So a friend of mine GMed for the first time last night and didn't know how to calculate the exp for traps. He set the DCs moderately low thinking that would make them only decent exp, but he made them instant death traps. Now the other players are saying its so much exp because AoE instant death traps have to be based off the sphere of annihilation spell and it's minimum CR is 10, we're shooting up to 3 or 4 easily because of this. But he seems unhappy with that... he said it wasn't supposed to be spell-like, it was supposed to be mechanical, high tech lasers and like falling into an arc furnace or something. I'm just wondering if there is a way to salvage his mistake, he's quit GMing in the past over such mistakes and I don't want him to give it up again now.
need a bit more info then you're giving right now.
Are you playing P1 or P2? What was the Perception or Disable Device/Thievery check DC? what was the Save DC? what was the max possible damage? What level are you?
In P1, a level 8 monster is worth 4800xp. Even at level 1, if you have 4 PCs that will only get you up one level.
need a bit more info then you're giving right now.
Are you playing P1 or P2? What was the Perception or Disable Device/Thievery check DC? what was the Save DC? what was the max possible damage? What level are you?
In P1, a level 8 monster is worth 4800xp. Even at level 1, if you have 4 PCs that will only get you up one level.
First edition, no maximum damage, it was save or die, at level 1. The DCs were like 15 or 20, he was trying to make it possible and I suspect he would've given us a second chance to save as I don't think he actually wanted to kill us with them. He trout exp for a trap was only based on its DC. It was supposed to be mechanical, sci-fi level mechanical with death lasers, but still mechanical, but the others decided it would have to be magical because evidently no mechanical trap can be save or die. It was instant reset, AoE proximity instant death if you failed your reflex save to jump back. It was all sorts of levels of BS.
The other players looked at a table determined it would be like minimum CR 10 due to AoE instant death alone having to imitate sphere of annihilation. He just seemed upset by his mistake and I don't want him to feel like he's already ruined his campaign. If we end up jumping to level 3 or 4 because of one trap, it could lead to him losing confidence in himself as a GM again and calling off his whole campaign for the third time now.
I like his concept for his campaign, I like my character in his campaign and I want him to continue.
Experience is determined by the CR of the trap. Looking at some of the sample traps, it could easily be no higher than CR4. Electric arc trap is CR 4 it does 4d6 electricity damage, with a DC 20 Reflex save for half. 4d6 at level 1 is effectively insta-death. CR is 1200 exp, meaning for a party of 4 it is only worth 300 exp each. While you all might be a bit ahead of the curve, it is definitely not worth several levels.
Even a CR 10 trap, say a energy drain trap (2d4 negative levels, permadeath if you negative levels equal your HD) is only worth 9600 exp. Split 4 ways that is only 2400, meaning it will only get to you level 2 even at Fast progression.
It sounds like your other players are trying to bully the GM. That's not fun. But if the DC was 15-20 and NO ONE ACTUALLY DIED then how can they say it would have been a sphere of annihilation. At level 1 a fireball is functionally equivalent to a sphere of annihilation, since the max hp anyone can have at level 1 is 22, and that is Barbarian with 20 Con, Toughness feat and 1hp for favored class. Most level 1 PCs are more likely in the 6-15 range. That fireball trap is at worst a level 5 trap.
TLDR; these guys are full of it, give them 200 xp and move on.