XP and defeating opponents

[Nail]

He left because they showed up, didn't he?

In the example you posted? Not really -- he left so that: "my plans continue apace". The PCs haven't disrupted his plans at all!

 

[pawsplay]

In the example you posted? Not really -- he left so that: "my plans continue apace". The PCs haven't disrupted his plans at all!

But if they hadn't shown up, he wouldn't have left. I'm not sure I understand what you're finding to be the point of disagreement.

 

[James McMurray]

The PCs gain XP for the victory....and now they decide: We need to hunt down this Sorcerer-King and finish him off.

Do they get XP for doing so, even though it's the second time?

Definitely. And possibly an RPing XP bonus if the situation warranted it. For instance, if their goal was just to bring down the kingdom and they decided to hunt the king down to make sure he doesn't ruin any more lives.

If they tried to turn it into some sort of XP well I'd have to step in and say that they earn less experience because they're not learning anything new fighting the same fight over and over. But in my experience with enemies who are faced multiple times, either the second encounter settles the matter or the successive fights are different fights because the enemy levels, they level, terrain is vastly different, etc.

 

[pawsplay]

I intend to send my PCs up against a lich they've already defeated. It's the same lich. But this time, I'm not going to play nice.

 

[MarkB]

Could a PC have died while hunting for and defeating this monster? Note, we're not talking about PC stupidity leading to death; the XP/challenge system ignores PC readiness and luck.

If the answer is yes, I'd argue they still get XP. Perhaps an EL adjustment is in order, depending on circumstances, etc.

My kobold warlock PC has Craft (trapmaking) and wants to gain the party a little extra XP. He installs one of his traps in the dining room of the party's headquarters, and asks the party rogue to disarm it so they can earn the XP for overcoming it.

Do you award the party XP?

 

[James McMurray]

I wouldn't. Nor would I award XP for party members fighting each other using nonlethal methods. That's called training for your next level, not adventuring.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

Do you award the party XP?

No - but I might award the Rogue some XP when he tries to disarm the thing. Failing a disable device check causes the trap to go off, which just might kill the disarmer. If you built the trap right; it doesn't exactly care about who is trying to disarm it.

I run an Evil campaign - and one advantage of being EVIL is that you can animate bodies from the orc horde you just slaughtered and train your line troops by simply releasing the newly animated and sending them to fight against your "line troops" at your convience.

 

[James McMurray]

Presumably the guy won't be practicing on a deadly trap.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

If it ain't deadly (capable of dealing damage or making you suffer a save) - it isn't a challenge.

 

[Ltheb Silverfrond]

I think whether you award Xp or not depends on the situation. (And the DM's definition of "Challenge" and "Defeat/Overcome")

Lets say the party is in a dungeon, and fights some Imps. The wizard casts wall of force to cut off half of the imps from getting to the party. However, the Imps teleport (or whatever) away. The party probably shouldn't get Xp for fighting the Imps, especially if the Imps didn't get to "affect" the party much. (But if they did, the party should get "some" xp)
If the same Imps later return for revenge, (possibly with powerful magic items or minions) and the party defeats them, then they should get full Xp, unless the PCs have become so powerful since they fought the first imps that the returning Imps are not a challenge.

Now, lets say the same party confronts the Evil Cleric that plane-shifted the Imps to the material plane. Lets say the party attacks the cleric and kills him. If later the cleric is resurrected by a fellow cleric and attacks the party, the Party should get full XP both times. It is a different challenge. (The first time the cleric may have had little knowledge of how to fight the party, and the second time the cleric might also be a level lower due to being resurrected)