Example of awarding xp to monsters:
The experience points is dependent on your hp roll of that creature, not the total hp.
Lets say the monster in question is a Basilisk. The Basilisks has HD 6 (d10).
You roll 6d10 and get a decent 30hp for the Basilisk.
The per HP for a HD 6 monster is 6 (looking at the row 3 "Per HP" on the chart.)
Now multiply the HD of the monster (which in this case is 6) by your rolled hp of 30 of that monster.
6 (Monster HD) X 30 (monster rolled hit points) =180
Then add your base for a 6 HD monster which, in this case 120. (Row 2 of the chart.)
120+180=300xp
To add another example:.
Lets say you rolled an abysmal 17 for the Basilisks. The
per HP of a HD monster is 6.
Now multiply the HD monster (which is till a 6) by your rolled hp of 17.
6X17=102
Then you add your base (120) to this number giving you...
102+120=222xp
Using your own example:
The HD is 1d4, You roll your hit points and get a 2.
HD is a 1 and times it by your hit points you get a 2. Add the base of 5 you get.
2+5=7xp
Using your own example 2:
The HD of the monster is 1d4, You roll 4 to get 4 hit points. You times the hit point number with by the monsters HD which in this case is a one. 1X4=4. Add the base number of 5 and you get... 5+4=9xp. (This the max xp you could get before adding any "specials".)
Specials I, II, III
Then you add Specials I, II, III if necessary to the creatures xp value.
The Basilisk has Petrifying Gaze and Darkvision that gives it 2 special abilities and would fall under the special I category. You'd add the extra xp for those specials.
The Basilisk (following the 6HD on the chart to Specials I.) It gives your character an extra 60xp (2 abilities stacked. Special I for HD6 is 30. The Basilisk has 2 special abilities so 2X30=60)
So using the first example. The Basilisks xp of 300 you would add the 60 special xp to make a final total of 360xp.
The second example would be, 222xp + 60xp = 282xp.
Same rules, different outcome for xp.
Same monster but different xp to make a variation from defeating a strong healthy Basilisk to an old worn out Basilisk. If you choose to use the more accurate xp, of a monster, you'd probably want to use pre-gens (More like major players) and use the listed xp for random encounters or minor characters, "mugs" or the like.
Listed plus "xp" your guess is as good as mine.
As far as I know the listed xp in the creatures stat block is just another way of declaring xp without having to do the steps above, making it much easier to determine xp. These are two methods that have nothing to do with each other. In the Basilisks case the
average xp is 240+6. As you can see by my above examples the average xp, as written in the book is pretty spot on. I really don't get the "+ number" at the end. I know it says you can add it as a bonus if the creature is more difficult, this bonus of 6 would make the Basilisk 246, not a great leap from an average Basilisk. But, these pluses seem pretty weak in the grand scheme of things. More clarification would help.
The Green Hag has a HD 9 (d8). Its listed XP is 1600+9
The Lamia has a HD 9 (d10). Its listed XP is 1400+9
I'm guessing that the xp number differential is because The Green Hag has more "specials" than the Lamia that pushes The Green Hag to a different "Special" amount.
My guess is you roll that number of hit die, using the number listed. In the Basilisks case its xp reads 240+6. I roll 6 d10 and get 16. I'd add this 16 to the average giving this Basilisk 256 xp. The max you could get for the Basilisk using the first method is 540 (HD6X60=360 add the base bonus of 60 = 420xp + Special 60 = 540). The listed xp is 240 and if I apply my guess of rolling the hit die number (In this case d10) and you roll a max number (All tens on your roll.) the +number would be +60. Add that to the listed average (240) you could max out at 300xp. A 240xp maximum difference from the monster table to the average listed number.
Halving the 540xp gives an average of 270xp.
Or, the +(number) means you add a 9 for each level of that monster.
HD 6 X 9 = 54. Added onto the listed xp number (240 + 54 = 294 xp).
Or, is it just RAW? (240 + 6 = 246 xp.)
Terribly confused.
Any other takes, that I might be missing the obvious?
