In Avowed's "Fires in the Mine" side quest, the decision to stop or support Darle impacts rewards significantly. While both choices offer XP, preventing Darle's mine explosion yields superior overall rewards.
Supporting Darle: This nets 1026 XP but forfeits any monetary reward from Kada and Seyon due to the mine's destruction. The Aedyrans and Thirdborn relationship suffers as a result.
Stopping Darle: This option provides a total of 1091 XP (212 XP for the kill + 879 XP for debriefing), exceeding the support reward by 65 XP. Additionally, you receive 900 coins and loot from Darle's corpse: a Blackwood Branch (a valuable upgrade material), Wild Mushroom Stew, and two Beetle Pies.
The improved XP, substantial coin reward, and valuable loot make stopping Darle the optimal choice from a gameplay standpoint. While supporting Darle might resonate with certain players narratively, the tangible benefits of thwarting his plan are undeniably superior. Maintaining a positive relationship between the Thirdborn and Aedyrans is a bonus, but the gameplay advantages significantly outweigh this narrative consideration.