killed him on sight), and they are bribing him with a share of the treasure in return for him translating Goblin and telling them stuff about the areas of the dungeons (such as a secret passageway that he knew about). They feel they're getting their money's worth. They are of course free to release him or kill him as they see fit at any time. I know that one of the PCs doesn't mind sharing gold as he plans to kill Splug at some point, so in his mind, the money is just a "loan".

As far as Splug's motivations -- yes, he's totally out for the money. At this point in the module, he's taking on very little risk (throws javelins, never enters melee) and feels he's getting "paid" well enough. Of course, if it gets more dangerous, he will certainly cut and run. And if presented the opportunity to steal from the PCs, he most certainly will. (He recently avoided a battle and was able to partly loot the room without the PCs being aware.) He also just learned that the party has two of the Idols of Orcus (needed for the Shadowfell ritual in my version of the module) and will certainly rat out the party to Kalarel (who he hasn't met, but has heard mention of as being the big boss of the operation) when they eventually meet.

But in summary, just making the encounters harder by adding an equivalent baddie is the easiest solution here.

Thanks for the advice!