I've started leveling my smn, now at 13...
Prior to this evening, I could call my NPC, use an empress ring, and gain great xp with my NPC & Carby.
As of tonight, I can still do all that, but the +xp is null when using my NPC. I was getting normal xp (even with empress ring active), and as soon as my NPC bade me farewell, the xp went back up. How sucky is that, lol...