So, I'm taking my try at being a first time DM and I'm having some trouble wrapping my head around building encounters and XP rewards.
I *THINK* I have a general concept of how the game wishes you to build them, but I don't really agree with the method - for example, if I wanted a CR 2 encounter that awards 400 xp (fuzzing number to make the point, by the way), a pair of CR 1/2 Zombies each cost 200 xp and thus make up the encounter.
The problem is that this doesn't scale properly; a zombie fought on it's own is worth 200 xp, so why should fighting two individually award the same xp as fighting two together?
You also end up with the obvious problem that a CR 7 creature is far more powerful than a CR 7 encounter of lesser creatures - the current mechanics simply don't do a good enough job of handling multiple creatures in my opinion, as simply pushing the CR up a few levels isn't really truly representative of what that party can handle.
I'm also struggling to figure out what kind of rewards to give for RP events and such; I would appreciate any tips from experienced DMs in that effect.
I usually shoot for a CR encounter difficulty rather than an XP number. How a party handles an encounter may be largely up to the party's build. For instance, a lot of smaller level monsters may not be an issue for a party with a fireball casting wizard, or a cleric that can channel positive energy against those skeletons. On the other hand, a fighter/tank might not have an issue with that single target monster that has a high SR. Having superior numbers don't always work in the favor of the monsters, as perhaps smart PCs may try to bottleneck the mob.
As far as XP bonuses go, I usually stick with something approximate to their CR for their expected level. A party of 4 4th level characters would get 1200 XP (a CR 4 encounter) unless it was a module ending encounter, at which point I might give them more, perhaps double.
The math on that chart is fuzzy at fractional CRs. My first suggestion is ignore the encounter building advice for fractional encounters. For example, your two zombies are worth the same XP together or separately but it's harder to fight them together so that should be worth more. I agree.
Let's look at ogres. One is worth 800xp (CR3), two are worth 1,600xp (CR5). Notice that the CR did NOT double. A 4th level party should find one ogre to be an easy encounter (APL-1) and two ogres to be a challenging encounter (APL+1). Two separate easy encounters will not be a threatening as a single challenging encounter. The total XP is the same either way, but the risk is not.
That same logic doesn't apply to the fuzzy fractional CRs. Your two zombies at CR 1/2 when combined make one encounter of CR1 which actually IS double the CR, but for a level 1 party it only goes from (somewhat) easy to average. In fact, there is no specific description for an encounter that is APL-1/2. The total XP is the same but the risk might not be, or might be, it's hard to say. Fuzzy.
Just remember that at level 1, any PC can be one-shotted by many CR1 encounters (especially if they roll a critical hit). So I would advise that you are mostly safe as long as the total XP of enemies is 400 or less. Don't go over that for any one encounter, and even at 400xp, you may end up killing a PC. Level 1 is rough. After that it gets easier.
By the time the party's APL is about 3, you can follow the advice in that chapter. By this time, the scaling problem you mentioned will fix itself. Mostly. Until then, better to play it safe than sorry.
I said "mostly" because there is never a time when two of anything is more XP together than separate - PCs will always get XP based on the individual creatures added together, regardless of whether it's one big fight or lots of little ones. That's the system.
But the easy/average/challenging/hard/epic designation can give you, the GM, a good indicator of how difficult the fight will be.
As for RP XP, I used to do it but I've stopped. My take is that good RP should be its own reward and should earn its own reward; roleplaying a good encounter with the bartender doesn't make you get better with your sword. No leveling from roleplaying. I also used to have the better roleplayers (e.g. the more attention-hogging players) reach higher levels than the weaker roleplayers (e.g. the shy, quiet types) - that didn't seem very fair; their characters shouldn't be punished by being lower level because the player is shy.
But rewards for roleplaying can be very valuable. Making friends with the bartender can be a great source of adventure hooks or even discounts on room and board. Other roleplaying encounters can result in making useful friends, beneficial allies, generating future opportunities, gaining wealth, etc., but not XP. Not for my games. I've never regretted it.
Note that this does not include roleplaying encounters - if an encounter is resolved by roleplay, then everyone gets XP just like they had defeated the encounter by swordplay. That's for encounters. I was talking about roleplay "events" which seemed to be more along the line of what you had asked.
The RP xp is more of an incentive; what I've got is a party of newer players with a tendency to ignore anything they can't hit with a sword, and I'm looking to put a bit of carrot there to get them into role-playing in general; I've also taken steps to make sure my quieter players have some time in the spotlight. For example, my last session the two louder players ended up getting drunk and were stuck in bed with a hangover the next morning, giving the quieter two time to encounter an NPC who presented a task to the party.
I will have to watch that the louder characters don't out-level the quiet ones simply by virtue of being louder naturally, however I do want some gaps in XP.
I'm still unhappy with the encounter system improperly scaling for multiple creatures and want to hear if anyone has come up with a solution. I mean, the reality is that APL doesn't even really adequately guage a party's strength, as a party of level 1 NPC clones would be a CR 5... but that's clearly too high for level 1's to fight, right?
No.
Adding NPCs: Creatures whose Hit Dice are solely a factor of their class levels and not a feature of their race, such as all of the PC races detailed in Races, are factored into combats a little differently than normal monsters or monsters with class levels. A creature that possesses class levels, but does not have any racial Hit Dice, is factored in as a creature with a CR equal to its class levels –1. A creature that only possesses non-player class levels (such as a warrior or adept) is factored in as a creature with a CR equal to its class levels –2. If this reduction would reduce a creature's CR to below 1, its CR drops one step on the following progression for each step below 1 this reduction would make: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8.
