D&D 5E (2014) A simple solution to 'easy mode D&D' and the 6-8 combats problem

[Nevvur]

Rather than giving monsters the average HP listed in their stat block, give them the maximum.

Now that I've solved the titular problems for you, what do I win?

 

[Satyrn]

Rather than giving monsters the average HP listed in their stat block, give them the maximum.

Now that I've solved the titular problems for you, what do I win?

I believe there's an ENnie for that.

 

[Wulffolk]

You, sir, win 1xp.

But that only solves half the problem, that being increased difficulty.

How do you propose to solve the number of encounters expected per day?

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Actually that does little to fix thing IME.

 

[Ganymede81]

My PCs solved this problem by going to Curse of Strahd's Amber Temple at level 6. That definitely knocked them out of their easy-mode mentality.

 

[Blue]

A large factor in the 6-8 encounters per day is a matter of resource management. Both in absolute amounts, but also int he balance between the at-will, short-rest-recovery and long-rest-recovery resources.

Unfortunately, more difficult fights do NOT evenly address this because some resource expenditures don't scale simply with combat toughness. Let's take the same example I used in another thread: 3 rages per day. If you have 6 encounters, that means you can rage in half of them. Max. If you have 3 harder encounters, then you can rage in all of them.

Many buff spells are the same - it takes half as many castings per day.

If the foes are more powerful, a debuff spell gives you more bang for you buck since it stops more for the same casting. And since 3 or 4 saves do NOT scale with level, as long as you pay attention it is just as easy to land the spells.

If foes are instead more numerous, then area of effects get better - often able to affect more foes for the same casting.

On the other hand, many resources are scaled by tougher encounters. So you can't just cut everything in half and say you've fixed it. There isn't a simple solution to maintaining the same balance and reducing the number of encounters between recharging resources.

(If you move from the narrative model recharge-on-short|long-rest model to a more gamist model where they recharge every 2/6 challenging encounters it would resolve it, but that's a sacred cow for a reason - it strongly fits the story, and it gives some control into the hands of the players to make their own calls.)

EDIT: I do see "it works fine for me with fewer/harder encounters". My question for that is do they have a mix of short-rest recovery and primary at-will or do the "stars" often use long-rest recovery classes like the wizard, paladin, etc.

 

[mellored]

You, sir, win 1xp.

But that only solves half the problem, that being increased difficulty.

How do you propose to solve the number of encounters expected per day?

Super Short Rest:
You can forgo your turn, losing all your actions, movement, and concentration, in order to take a short rest. Creatures have disadvantage to hit you and you have advantage on saves and ability rolls until the start of your next turn, when your short rest is complete. However, if you are attacked, make a save, or an ability check your short rest is interrupted and gain no benefit. You can use this feature twice per long rest, but can no longer take normal short rests. Interrupted rests do not count against this limit.

 

[Croesus]

Rather than giving monsters the average HP listed in their stat block, give them the maximum.

Now that I've solved the titular problems for you, what do I win?

One solution I've used is to run encounters in waves. Say the party encounter a frost giant hunting party. Maybe they only meet a couple at first. Assuming a fight breaks out, the party thinks they only have to worry about a couple giants. On round four, a half dozen winter wolves arrive, on round eight, the two giants that were tracking with the wolves arrive. An hour after the fight ends, the huntsman and his pack find the dead giants. He immediately begins tracking the party.

Alternately, the fight with the giants attracts other creatures, say a local bear that is protecting her young, or some fey that think it would be great fun to play tricks on the combatants. If one of the fey is slain, however, they stop playing.

If you want players to manage short-term resources (rage, bless, etc.), space the waves a few minutes apart, instead of a few rounds.

I don't do this every time, of course. Just enough so the players don't think they can safely nova against a single encounter.

One other thought: there's nothing wrong with giving the party an easy encounter now than then. Let them run into some orcs who quickly flee when they realize the party are not easy prey. The players feel good about their characters, maybe they pick up some useful info, and play continues. Parties don't have to be challenged every adventuring day, just often enough that the players have a sense of accomplishment when they succeed.

 

[Croesus]

3 rages per day. If you have 6 encounters, that means you can rage in half of them. Max. If you have 3 harder encounters, then you can rage in all of them.

One trick I stumbled into is having enemies run away, only to attack later. I forget the specifics, but the barbarian immediately raged in the initial encounter. Just a few rounds in, the enemies ran away and the barbarian was unable to pursue. They collected reinforcements and attacked the party again, only to run away again. By this point, the barbarian was really concerned, as he'd already burned two rages and the enemies hadn't been clearly defeated.

As with my idea in another post, I don't do this all the time. Just enough to keep players on their toes.

 

[Blue]

One trick I stumbled into is having enemies run away, only to attack later. I forget the specifics, but the barbarian immediately raged in the initial encounter. Just a few rounds in, the enemies ran away and the barbarian was unable to pursue. They collected reinforcements and attacked the party again, only to run away again. By this point, the barbarian was really concerned, as he'd already burned two rages and the enemies hadn't been clearly defeated.

As with my idea in another post, I don't do this all the time. Just enough to keep players on their toes.

Sure, that's a great way to increase the number of encounters to get toward the 6-8.