DM's decision/player's reaction

[Whig]

A fighter in our game planted a magic bean that sprouted an ancient pyramid. The fighter entered alone to try and plunder. The rest of the group (ranger, bard, sorcerer) reached the pyramid and entered to make sure the fighter was OK. The rest of the group met with the fighter as she was digging through the mummy's sarcophagus, the fighter removes the mummy's necklace and shows the rest of the group the cool new thing she found and awakens the mummy. The group is level 3 characters. So after a few miserably failed attacks they run but not before grabbing the nearest loot. The ranger and wolf split directions and the wolf makes it farthest and is promptly killed as the mummy forms in front from sand. Then as the fighter reaches the ranger in the other direction the mummy moves toward them. The mummy passes the sorcerer and then it passes the bard who had looted a case. The bard had opened the case in hopes of carrying only what was inside to move less incumbered. Inside was the mummy's heart. The sorcerer moves back to help protect his friends and notices that the mummy is eyeing the bard and yells warning to the bard, the bard replies she had the mummy's heart. The sorcerer shoots the heart but only managed to burn the fabric it was wrapped in. Bard stabs the heart mummy takes damage doesn't die. The fighter has made it out of the pyramid. The ranger is one turn away from escape. Mummy crawls to the sorcerer and tries to curse him but fails (CRIT save) and the sorcerer moves away and also stabs the heart and the mummy turns to dust and the pyramid starts to collapse. Ranger exits next turn two turns later bard and sorcerer make it out after lots of falling debris damage.

The DM only awards partial exp to the fighter and ranger which was enough for a level because they only ran. And full exp to bard and sorcerer and bard which because they were all close to there next level netted them two levels. It was a high level mummy. The fighter out of game was very unhappy and disagreed with the DM and felt that their character should've received the same exp.

TLDR: Two characters retreat from a seemingly unwinnable fight and two find a exploitable weakness and slay an nearly unslayable monster. DM only awards partial exp to the two characters who fled and full to the slayers. Making the two Slayers level twice and the fleeing level once.

[mephnick]

I haven't used XP in a long time but I always though you were supposed to reward it evenly if the party beat an encounter. Hell, I used to reward full XP if you even stealthed by an encounter and never rolled an attack. Seems kind of arbitrary to reward half XP to half the party.

[Whig]

I haven't used XP in a long time but I always though you were supposed to reward it evenly if the party beat an encounter. Hell, I used to reward full XP if you even stealthed by an encounter and never rolled an attack. Seems kind of arbitrary to reward half XP to half the party.

The reasoning was because two had fled the encounter completely therefore they weren't in the party or encounter anymore and received only partial exp​, but I can see both sides

[Galadhrim]

The reasoning was because two had fled the encounter completely therefore they weren't in the party or encounter anymore and received only partial exp​, but I can see both sides

From your description it seems that all of the PC's were trying to flee the encounter (wisely it sounds like). The bard made the exact same decision as every other character, he just happened to open the box that had the mummy's heart in it. The only characters that attacked it were the ones that were around to see it, which was based on nothing more than luck. Even if you do split experience unevenly among PC's (I wouldn't), it does not seem appropriate here.

[mephnick]

Yeah I just re-read that. Sorry.



TLDR: Two characters retreat from a seemingly unwinnable fight and two find a exploitable weakness and slay an nearly unslayable monster. DM only awards partial exp to the two characters who fled and full to the slayers. Making the two Slayers level twice and the fleeing level once.

Actually re-reading this I would have given the whole party full XP and given the clever players bonus XP. It's basically the same thing but feels better on all sides.

I'm not sure punishing players for retreating from an encounter they should retreat from feels great. They were smart. They just weren't as smart as the other players.

[KorvinStarmast]

What mephnick said: don't reduce XP for those other two, add bonus to the bard/sorc. DM seems to lack some people skills ...

[Whig]

From your description it seems that all of the PC's were trying to flee the encounter (wisely it sounds like). The bard made the exact same decision as every other character, he just happened to open the box that had the mummy's heart in it. The only characters that attacked it were the ones that were around to see it, which was based on nothing more than luck. Even if you do split experience unevenly among PC's (I wouldn't), it does not seem appropriate here.

