XP bonus or penalty for grinding parties?

WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
edited February 2009 in General Discussion
According to what I've read in this thread http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=177522, many people are claiming there is an XP bonus when in a squad.

I would like to know if anybody can provide definite proof of what the bonus is, and when exactly it comes into effect.

I ask because last week my girlfriend and I were killing monsters together and we stopped to test exactly how the XP was getting split. She was about 4 levels above me at the time, in her early 40s, and our tests showed that she was receiving (if memory serves) 109 XP, while I was getting 69 XP, for a total of 178 XP points. However, when I killed a monster alone, I received 189 XP.

Assuming we were killing monsters at double the speed (by splitting our efforts between different monsters), my slightly lower level character was receiving a whopping 27% less XP than I would have been if I had been killing them alone. By contrast, her higher level character was receiving a significant XP bonus of roughly the same amount, but at my cost!

So then my question is, is this the reason for people reporting an XP bonus while party grinding? If so, then there's no XP bonus at all, but rather just an XP division imbalance that favours the higher level characters at the expense of the lower levels.

If somebody has some actual, definitive proof that our experiments at level ~40 do not reflect how things work at higher levels, please post them because I'd really like to understand this. Thanks!
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Post edited by WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary on

Comments

  • Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear
    Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear Posts: 722 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    was the monsters white or green named? It's REALLY strange that you'd get less exp.

    Last party i was in i got 430 xp solo and 220 exp in party. we where the same lvls and only 1 lvl higher than the mobs.
    and of course, note that some mobs have "enhanced features" like extra HP/resistances/sac assult and those give almost 2x normal exp. So be carefull not to compare solo efforts of those with regular monsters being killed in party.
  • Jrudora - Lost City
    Jrudora - Lost City Posts: 445 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    If I recall, the exp given is based on the highest level member in the squad.
    Since your friend was 4 levels higher than you, if you were grinding on the same mobs it means each kill was worth only 90% of the normal exp the mob gives you. (a 10% deduction, for mobs that are 3 levels below you)

    So given that, if you were 3 levels higher than the mob also, your exp gain from one mob would really be 171exp, which is less than 178 exp.
    Also, because of the level gap between you two, she was obviously getting a ton more exp, which is why your exp gain is minimal.

    To make a squad party effective, your levels against the mob should be either lower, or the same level as the highest level squad member in your party.

    It would be better if you found another level 43, and see the results there.
    Anything else would deviate the results.
  • Ithilmir - Sanctuary
    Ithilmir - Sanctuary Posts: 91 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    When you are grinding with players of the same level, and against foes within the same level range, you will get slightly more EXP collectively, but this is split between squad members. To make squad grinding worth it, you need to be able to kill faster with each additional squad member; otherwise you will have deadweights that will suck your EXP away.
  • Granrey - Sanctuary
    Granrey - Sanctuary Posts: 2,050 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary wrote: »
    According to what I've read in this thread http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=177522, many people are claiming there is an XP bonus when in a squad.

    I would like to know if anybody can provide definite proof of what the bonus is, and when exactly it comes into effect.

    I ask because last week my girlfriend and I were killing monsters together and we stopped to test exactly how the XP was getting split. She was about 4 levels above me at the time, in her early 40s, and our tests showed that she was receiving (if memory serves) 109 XP, while I was getting 69 XP, for a total of 178 XP points. However, when I killed a monster alone, I received 189 XP.

    Assuming we were killing monsters at double the speed (by splitting our efforts between different monsters), my slightly lower level character was receiving a whopping 27% less XP than I would have been if I had been killing them alone. By contrast, her higher level character was receiving a significant XP bonus of roughly the same amount, but at my cost!

    So then my question is, is this the reason for people reporting an XP bonus while party grinding? If so, then there's no XP bonus at all, but rather just an XP division imbalance that favours the higher level characters at the expense of the lower levels.

    If somebody has some actual, definitive proof that our experiments at level ~40 do not reflect how things work at higher levels, please post them because I'd really like to understand this. Thanks!

    Did you time yourself?

    I think is more acurate to find out how many "exp per minute" (exps/min) you were getting solo, compared to exp per minute while you were in a squad.

    In squad you have less meditation time than when you are solo. I'm quite confident while you were with her you were at leat killing 3 mobs while solo you were killing only one. 3x69= 207 is more than 1x189=189.

    207 (squad)> 189 (solo)

    Not need to say the risk solo is higher since sometimes you have to walk away from the mob after starting the fight (no exps) or get killed (losing exps).

    I hope this clears the argument in how to do the comparison

    In case is still not clear. I wonder who makes more money. Somebody paid $10/month while somebody is paid $80 per year (ignoring interest rates).
  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear wrote: »
    was the monsters white or green named? It's REALLY strange that you'd get less exp.
    I know they were white for me, and I'm betting they were green for her. I'll definitely have to retry our experiments on higher level monsters.
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  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    Granrey - Sanctuary wrote: »
    In squad you have less meditation time than when you are solo. I'm quite confident while you were with her you were at leat killing 3 mobs while solo you were killing only one. 3x69= 207 is more than 1x189=189.
    Neither one of us ever meditates. We kill as fast as the damage output of our characters (and in her case her pet as well) allows, plus the travel time between mobs.

    The two of us combined are earning about ~350k per day in catshop sales, so Mana/HP charms aren't a problem for us.
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  • Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear
    Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear Posts: 722 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    Mobs should be white named for all party members. Try to stay no more than 5 lvls apart for members too (for example in your post you where 30/31 and she was in her 40's, huge difference there).
  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    Smexxyfox - Heavens Tear wrote: »
    Mobs should be white named for all party members. Try to stay no more than 5 lvls apart for members too (for example in your post you where 30/31 and she was in her 40's, huge difference there).
    I was actually only about 4 levels behind her. But I'll definitely try again with white named mobs for both of us.
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  • Agentzero - Lost City
    Agentzero - Lost City Posts: 199 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    thats why it is important to party grind with people around your level.
    also, use exp scrolls.
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  • The ferenczy - Sanctuary
    The ferenczy - Sanctuary Posts: 275 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    yeah i have a similar question about where to find the info on how the exp sharing works
    from what i understand a 2 person crew should split the difference but when my wife first started playing i tried to "power lvl her" as a guildmate said i should andi took her to where the names were white to me and i tanked for her as we teamed up killing she got 100 exp and i got 200 exp on a mob that normally gave 300 exp (all number are rounded)
    shoot she was getting 200 exp on the mobs she was killing solo.
    and secondly can any one explain how much if any extra exp we get by killing mobs that are orange. i currently grind on some lvl 65 mobs and only get 100 extra exp than my frind who is grinding on lvl 59 mobs.
    one day the world will shout to me save us....
    and i will whisper no.
  • jemima
    jemima Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    XP gained increases slightly the lower your level is compared to the monsters, to a maximum of 1.2x at 11 levels below. It's not really worth it killing higher levelled mobs for extra XP, as the slightly extra XP is more than offset by the extra difficulty and cost (in time mainly, but also pots, etc) in killing them.
  • Granrey - Sanctuary
    Granrey - Sanctuary Posts: 2,050 Arc User
    edited February 2009
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary wrote: »
    Neither one of us ever meditates. We kill as fast as the damage output of our characters (and in her case her pet as well) allows, plus the travel time between mobs.

    The two of us combined are earning about ~350k per day in catshop sales, so Mana/HP charms aren't a problem for us.

    if you do not meditate, I see no reason for squad rather than reducing your chances of walking away from the mob or getting killed.

    No squad is the best for you guys (IMO).

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