EXP in neverwinter nights

Ares2382 · Post by **Ares2382** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 5:10 pm

ok here's some thing weird for you guys.
I was fighting about 5 trolls with my henchmen, was able to kill one and get 55 xp, then I summoned a skeleton cheiftain for help and the 3 of us were able to kill 2 more trolls each at 81 xp, then my skeleton cheiftain got killed and the rest of the trolls I killed gave me 55 xp each again. So it seems that you actually get more xp with more people. I didn't relaod or anything all this happened in one fight. I tried it out on other fights as well and the same thing occured, I got more xp for killing the same creatures with a bigger party then with a smaller one. Now someone explain that too me please.

Dolphin · Post by **Dolphin** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 5:34 pm

I dont really know bout that but maybe u get more xp cuz ur henchman needs to advance in levels too, so u get enought xp for both of u. (just a guess though)

Magus · Post by **Magus** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 9:58 pm

That's weird, but I'm pretty sure your henchman, familars, summons and such don't gain EXP. Instead, they just level up when you do (not summons), always staying one level below you, which just simulates gaining EXP. Has anyone tried this with multiplayer? If what Pinky says is right, then each additional player should reduce the EXP earned by the party for killing the same creature. Yet that still wouldn't explain Ares's observation...some sort of bug, perhaps? It certainly doesn't make logical sense in a single-player game...

pinkypinky · Post by **pinkypinky** » Fri Jul 05, 2002 5:51 am

I also had it happened once or twice, my hypothesis was that the summoned monster you had was too low level and actually lowered the average CR of your party, hence you get more xp because the game think you are lower level than you actually are. It doesn't work everytime though(when I first noticed this one I tried exploiting it to get more xp with ****ty summons hehe, didn't work on the next set of monsters).

This seem the most likely answer because I've never had this happen with familiars, only summoned monsters, and that stands to reason because your familiar level up with you while summoned monsters stay on their crappy levels. I know it doesn't explain why you can't deliberately exploit that by fighting dragons with a Lv 1 summoned badger to get more xp, but because it's so rare with no pattern it's hard to come up with any other explanations.

Midnight · Post by **Midnight** » Fri Jul 05, 2002 9:56 am

Chipping On..

I was a sorcerer with no henchmans or summons or familiars, killed some escaped prisoners for 75 exp each. I came back a little later with tomi, only earned 30 exp each, and i hadn't progressed a level.

HTH.

Nygma · Post by **Nygma** » Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:29 am

I never experimented scientifically, but I kept my eye on the xp throughout the game. I played with the same party, my monk and a henchmen one level lower (well, until they hit the henchmen cap of 14th level). I noticed several times that the xp seemed to vary without any reason that I could tell. For instance, I'm clearing out a bunch of fire giants, and I get, I can't remember, 54 xp apiece, then all of the sudden I get 27 for a couple. I hadn't gone up a level, and the monsters were all labeled "fire giant". No champions, heroes or anything. Maybe there were 15th and 12th level fire giants?

I really wish Bioware would publish the formula they use for xp. I know I saw stated somewhere that they made the monsters only a tenth of what 3rd edition rules stated for balancing reasons. For the gurus out there, does 3rd ed vary xp for monsters, or is that Bioware only?

Mathurin · Post by **Mathurin** » Fri Jul 05, 2002 11:58 am

The XP in 3rd edition D&D is a pretty easy chart. Each monster is given a challenge rating. You then match that challenge rating to a party of the same level. A party is considered to be made up by 4 people. You then average the levels of the people in the party and match that number to a challenge rating. A challenge rating equal to that of a party should use a 4th of its resources, meaning hp, spells etc or in other words a party of 4 5th level characters should be able to face 4 CR 5 monsters before they need to rest. I obviously has to change in NWN because the party system is thrown to the wayside, at least in the single player game. In D&D animal companions, familiars, summoned monsters are considered part of the characters usefulness and thus have no bearing on xp, in other words a druid who doesnt use his animal companions is at a disadvantage not the other way around. I too would like to see how NWN experience is handled. It would make sense for your henchman to gain part of the xp but this is thrown to the wayside since you can give the henchmen levels by simply talking to them. Any summoned creatures, animal companions or familiars should have no bearing.

Kameleon · Post by **Kameleon** » Fri Jul 05, 2002 12:28 pm

Well, I don't know about this Challenge Rating thing as it applies to experience - I can kill Impossible creatures without a huge problem, and I haven't even started my hardcore powergaming yet

- but for example in Meldanen's house, I killed an Apprentice Mage, and Tomi got killed. Got 200 XP. I reloaded and killed him again - Tomi stayed alive and I got only about 140 XP. I'm not sure how the CR can affect this, as it is dependent only on your level, so will be the same whether you have a henchman or not. But conversely, your henchman levels when you do, so he can't actually be taking the XP, perhaps just reducing it by his presence...

Magus · Post by **Magus** » Sat Jul 06, 2002 3:23 pm

It's not fair

I tested it myself against skeleton warriors, and I get less experience when I've dismissed Tomi from my party. It's not fair. I want to go solo now, but don't want to take an EXP hit.