Abomination Vaults - Not enough XP to level up after clearing level 1?

[Winged Tree]

I'm running Abomination Vaults and our whole group is new to PF2. (If Blackstar is in your group, go away).

The party is about to finish dungeon level 1 and won't gain enough XP from the encounters to level up. When I add up all the encounters listed for the level for a level 1 party, there's enough XP but only if ...

adventure secrets:

...they go at night, when the Blood of Belcorra Haunt would be active. I am missing something about awarding XP? I would let them head down to level 2 before they level up but I'd rather they run the graveyard encounter first.

Should I encourage them to go back at night?

Is my math bad? What am I missing?

[Finoan]

I find that things generally run smoother to ignore XP entirely and use Story-Based Leveling.

[Tridus]

I don't know about Abomination Vaults specifically, but this happens in published adventurers sometimes. Extinction Curse says in a couple of places "if they're not level X by now, give them some encounters until they are." (That would probably happen if they skipped something.)

Ruby Phoenix is the worst offender: at one point saying flat out "the PCs will probably level halfway through this chapter, but you shouldn't let them."

If you're running a published adventure, I would strongly recommend ditching XP entirely and using milestone/story levelling. The AP tells you at the beginning of the book what level the PCs should be in each chapter. All you need to do is level them up when they get to that point. No math, no fuss.

[Captain Morgan]

Vaults is really meant to be used with XP instead of milestones per the dinosaur himself cuz it is a sandbox. IIRC it had enough XP to either level up or be just on the cusp of it, so I would double check the OP's math. Also, don't skip XP just because the players solved the problem without combat.

[CorvusMask]

As someone who has run abomination vaults, pcs got enough exp to level up before they even found the scorpion :O So ye are likely missing something. Did you avoid giving exp because pcs solved encounters without violence?

(just to note, my pcs were level 11 by time they got to final boss since there is definitely enough exp in campaign for extra xD It was nice ya)

[Ryangwy]

I gave the XP for the haunt when my players got to the place in the day and determine they weren't going to come back. You might also be missing the Slurk, another easily avoidable monster. In general, I award XP for any encounters not met or fully completed

Spoiler:

like ghosts and haunts that werent exorcised

when players decisively finish all the plot relevant stuff and take the stairs.

For the 1st level, I'd give all the spare XP once they've

Spoiler:

dealt with the Boss, the doll and the corpselights

and go down a floor, and just start every subsequent session at the 2nd floor stair of their choice.

[SuperBidi]

There are 1150 XP in the first floor, skipping the Blood of Belcorra puts you at 1070 XP. So I think they missed more than that.
But I agree you need a certain mindset to get all the XPs.

[Dungeon Master Zack]

I would advise restocking the dungeon between visits. The table found in the link is useful for this: https://grognardia.blogspot.com/2012/04/dungeon-restocking-and-rival.html

[Ascalaphus]

Another option is to add in a few side quests outside the dungeon - you know, get someone's lost dog in the woods, fight off a bear while you're there.

That can also help make sure the village feels like a living place with people in it with names and faces, and not just the backdrop to a huuuge dungeon :)

[Perses13]

If you need ideas for sidequests, the PF2 beginner box, Troubles in Otari, and the Bounty adventure Road to Otari all are already set in or around the town.