True except the sorcerer followed the mummy back because the bard was still in the room with the sarcophagus. When the sorcerer saw the mummy return to where the bard was he went back to cover the bard's retreat.

[Whig]

What mephnick said: don't reduce XP for those other two, add bonus to the bard/sorc. DM seems to lack some people skills ...

Well everyone made off with magic items from the room including the fighter who got two. I forgot to mention this. The fighter got a magic javelin and the mummy's necklace. The ranger got a magic sword. So they got partial exp and magic items. That's might be why the DM was more comfortable with holding ​back the experience.

[mephnick]

To be fair, RAW, Mummy hearts can only be burned to ash and not stabbed.

Sooo I would have allowed the sorceror's spell to damage the heart and then killed them all if he didn't finish the job :)

[Whig]

Yeah I just re-read that. Sorry.



Actually re-reading this I would have given the whole party full XP and given the clever players bonus XP. It's basically the same thing but feels better on all sides.

I'm not sure punishing players for retreating from an encounter they should retreat from feels great. They were smart. They just weren't as smart as the other players.

Yeah it sounds like you're right and it just needed to be worded better. More carrot than stick.

[Leith]

Xp is pretty much the domain of the DM. If you go with the default then D and D is a game of murder hobos. But even the default rules tell the DM to use their discretion.
The guys who ran didn't even try to help beat or overcome the bad guy. I would be inclined to give them nothing.
That said, in my games I give the same xp to all players even if they weren't present at the table. There are a number of reasons why, but it boils down to making my life easier and players like leveling up.

[Whig]

To be fair, RAW, Mummy hearts can only be burned to ash and not stabbed.

Sooo I would have allowed the sorceror's spell to damage the heart and then killed them all if he didn't finish the job :)

I think the exception on that was made because the sorcerer's sword is an item that he made a pact with a god that he would put undead to rest inturn for being allowed to use the sword so it does extra damage to undead. So it appeased the god by being used to kill the mummy.

[Malifice]

A fighter in our game planted a magic bean that sprouted an ancient pyramid. The fighter entered alone to try and plunder. The rest of the group (ranger, bard, sorcerer) reached the pyramid and entered to make sure the fighter was OK. The rest of the group met with the fighter as she was digging through the mummy's sarcophagus, the fighter removes the mummy's necklace and shows the rest of the group the cool new thing she found and awakens the mummy. The group is level 3 characters. So after a few miserably failed attacks they run but not before grabbing the nearest loot. The ranger and wolf split directions and the wolf makes it farthest and is promptly killed as the mummy forms in front from sand. Then as the fighter reaches the ranger in the other direction the mummy moves toward them. The mummy passes the sorcerer and then it passes the bard who had looted a case. The bard had opened the case in hopes of carrying only what was inside to move less incumbered. Inside was the mummy's heart. The sorcerer moves back to help protect his friends and notices that the mummy is eyeing the bard and yells warning to the bard, the bard replies she had the mummy's heart. The sorcerer shoots the heart but only managed to burn the fabric it was wrapped in. Bard stabs the heart mummy takes damage doesn't die. The fighter has made it out of the pyramid. The ranger is one turn away from escape. Mummy crawls to the sorcerer and tries to curse him but fails (CRIT save) and the sorcerer moves away and also stabs the heart and the mummy turns to dust and the pyramid starts to collapse. Ranger exits next turn two turns later bard and sorcerer make it out after lots of falling debris damage.

The DM only awards partial exp to the fighter and ranger which was enough for a level because they only ran. And full exp to bard and sorcerer and bard which because they were all close to there next level netted them two levels. It was a high level mummy. The fighter out of game was very unhappy and disagreed with the DM and felt that their character should've received the same exp.

TLDR: Two characters retreat from a seemingly unwinnable fight and two find a exploitable weakness and slay an nearly unslayable monster. DM only awards partial exp to the two characters who fled and full to the slayers. Making the two Slayers level twice and the fleeing level once.

It should be awarded evenly. Your DM stuffed up.

[Snails]

I would suggest that the DM and players discuss what constitutes "good play" such that the DM should be inclined to give more XP rather than less. Is it the quality and number of monster corpses that matter? Is this the kind of campaign where drinking from mysterious magical pools is something to be encouraged? Is "smart play" whatever it takes to survive? Is bravery rewarded?

