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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 1905834" data-attributes="member: 3424">I'm going to address the meta-question here and state that the crux of the issue is really adventure design.While some DMs do not like to think of adventures in terms of "how much XP should the PCs earn in this adventure?", I do, and I design my adventures with the idea that I will give out X amount of XP to the PCs. However, I also make sure that the PCs earn the XP they get.Remember, as the DM, you are in charge of the challenges and you can increase them, reduce them, or make them up on the fly if you need to.Let's say combat with all 40 of your bad guys would have given the PCs 10000 xp. Let's say they come up with a brilliant idea which you think is worth 5000 xp (digging into the dungeon, say). Why should digging prove smooth sailing? Perhaps they dig into a nest of ankhegs which they have to defeat (earning 5000 xp in the process).Let's say they come up with an idea that you feel is good, but worth only 2000 xp (say, negotiating with the leaders, or spooking the bad guys, or bluffing them). You can still place challenges in their way to earn the remaining 8000 xp. Perhaps some of the bad guys aren't as loyal, or timid, or trusting, as the others and remained behind to guard the McGuffin. Perhaps the bad guys left traps or guard animals to defend the McGuffin.In short, one of the hallmarks of good adventure design, in my view, is that the PCs can acheive their objectives in many ways, but each way should be equally challenging (though individual parties may find certain approaches to be easier than others, depending on party composition). That way, the DM and players will feel that they have earned their XP fairly.</blockquote>

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