Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What is the XP budget system in Pathfinder 2e?
The XP budget system is the official method for building balanced encounters in Pathfinder 2e. Each party level has specific XP thresholds that determine encounter difficulty: Trivial, Low, Moderate, Severe, and Extreme. You spend this "budget" by adding monsters whose XP values are based on their level relative to the party.
How accurate is this calculator?
Our calculator implements the exact formulas from the Pathfinder 2e Core Rulebook. We regularly verify our calculations against official sources and update for any errata or clarifications from Paizo.
Can I use this for Pathfinder 1st Edition?
No, this calculator is specifically designed for Pathfinder 2nd Edition. The encounter building systems between PF1e and PF2e are completely different.
Using the Calculator
What party sizes does the calculator support?
The calculator works for any party size from 1 to 8 players. XP budgets are automatically adjusted by multiplying the base values by party size.
Can I add monsters of different levels?
Yes! Click "Add Monster" to include multiple monster groups of different levels and quantities. This is perfect for encounters with minions, lieutenants, and bosses.
What does a negative monster level mean?
Monsters can have levels from -1 to 25. Level -1 represents very weak creatures like ordinary animals or simple hazards that pose minimal threat to adventurers.
Why do some monster levels give the same XP?
Monster XP is capped at both ends. Creatures 4+ levels below the party give minimum XP (10), while creatures 4+ levels above give maximum XP (160). This prevents trivial encounters from having zero value and ensures extremely dangerous foes remain manageable.
Encounter Building Tips
What difficulty should I aim for?
Moderate encounters are the baseline - challenging but not overwhelming. Use Low for easier sessions, Severe for climactic moments, and Extreme sparingly for major boss fights. Trivial encounters are good for story moments or when the party is weakened.
How many encounters should I plan per day?
The game assumes 6-8 moderate encounters per day, but this varies greatly based on your campaign style. Consider resource management, healing opportunities, and story pacing when planning encounter frequency.
Should I adjust for party composition?
The XP system assumes a balanced party. Consider increasing difficulty slightly for optimized parties or decreasing for groups lacking key roles (healing, damage, etc.). Environmental factors and tactics also affect encounter difficulty beyond raw XP values.
What about environmental hazards?
Hazards have their own XP values based on level and complexity. Add hazard XP to your monster XP total when calculating encounter difficulty. Simple hazards might add 10-20 XP, while complex traps can contribute 40+ XP.
Technical Questions
Does this work offline?
Yes! Once the page loads, all calculations happen in your browser. You can use the calculator without an internet connection.
Do you store my encounter data?
No, we don't collect or store any encounter data. All calculations happen locally in your browser for complete privacy.
Can I bookmark specific encounters?
Currently, the calculator doesn't save encounters, but you can bookmark the page and quickly recreate encounters. We're considering adding save/load functionality in future updates.