Most DMs would not make a big difference between rewards. That said, I do not actually see anything wrong with the decision. It is not clear that fleeing for your life and having a friend who happens to get lucky, a friend you have practically left for dead, is actually worth more than 0 xp.

[Ruslan]

Yeah it sounds like you're right and it just needed to be worded better. More carrot than stick.

DM: Well done! Everyone gets 10,000 XP! On top of that, Joe and Bob get a 5,000 XP bonus!
Players: :smallbiggrin:

DM: Well done, Joe and Bob! You two get 15,000 XP, and the others get only 10,000 XP.
Players: :smallfurious:

[Unoriginal]

Don't want to be dismissive, but this sounds like a pretty sugar-coated Mummy, to not manage to damage any of the characters significantly and having their heart easy to grab.

Not sure how it's worth that much XP to beat the Mummy

[Beelzebubba]

It should be awarded evenly. Your DM stuffed up.

Yeah, totally agree. They all were there at the table.

That sort of thing can really mess up the morale of the group.

[mephnick]

Don't want to be dismissive, but this sounds like a pretty sugar-coated Mummy, to not manage to damage any of the characters significantly and having their heart easy to grab.

Not sure how it's worth that much XP to beat the Mummy

I didn't want to say this, but yeah. It sounds like a Mummy Lord (if we're going with the heart thing) and it probably should have killed the PCs in one or two rounds.

Fair enough if the DM forced them into the encounter and wanted a fun getaway, but if they stumbled upon this in my game and decided to "loot the mummy" they'd be killed without mercy.

[Whig]

I didn't want to say this, but yeah. It sounds like a Mummy Lord (if we're going with the heart thing) and it probably should have killed the PCs in one or two rounds.

Fair enough if the DM forced them into the encounter and wanted a fun getaway, but if they stumbled upon this in my game and decided to "loot the mummy" they'd be killed without mercy.

Oh it was thrust upon the DM. It was a random effect from a planted magic bean. It really was only 2-3 of combat and the DM was clearly trying to help them get away. But the two characters who killed the mummy were one round away from death by pyramid collapse. And very low on health at that.

The DM saw that the whole situation was one players decisions (fighter) and the rest were just trying to make sure the fighter got out. The fighter planted the bean went in alone and pulled the mummy's necklace off without any group input.

[mephnick]

The DM saw that the whole situation was one players decisions (fighter) and the rest were just trying to make sure the fighter got out. The fighter planted the bean went in alone and pulled the mummy's necklace off without any group input.

Yep fair enough. For me as a player it would have gone like this:

Fighter: "Hey guys, I looted a mummy and it came to life!"

Party: "We'll help you!"

Me:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJXYMDu6dpY

[Whig]

I didn't want to say this, but yeah. It sounds like a Mummy Lord (if we're going with the heart thing) and it probably should have killed the PCs in one or two rounds.

Fair enough if the DM forced them into the encounter and wanted a fun getaway, but if they stumbled upon this in my game and decided to "loot the mummy" they'd be killed without mercy.

No you're totally right. It was just a random dice roll effect from a magic bean the fighter planted. Then the fighter went in alone and was in the process of pulling off the mummy's necklace when the rest of the party showed up to check.
The DM was clearly trying not to punish the whole party for trying to help the fighter who was making reckless decisions, while also trying not to discourage the fighter from having fun. So I think the exp difference was a punishment but he didn't want to single out just the fighter so he gave it to the ranger as well since they both fled. The DM really was trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

[Mellack]

I would say that they all overcame the encounter, so should all get XP. That said, our group generally uses milestone xp so we don't have to deal with such things.

[furby076]

In the end, it all depends what rules you set in game 0. There is no right or wrong way, except for what you agree to.

In our game all characters get the same xp, irrespective of who does what. I prefer this as it keeps us all uniform. I hate it when some characters are higher level then others. It can make the others feel cheated in some way.

So, if you didnt set the rule then take a ten minute pause fro the game and ask your player's what they want. If they agree to equal xp all the time, then normalize all their xp. If they want individual xp, then keep doing what u r doing.

Btw, individual xp is annoying to calculate and extra work. If i were you, id shy away from it. It also leaves to argument....what is more important