Absolutely right. I noticed the same thing, XP for killing monsters creates a disincentive for players to do anything other than engage in combat, and see if their numbers and rolls prevail against those of the opponents.Hywaywolf wrote: ↑Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:27 pm as a player, if the only way to get XP is to kill monsters then killing monsters will be at the top of the "to do" list. If you're looking to build a party of exterminators thats how you get one. There are a lot of good alternates listed in the previous posts that will lead to a fuller game experience as well as player advancement .
The very best way to think of XP is to reward success. Success being twofold: the achievement of the player's goals (i.e defeating or overcoming monsters, the acquisition of treasure and magic, fulfilling a specific plot goal like recovering a hostage). I used to always award partial (say, 1/4 to 1/2) XP for scaring off a monster, getting around it through creativity, etc. Also would award a little XP for making and attempting clever strategies, small bonuses (25XP) for navigating a scenario with exceptional role playing or characterization to incentivize immersive play. Gold, certainly! Magical items, yes!
Typically, I used to shoot for around 3 adventures per level of experience, as did other DMs I played with. Of course, I played gritty, old school murder factories where generally you could count on about one of every four characters you made getting to second or third level. And it didn't often get any easier from there!