<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Goblin Dog</strong></span>(http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/dog/goblin-dog)<br/><div class="floatleft">(http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs21/f/2007/297/a/a/Goblin_Dog_by_nJoo.jpg)</div><br/>The dogs were gathered into large pack formation in green fields outside the farmer Davey's farm. They had attacked and butchered down his sheep (the ones which did not succeed run and escape in time). The dogs were feasting on remains of the feast with disgusting gusto. The stench of the dogs was clear; husky and thick. Thanks their focus on carcasses they ignored the party, only glare occasion and give warning growl but they were alert of their presence.<br/><br/>Map: http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2e0mfzp&s=5 (http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2e0mfzp&s=5)<br/>OOC: Initiative rolls everyone! Doggies rolled 12 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=49090) on initiative. Meaning the person who runs into 10'ft from them (having 5'ft square between the dog and itself), will draw aggro of the dog and dogs respond to threat based on dmg or other threat control abilities (like Iron Guard's Glare). Now the person who has higher Ini can run to the threat range and run away without scratch (but the dog may charge and try bite him/her). But those who have lower Ini get first attacked the dog before they get chance to run away and top of that provoke AoO from the dog from leaving threatened square (acrobatics check can help negate this AoO).<br/><br/>Now, if you kill dogs one by one you get only 50% of XP because vast CR difference between the dog and your party. With party of six 1st level chars is a 3.5 (rounded up to 4 because superior numbers) CR encounter. So if your party has +2 greater CR than actual threat presented, you get 50% XP reward split to six members (so each dog is worth 200 XP split to six when hitting them one by one).<br/><br/>So, to get full XP you need stack 3 dogs at least to get full XP reward (1,200 XP split to six). Betatesters are aware how the XP works and how it is split.<br/><br/>In full risk take you could aggro all individually one dog (and someone goes aggro 7th, like eidolon) and take all 7 dogs as single encounter and so you face a CR 4 encounter and so have higher chance for rarer loot as encounter is equal to your party's CR (base chance is 25% + 10% per CR difference to party, if under CR of the party then chance is only 5%). But also it's possible chain encounters so that someone pulls one dog, someone goes aggro couple dogs and brings them over while you fight first one. If first dog is not dead by time new dogs Ini starts while starting engage you, then the encounter counts the new dogs added up for the CR for XP counting wise. If the first dog is dead before other dogs Ini is reached, then you get counted having two different encounters instead one encounter.<br/><br/>So, maneuver to go aggro dogs while fighting them one vs party is damn tricky to pull as the aggro person needs 'tank' dogs one round near you guys.<br/><br/>I hope the XP and aggro&threat mechanics are clear so you can plan actions better :P.