How would you handle the XP in this situation?

[atemu1234]

Ok, I'm playing 3.5 and the players recently killed a psionic lich. This psilich's phylactery was not, however, one of the things they destroyed, and rather they went to hunt down the BBEG, who had the phylactery and thus controls the psilich. Now, by the time they killed the BBEG, the psilich has recovered, and they kill him again, and this time destroy the phylactery. I gave them XP for the first time they killed the psilich, but should I have them gain that XP again?

[Palanan]

On the face of it I'd say yes. Two separate challenges, two separate encounters, and just because they killed it once was no guarantee they could do it again.

Without having been there, I'm assuming it was just as much effort the second time as taking down a completely different lich, and in that case there would be no question they'd earn XP for it.

[Renen]

Why WOULDNT a recurring villain give xp for every defeat?

[Troacctid]

He was a threat, and they neutralized him. Then he was a threat again, and they neutralized him again. Sounds like two chunks of xp to me.

[Red Fel]

The thing to remember is that XP isn't rewarded for killing an opponent. It's rewarded for overcoming a challenge. If you overcome an opponent without killing him, you still get XP, if not necessarily the same amount. Similarly, if an opponent contributes to a challenge, you gain additional XP from that challenge, due to his contribution. This is so even if he is a recurring enemy - he contributes to the challenge, and therefore increases the reward.

In the instant case, as others have mentioned, the party overcame a challenge (defeating the Psilich). Later, they overcome another challenge (defeating the Psilich). Overcome two separate challenges, gain XP for each challenge.

Makes sense, don't it?