Which monsters should not be counted for XP?

[Shin Okada]

DMG P.37 "Do not award XP for creatures that enemies summon or otherwise add to their forces with magic powers."

Well, I guess this is up to each GM's discretion, I want to hear your opinions. What kind of monsters should NOT be counted for XP?

a) Summoned monsters (obviously)
b) Familiar, animal companion, paladin's special mount and such (I guess they shouldn't)
c) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, but long before of an encounter.
d) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, but just before that encounter (say, while PCs are casting their own spells at the different side of a door).
e) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, in some rounds of that encounter.

 

[Alduk]

I only disagree about c); in that case, fighting through the horde of undead minions and only receiving XP for the necromancer himself would be very frustrating!

And in d) I would only not consider it for XP purposes if the encounter had already officially started by the time the creatures were created.

 

[Laman Stahros]

DMG P.37 "Do not award XP for creatures that enemies summon or otherwise add to their forces with magic powers."

Well, I guess this is up to each GM's discretion, I want to hear your opinions. What kind of monsters should NOT be counted for XP?

a) Summoned monsters (obviously)
b) Familiar, animal companion, paladin's special mount and such (I guess they shouldn't)
c) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, but long before of an encounter.
d) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, but just before that encounter (say, while PCs are casting their own spells at the different side of a door).
e) Undead monsters created via spells or similar abilities by the enemy, in some rounds of that encounter.

Well, YMMV, but - :

a) no XP (obviously)
b) yes XP (paladin's special mount ? humm, don't know)
c) yes XP
d) no XP (same as summoned)
e) no XP (same as summoned)

 

[Sejs]

I would not count: A, D, and E. A and E are both effectivly the same thing, and D is close enough to count - there's no time to do something else with that spell slot that was used to make the undead.

B and C should both give exp as standard for a creature of their CR - they're closer to cohorts/followers than a being that was whistled up during that fight, by using a limited class resource (eg, spell slots.)

A paladin's summoned mount would be the only grey area, but unless I'm mistaken, the paladin always summons the same mount, yes? And if it dies, that's it? Until he takes the time to replace it, ala a lost familiar.

 

[uzagi_akimbo]

A) no XP
B) no XP (see below)
C) normal XP
D) no XP
e) no XP

Animal companions , familliars and mounts are features of any single class, and part of its strengths and weaknesses. If you play towards your opponents strengths and - say - face a druid where he can bring his dire bear companion into play, possibly fully buffed - that is a tactical mistake of the players (or a specific, unavoidable condition of an encounter, which might raise the overall EL of the fight ), but nothing worth extra XP. Other classes get different benefits, which might or might no apply (like, say bringing water-elementals into the big final fight with the BBEG highpriest of Fire, who simply turns them with the power from his Fire domain. Mistake of the players, but hardly worth extra XP for the players for "added difficulty"), but are still part of their CR in the first place.
The fact/rule that an animal companion (which takes time and resources to replace ) is part of a druid's normal accroutement of weapons is well known, and to award XP simply for it being an "external" power/asset... no way. If you want to avoid the animal, stage the fight in such a way that it becomes irrelevant. If you cannot, well hack through it or simply do not mess with druids..
As for most other classes' "externals" like familliars (even if improved), a ranger's animal companion or mounts - their fighting power is usually so low in comparison to the PC-party, that they would be ignored under the rules of "no significant challenge" in the first place as they are hardly able to influence the fight. The PCs might in fact be happy that the BBEG did not pick some other, more relevant feat which might actually have hurt them instead of Leadership, improved familliar or their like.

 

[irdeggman]

And in 3.5 the paladin summons the magical creature (i.e., mount) as full round action - so it should count the same as if a spellcaster summons creatures in an encounter.

Remember the paladin's mount is a class ability that was incorporated into the class to make it 'balanced' with the other classes so it should count the same.