Encounter XP Budget Calculator

Calculate the XP budget for a D&D 5e encounter based on your party's composition and desired difficulty level.

Fill in the fields above and click Calculate.

Formula

Total XP Budget = XP Threshold per Character (by level & difficulty) × Number of PCs

Raw Monster XP Budget = Total XP Budget ÷ Encounter Multiplier

Encounter Multiplier is based on the number of monsters:
1 monster → ×1  |  2 → ×1.5  |  3–6 → ×2  |  7–10 → ×2.5  |  11–14 → ×3  |  15+ → ×4
(Adjusted up one step for parties <3, down one step for parties ≥6)

Assumptions & References

  • XP thresholds are sourced from the Dungeon Master's Guide (5e), Chapter 3, p. 82.