Average Length of Combats [Poll]

[WizarDru]

In this thread: about Haste , Simulacrum mentioned that he thought that combats that ran 3-4 rounds was 'Diablo 2' D&D, as he had never played a combat that ran less than 12.

This stunned me, as I can only recall two or three combats in my entire playing of 3E in the last few years to go that long...and one of them was when we were less familiar with the rules, so that somewhat extended it to a RW time of almost 7 hours.

What is the normal experience for folks? I'm curious how combat runs for the majority of ENWorlders.

 

[Creamsteak]

6 Rounds is my standard time. One round where the players fail to spot or roll low on initiative, one round where they kill some cannon fodder, one round where the enemy seems to suddenly take advantage of something, one round where the players recover from said threat, one round where the players wound what needs wounding, and the mop up round at the end. If it lasts longer, it's a "though" fight, if it lasts less, it's a "short" fight.

That's my situation.

 

[Mark]

IMO it depends a lot on what the DM stresses for NPCs. If they are big on defense and capturing PCs, rather than always going for the throat, combat can last a long time. If everything is an all or nothing shot, combat is usually fairly swift, and moreso the higher the level you get.

 

[Fenes 2]

I voted 6 rounds. In one campaign, we have a small level-14 party (2 to 3 Melee-PCs and 1+ NPCs), and combats tend to be either very short (2 to 4 rounds, f.e. ganging up on an enemy spellcaster or the barbarian dealing out and recieving full attacks with one opponent) or long (10 rounds +, f.e. the duelist/bladedancer duelling by spring attacking with fighting defensively and elaborate parry going). 6 rounds is the average here, but seldom the actual duration of a battle.

In another campaign we have another group without a main spellcaster (Paladin-11, Fighter-11 (Swashbuckler), Fighter-11 (Archer), Bard-11), which means damage dealing is slower than with save-or-die spells and area-effect spells.
Apart from short battles against enemy casters, and long outdrawn battles against meleeing opponents there are a lot battles against cannon fodder where we only play out the first few rounds and then switch to narrative, or where the opponents flee after a few bloody rounds.

 

[Lela]

I went 5 but it's likely less. The only time we've ever gotten over eight was when I bottlenecked the party in a curved stairway. With only one guy in front only able to hit the other guy in front it took a while (and two sessions) to get through it.

 

[Ycore Rixle]

I voted three. Climactic "boss" battles take longer (maybe averaging 6-8 rounds), but we have many, many quick battles that are over with a single casting of charm monster or power word stun or with the barbarian getting in a full attack action (50+ hp easily). Our party is 14th level: barbarian, rogue, cleric, wizard.

In another campaign I play in, I'd say about five rounds. But our party is slightly non-traditional and a bit underpowered: (7th level average) monk, cleric/wizard, bard, and fighter.

I like that in 3e saving throws are generally harder to make than in 1e for higher level characters, but at those high levels, save-or-die spells often decide battles quickly in our campaign.

 

[Sanackranib]

rounds

I said 6 rounds but offen in my experience is that its ovten less then that.

 

[mmu1]

The combats I run have been getting longer lately, mainly by design - I never use "standard CR" encounters anymore, since, frankly, they bore me to tears and the party rips through them too easily.

Last one I ran, which lasted probably around 3 hours, consisted of the party (6 characters and 1 NPC) going up against a spellcaster with Improved Invisibility, his pet Wyvern, two bodyguards, 8 archers, and assorted other cannon fodder with most of the characters down in the fray, and 2 others up on a tower overlooking the place, involved in their own little mess.

It lasted almost long anough for the party mage to take secondary damage from the Wyvern's poison, which was inflicted in the 4th or 5th round of combat.

It helps that everyone is pretty familiar with the system by now and the turns go by relatively quickly.

 

[randomling]

I voted 3 rounds, but of course it depends on the combat. Put them in front of a bunch of orcs, and they whistle through them in five seconds flat. Or should that be six seconds flat? Put them in front of a dragon... or 12 colossal zombies ... and they thrash it out for hours of play time and a good minute and a half of game time.

So, it depends.

 

[Liquide]

12+ rounds since I try to play my PC's opponents as cleverly as they play theirs, usually there is some kind of ambush (from either side) then chaos in one round. After that comes rounds of regrouping and defense and finally after that comes the tactics/combat/defense rounds.

Still I like the better play safe then sorry (all mosnters aren't stupid, and those that are usually have the hit points to stand it)