claiming a hex worth far more than just 10 XP

[FWCain]

Per Table 10-8 ("XP Awards"), 10 XP is the reward for a minor challenge.
https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=575
And yet, that table goes on to show that a test at the PCs' level (or the single PC's level; remember that a kingdom plays by itself, not as a party of kingdoms!) is worth 40 XP, or four times the amount suggested.

Also remember that the roll to Claim a Hex is based on the kingdom's level, which is (I would say) a moderate challenge (not a minor one).

Also remember that the kingdom must first Clear the hex, before it can Claim that hex, so that adds to the difficulty of the task at hand...

Thanks,
Franklin

[VanceMadrox]

It's pretty clear that RAW claiming a hex is only worth 10 XP.

That said, increasing the amount of XP per hex claimed is one of the cornerstones of our Kingdom Rule changes.

[FWCain]

Yeah, I meant to convey that I believe that action deserves more than just 10 XP. Sorry for my clumsy word choice for the title...

[James Jacobs]

Changing that XP award to something higher is a GREAT way to speed up the XP gain for a kingdom, and also a very non-invasive change as well. Since a kingdom can't be higher level than the party's level, and since the campaign assumes that the party level and the kingdom level are going to be the same (or very close to the same), speeding up Kingdom XP awards as makes sense for your table's preference is honestly a really good house rule.

If I were to run Kingmaker myself, I'd probably dump Kingdom XP entirely in hindsight, and just let the kingdom level up automatically to match the PCs' level. AFTER chatting with the players about it, of course, to get their take, because some folks enjoy the XP grind.

Put another way: increasing the rate that a kingdom levels up will NOT break your Kingmaker game, and will in all likelihood improve play experience, PROVIDED you remember that a kingdom's level can never exceed the party level.