How often can you use "per encounter" abilities when not in combat?

[Wednesday Boy]

Have the WotC folk given any indication of how often you can use "per encounter" abilities when you're not in combat?

Out of combat would they be basically "at will"?
Does it become "every X minutes"?
Or does everything get broken down into "encounters" as per the DM's ruling (ex: bartering with the merchant is an encounter, sleeping during the night is an encounter, reporting back to your general is an encounter, etc.)?
(Or is it something entirely different?)

Thanks for the insight!

 

[SCMrks]

I played at D&DXP and per encounter abilities recharge after 5 minutes of rest.

 

[shawnsse]

per encounter means per encounter.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I played at D&DXP and per encounter abilities recharge after 5 minutes of rest.

Slick, thanks!

 

[Green Knight]

Every five minutes would be my guess. The only question is, how is Rest defined? Do you actually gotta sit around and do nothing to count as Resting? Or can you be engaged in other activities (like looting bodies and so on)? I imagine it works like this: If five minutes pass without you having to roll Initiative, then you got your Per Encounter powers back.

 

[LostSoul]

per encounter means per encounter.

I like the way you think.

 

[Rouens]

Every five minutes would be my guess. The only question is, how is Rest defined? Do you actually gotta sit around and do nothing to count as Resting? Or can you be engaged in other activities (like looting bodies and so on)? I imagine it works like this: If five minutes pass without you having to roll Initiative, then you got your Per Encounter powers back.

I guess rest means collecting you thoughts and imaging several characters just panting a bit leaning against a wall or rummaging through the possessions of the fallen foos
Stretching your muscles. Take some time to bind the wounds and stuff like that.

 

[Umbran]

Have the WotC folk given any indication of how often you can use "per encounter" abilities when you're not in combat?

Well, perhaps more to the point, have the WOTC folk given any indication that the "per encounter" abilities will be particularly useful when not in combat? It was my impression that, as a broad generalization, the stuff we want to do in fights (often the primary encounter type) would be on the encounter timescales, and the stuff that want to do at other times would be on longer timescales (like per day).

 

[malraux]

Well, perhaps more to the point, have the WOTC folk given any indication that the "per encounter" abilities will be particularly useful when not in combat? It was my impression that, as a broad generalization, the stuff we want to do in fights (often the primary encounter type) would be on the encounter timescales, and the stuff that want to do at other times would be on longer timescales (like per day).

The cleric's per encounter power that gives a boost to healing surges seems like a handy out of combat power, and the one I think that many people have in mind regarding this question.

 

[Green Knight]

have the WOTC folk given any indication that the "per encounter" abilities will be particularly useful when not in combat?

The only example I can think of is Healing Word. That's useful for healing the PC's after combat, as it gives the PC's more healing for each use of a Healing Surge, thus resulting in fewer Healing Surges being used to get back up to max.