So each level 1 NPC clown would be a non-PC class at CR 1/3 (135xp), five of them would be 675 total XP, more than CR2 but less than CR3, call it CR 2 1/3. Challenging but not hard.
my question is about awarding XP.
context: i am a first time DM running a couple friends through the Haunting of Harrowstone. When reading the campaign book, the book suggested that the players should be level 4 around the end of the adventure, but the experience the have been gaining according to the encounters and situations outlined in the book, they were going to hit level 3 long before they have even approached the haunted prison. I am wondering if i have been distributing XP wrong, or if there is something else going on. Here's how i've been running it.
Say the group encounters 3 zombies and defeats them all. according to the book, a zombie is worth 200 xp. so after the fight i awarded the players 600xp each because they defeated three zombies as a group.
should i be dividing that XP evenly between the players (say there were 2 players then they would each get 300, etc), or am i doing it right by awarding them all the total xp for the monsters they defeated (each player gets 600 because the group defeated 3 zombies)?
the same question applies for situational xp. say they complete a story event that would grant 400xp. do both players get 400, or do they share the XP for 200 each?
i hope this makes sense.
the reason i am concerned is that even though my players are having a great time as i am currently running it, i also don't want them over levelled when we start book 2.
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my question is about awarding XP.
context: i am a first time DM running a couple friends through the Haunting of Harrowstone. When reading the campaign book, the book suggested that the players should be level 4 around the end of the adventure, but the experience the have been gaining according to the encounters and situations outlined in the book, they were going to hit level 3 long before they have even approached the haunted prison. I am wondering if i have been distributing XP wrong, or if there is something else going on. Here's how i've been running it.
Say the group encounters 3 zombies and defeats them all. according to the book, a zombie is worth 200 xp. so after the fight i awarded the players 600xp each because they defeated three zombies as a group.
should i be dividing that XP evenly between the players (say there were 2 players then they would each get 300, etc), or am i doing it right by awarding them all the total xp for the monsters they defeated (each player gets 600 because the group defeated 3 zombies)?
the same question applies for situational xp. say they complete a story event that would grant 400xp. do both players get 400, or do they share the XP for 200 each?
i hope this makes sense.
the reason i am concerned is that even though my players are having a great time as i am currently running it, i also don't want them over levelled when we start book 2.
The XP are divided between the player characters. After all, defeating 3 zombies with 4 PCs is easier than doing it with 2 PCs.
If there are NPCs in the group, it depends on why they are part of the group.If, as an example, you add an NPC cleric because the PCs lack healing capacity and the NPC is as powerful as a PC, he will get one share of the experience.
If he is a cohort got through Leadership, he gets none (he increase his level when the PC with Leadership increases his level).
If the NPCs is an independent character, but not as strong as the PCs (as an example, a 2nd level fighter when the PCs are 3rd level, added because they lack a thank), you give the NPC a reduced share based on his usefulness.
I don't suggest adding NPCs unless it is useful for the story you want to tell or if the players absolutely need him, but sometimes they are needed.
After saying the above, in the APs I would suggest not to calculate the actual XP, but instead to use the option of award levels at the appropriate points of the adventure. Sometimes missing or doing an optional encounter can change the level of the PCs, and, especially at low levels, that can make a lot of difference.
my question is about awarding XP.
context: i am a first time DM running a couple friends through the Haunting of Harrowstone. When reading the campaign book, the book suggested that the players should be level 4 around the end of the adventure, but the experience the have been gaining according to the encounters and situations outlined in the book, they were going to hit level 3 long before they have even approached the haunted prison. I am wondering if i have been distributing XP wrong, or if there is something else going on. Here's how i've been running it.
Say the group encounters 3 zombies and defeats them all. according to the book, a zombie is worth 200 xp. so after the fight i awarded the players 600xp each because they defeated three zombies as a group.
should i be dividing that XP evenly between the players (say there were 2 players then they would each get 300, etc), or am i doing it right by awarding them all the total xp for the monsters they defeated (each player gets 600 because the group defeated 3 zombies)?
the same question applies for situational xp. say they complete a story event that would grant 400xp. do both players get 400, or do they share the XP for 200 each?
i hope this makes sense.
the reason i am concerned is that even though my players are having a great time as i am currently running it, i also don't want them over levelled when we start book 2.
The XP are divided between the player characters. After all, defeating 3 zombies with 4 PCs is easier than doing it with 2 PCs.
If there are NPCs in the group, it depends on why they are part of the group.
If, as an example, you add an NPC cleric because the PCs lack healing capacity and the NPC is as powerful as a PC, he will get one share of the experience.
If he is a cohort got through Leadership, he gets none (he increase his level when the PC with Leadership increases his level).
If the NPCs is an independent character, but not as strong as the PCs (as an example,...
thanks much! you've been a big help.
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my question is about awarding XP.
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the reason i am concerned is that even though my players are having a great time as i am currently running it, i also don't want them over levelled when we start book 2.
An added note: as I have played that adventure, being 3rd level earlier in it isn't a bad thing. You need some decent skill level for some of the noncombat challenges, and some of the opponents are really hard (grin).