How Many Battles Per Gaming Session?

[Jhaelen]

2-3 is pretty much spot on. We rarely manage more than that.

These are 10-12 hour sessions with up to 9 players of levels 10-12 in a D&D 3E game.

 

[fba827]

Given the variation in 'length of a game session' a better question may have been 'how many encounters on average per hour' (or two hours since looking at the responses so far you'll have more whole numbers at the two hour mark) and then given fractional choices as well.

 

[Betote]

Last session we had a total of 9 combats, both planned and random. We played from 12:00PM to 7:30AM, and had a lot of roleplaying, so I'd say they went quite well. We used Pathfinder, and the APL is 7.

 

[Greg K]

It depends on the game played and the current adventure/storyline. Our games are not very combat centric as combat typically makes up no more than 25% of our gaming session. On an average night, however, I'd say it typically ranges from 0-2.

 

[KB9JMQ]

In our 4E Game we get about 2-3, usually 2 which is what I voted.
In our 3E Game we were closer to 4-5. Even though we play the same amount of time with the same people.

 

[RFisher]

Given the variation in 'length of a game session' a better question may have been 'how many encounters on average per hour' (or two hours since looking at the responses so far you'll have more whole numbers at the two hour mark) and then given fractional choices as well.

I suppose it might be a better question, but the number of encounters is quite different from the number of battles.

 

[TessarrianDM]

The last two encounters we have had have covered multiple game sessions (once per month, 6 hours each) in a 3.5 homebrew campaign. The current one, between five 15th and 16th-level PC's and 69 opponents ranging from 2-HD zombies to fiendish ogres with up to 8 character levels each has been going on for 23 rounds over 18 hours of game time. The players are engaging the far-ranging scout units of a demon/undead army on a battlefield spread over an area 1800 feet by 1200 feet, from ground level to 180' in the air above. We still probably have another session or two to go.

(Thanks to Janik and Mad Scientist for DMGenie. I couldn't do this without it!)

 

[Truth Seeker]

Every 3 sessions a battle will ensue. Before that, plenty of "drama' RP, then the hints to what is coming (given them a chance to prepare).

That works for me...