Dumb newbie question #3 - Experience

[zerhackermann]

I hail from old school D&D where monsters defeated/outwitted/etc were one group of experience and treasure was another - whoever kept or sold the item, got a 1:1 experience for the treasure's value or the stated XP value by the book. Thus the lions share of exp comes from loot (monsters were comparatively paltry)

I dont see the same sort of rule here. But I notice things are divided up into CR for a given "event" or encounter. i.e. CR2 monsters + CR1 trap might make for a CR3 event(?) and so the party gains experience for the CR3 event. Or is it the party gets the monster experience and the rogue gets a bit more (CR1) for undoing the trap and keeping his fingers intact? and in either case no experience is awarded for the value of the treasure.

Do I have that right? Mostly?

[Brambleman]

No xp for treasure. As for the monster + trap. Err... did it happen at the same time?

[Has'Kar]

I just throw xp at my players for doing good things.
If they rp-d well, destroyed a dungon(litteraly), or were just generally awesome, they will probably get more experience.

Other than that, I go by the book for Cr ratings of monsters, taking the Cr of the encounter, and subtracting the Cr of the group gives you a closer to true rating of how challenging something is for everyone.

It's had me heading in the right directing as far as xp goes for my boys in my first game so far.

[Kantrip]

If a player does something really "above and beyond" you might give them an XP bonus, but the best course is to give XP on a party basis.

Yes, the rogue disarmed the trap, but the cleric healed the party, the fighter hewed the monster, the wizard cast a useful spell, and the bard restrung his lute or something. In other words, the rogue did his job as a member of a party that works together.

Now, as Has'Kar said, if someone role played well (especially if others didn't even make an effort) it's not a bad idea to give them a bonus, and let it be known in a positive way.
"Giving Strugas an extra 200 XP for the way you played him in negotiating with the ferryman" rather than, "Strugas gets a bonus of 200 XP because he wasn't a lump like the rest of you." :-)

[zerhackermann]

Thanks for the insight. Its always helpful.

I'm actually trying to figure out what the By The Book rule is before I do GM awards. From what I'm getting the exp, By the book, is solely based on separate CR ratings (Monster or trap or puzzle or roleplay encounter) and those are divvied up amongst the party.

FWIW, yes I do individual awards in my 1st ed game. I take notes and I encourage the players to take notes for a brag session at the end of the play session. I intend to continue that practice. But I wanted to know the rule before I did so I can avoid potential Monty Haul behavior on my part.