I know that experience awards from combat are divided evenly amongst the party, but I haven't been able to find anything definitive on what you do with things like story awards? Are these split as well, or awarded in full to each PC. What about other non-combat experience awards, like xp for exploration in Kingmaker, or the research rewards in Haunting of Harrowstone?
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I was under the impression the only experience you slip up in the Adventure Paths were the combat encounters and everything else should be given to the party. Everything else (Story awards, investigation, exploration, etc) is earned equally by everyone.
That's what we do in our games and we stay on track or are a bit behind in the various modules.
Is there actually any "rule" about this? I've known GMs that would only dish out XP for monsters if you were actually involved in the combat, I'm sure they would do the same thing for non-combat XP.
In our current Pathfinder game, I always divide all XP equally for the party; it's a team effort, therefore the team is rewarded equally for success.
In the other game, I give out flat XP per session regardless of what they do; that has grown on me over time; I'll probably switch the Pathfinder group to that once they gain a few levels.
I know that experience awards from combat are divided evenly amongst the party, but I haven't been able to find anything definitive on what you do with things like story awards? Are these split as well, or awarded in full to each PC. What about other non-combat experience awards, like xp for exploration in Kingmaker, or the research rewards in Haunting of Harrowstone?
In Pathfinder, perhaps even more than other RPGs, "definitive" takes a back seat to "what works for your group" by design. What other game offers three different XP tracks?
As far as I know the intent is to divide all earned XP, regardless of source, evenly between party members. Our group does that but allows "bonus" XP for individual characters in cases of excellent roleplaying and/or effectiveness. I also give bonus XP to anyone who writes up the adventure sessions in character and posts them. In our Runelords game, this has had the small benefit of having the party cleric level up slightly ahead of her companions.
Creative Director
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Split everything equally, it's the easiest way.
This.
Pathfinder does not assume individual XP awards happen.
There doesn't need to be a "rule" that some XP awards are not split, because the concept of individual XP awards does not exist in Pathfinder. It's something that drifts into the game from other editions of other RPGs.