Working with XP

[Dorgnificant]

So I'm having a problem. I just finished my first real dungeon as my first time as a DM (finally--we've been stop-and-go for literally months because schedules are hard to work out) and I've ended up in a predicament: I don't know how to award XP. Now, I know, I have the DMG and I should use the rules in there. My problem is, I don't think that's enough.
For reference:
They had ~5 small encounters (Easy difficulty or less), and then 1 big encounter (Hard difficulty), and then 1 massive encounter (if there was a tier above the Deadly difficulty, this would be it)*.
Anyways, one of the PCs did die (first level--is making another character but still), and based on how challenging the final 2 encounters were, I don't think it's fair to say "okay well you're close to level 2 keep tryin", which is what the traditional XP tells me. Even if I include the amount that I'd be giving them with XP adjustments (just as an alternative), it still doesn't seem like enough because it barely puts them into level 2. But then, I'm not sure how to level them? The group I'm in doesn't move super fast, and within a few quests I want them to at least level 3-4 really soon. I was thinking of letting them up to level 3, but I'd have to be like quadrupling the amount of XP I "should" be giving them in order to make that work, and I don't trust my instincts enough to do it anyways.
I've taken a look at some alternative XP systems, but even with those, I have to load up that last encounter a LOT to get them to level up the way I want.

I guess my question is how fast should the players be leveling up and how much should I reward them for doing something really hard?


*I didn't plan it to be quite like that originally--I actually had it fairly balanced--but a. like I said, first time DMing and didn't know better, and b. the players kept doing things that I felt warranted some more enemies than I planned (not ragging on the players--they did great and they said they liked my reasoning for having so many enemies at the end, even if it was a little bit tedious near the end).

[hymer]

Sounds like you ought to use the Milestones method. It basically means that the PCs level when you say so, no XP involved or needed.

[saeval]

Sounds like you ought to use the Milestones method. It basically means that the PCs level when you say so, no XP involved or needed.

Before I knew it was called the Milestone method I was using it. It truly cuts down on paperwork and lets you increase the parties ability to take on challenges at exactly the rate you wish them to. If they are worried about it slowing their leveling.... I personally find the opposite to be true. I mean yes, I am DM.... but as part of story telling, rewarding them on big plot beats, or having them level up before an especially tough arc -because you say so- helps them feel badass, and lets you run the encounters you want to run.

[Celcey]

I agree, Milestone based XP sounds like a good idea. I would say be wary though, because it can be very easy to level them up too fast. The first 3 levels are supposed to go by relatively fast, but don't have them level up after every dungeon. For first level it's fine, but in general have them level up at the speed of plot. For example, in my campaign the current quest is to retrieve an item from a town taken over by goblins. This quest has spanned several sessions. During that time they first had to defeat a horde of twig blights, then several waves of corrupted water creatures, and currently they've defeated all of the goblin scouts and are in the process of taking back the village. There have also been some RP encounters thrown in.

If I were doing milestone XP, where I would level them up depends on their where we're starting from. For levels one through 3, I would probably level them up after the water waves and after they completed the quest total, because the blights were way too easy for a full level up. Once they're at level 3 or so, I probably would only level them up after they've completed the whole quest.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I want them to at least level 3-4 really soon.

For me, this is the key phrase. Milestone levelling is the way to achieve your objective.

[Malifice]

So I'm having a problem. I just finished my first real dungeon as my first time as a DM (finally--we've been stop-and-go for literally months because schedules are hard to work out) and I've ended up in a predicament: I don't know how to award XP. Now, I know, I have the DMG and I should use the rules in there. My problem is, I don't think that's enough.
For reference:
They had ~5 small encounters (Easy difficulty or less), and then 1 big encounter (Hard difficulty), and then 1 massive encounter (if there was a tier above the Deadly difficulty, this would be it)*.
Anyways, one of the PCs did die (first level--is making another character but still), and based on how challenging the final 2 encounters were, I don't think it's fair to say "okay well you're close to level 2 keep tryin", which is what the traditional XP tells me. Even if I include the amount that I'd be giving them with XP adjustments (just as an alternative), it still doesn't seem like enough because it barely puts them into level 2. But then, I'm not sure how to level them? The group I'm in doesn't move super fast, and within a few quests I want them to at least level 3-4 really soon. I was thinking of letting them up to level 3, but I'd have to be like quadrupling the amount of XP I "should" be giving them in order to make that work, and I don't trust my instincts enough to do it anyways.
I've taken a look at some alternative XP systems, but even with those, I have to load up that last encounter a LOT to get them to level up the way I want.

I guess my question is how fast should the players be leveling up and how much should I reward them for doing something really hard?


*I didn't plan it to be quite like that originally--I actually had it fairly balanced--but a. like I said, first time DMing and didn't know better, and b. the players kept doing things that I felt warranted some more enemies than I planned (not ragging on the players--they did great and they said they liked my reasoning for having so many enemies at the end, even if it was a little bit tedious near the end).

Can you give the the breakdown of the fights please? What monsters were in them?

I cant believe that the PCs wont hit 2nd level with the above breakdown.

[Pont]

I award XP not only for killing, but also for good rp, clever solutions to problems etc etc. That makes Milestones a great way for me to deal with XP.

[Dorgnificant]

So I'm gonna take a resounding "Milestone XP" from this. My first reaction is to give them XP, and just make sure they only level up when they reach certain milestones--does that sound like it would nullify the appeal of simplification from milestone XP? (The only reason I say this is that I don't think my players would be very happy if they got into something and then didn't get XP afterwards).


Can you give the the breakdown of the fights please? What monsters were in them?

I cant believe that the PCs wont hit 2nd level with the above breakdown.

It was ~4 pairs of bandits, 1-2 groups of 3 bandits, a group of 7 bandits (this could be upped to like 9 or 11 but it was more or less in waves), and a group of 9 & the bandit captain (they were in a bandit camp if that didn't stick out haha). Since the "by-the-books" XP distribution doesn't account for the amuont of enemies (it's only used to determine how hard the encounter is), that means 26 bandits (I remember that number, just not the EXACT breakdown early on rn) and 1 bandit captain, which comes out to 1,100 XP, which is supposed to be split among the (4) members, giving each of them 275 XP, which is short of the 300XP threshold for level 2.

[Malifice]

So I'm gonna take a resounding "Milestone XP" from this. My first reaction is to give them XP, and just make sure they only level up when they reach certain milestones--does that sound like it would nullify the appeal of simplification from milestone XP? (The only reason I say this is that I don't think my players would be very happy if they got into something and then didn't get XP afterwards).



It was ~4 pairs of bandits, 1-2 groups of 3 bandits, a group of 7 bandits (this could be upped to like 9 or 11 but it was more or less in waves), and a group of 9 & the bandit captain (they were in a bandit camp if that didn't stick out haha). Since the "by-the-books" XP distribution doesn't account for the amuont of enemies (it's only used to determine how hard the encounter is), that means 26 bandits (I remember that number, just not the EXACT breakdown early on rn) and 1 bandit captain, which comes out to 1,100 XP, which is supposed to be split among the (4) members, giving each of them 275 XP, which is short of the 300XP threshold for level 2.

You dont use quest XP as well? If that was my game, Id award them a bonus of 100xp each for ending the bandit menace.