D&D 5E XP rewards for NPC foes with class levels?

[RangerWickett]

I made up some high-level enemies for my party to fight, and they picked a fight with them. How much XP should I reward for a 14th level NPC, three 9th level NPCs? Is there a guideline somewhere I missed?

 

[Cernor]

There's a table in the back of the DMG for calculating their CR based on how much HP they have and how much damage they can pump out in their first 3 turns of going nova (modified by AC and hit chance/save DC).

EDIT: Changed "difficulty" to CR because CR determines XP.

 

[TerraDave]

Technically, you calculate their CRs using the DMG. Might take some time.

The system is designed to take into account things that more directly impact combat. E.g. two wizards with different spells but otherwise the same can have different CRs.

 

[TerraDave]

A short cut might be just eye-balling comparable NPCs in the back of the MM. If it is close, use the same XP.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

The system is designed to take into account things that more directly impact combat. E.g. two wizards with different spells but otherwise the same can have different CRs.

Which is really weird, because changing the spell selection of any existing spellcaster NPC explicitly doesn't change the CR.

In the end, everything is a guideline. Come up with a number, and if that doesn't seem right, then change it.

 

[aramis erak]

Which is really weird, because changing the spell selection of any existing spellcaster NPC explicitly doesn't change the CR.

In the end, everything is a guideline. Come up with a number, and if that doesn't seem right, then change it.

The DMG implies otherwise; you're going based upon the MM there...

 

[The Crimson Binome]

The DMG implies otherwise; you're going based upon the MM there...

Right. The DMG and the MM seem to be at odds on this matter. I know that older editions suggested that the MM was the primary source for monster information, but I'm just not sure how to resolve that discrepancy in 5E :-/

 

[DaveDash]

Right. The DMG and the MM seem to be at odds on this matter. I know that older editions suggested that the MM was the primary source for monster information, but I'm just not sure how to resolve that discrepancy in 5E :-/

You use the DMG and ignore the MM.

It's fiddly and I hated it at first, but it does actually give you more 'accurate' CR's.

I highly recommend you do NOT eyeball it, since a enemy spell caster with Shield, Misty Step, Greater Invisibility, Fireball, etc is going to be a much greater challenge than one with say, Jump, Comprehend Languages, Vampiric Touch, etc.

 

[RangerWickett]

We had a monk archer who was basically CR 5.

A monk/fighter suplex dude in full plate was basically CR 8 (and I think I broke some rules with him).

A storm cleric blasted out tons of damage and was CR 9.

And the sorceress was CR 14.

So 1800 xp + 3900 + 5000 + 11500. Total of 22200. Divided by 5 PCs and we get 4440 xp per character.

Thanks folks.