D&D 5E (2014) "As a DM I don't pay all that much attention (if any) to the PCs' remaining resources." (a poll)

[el-remmen]

Again, a simple premise.

Respond True or False to this statement: ""As a DM (running D&D 5E) I don't pay all that much attention (if any) to the PCs' remaining resources."

 

[Vaalingrade]

I am in no way interested in attrition or resource management, so True.

 

[CleverNickName]

Woah, deja vu.

I design my adventures based on the party's composition (i.e., whether or not they have a cleric in the group, or whether or not they have a rogue) but I never try to guess how many spell slots they might have at any given moment, or how much damage they might have taken by the time they get to a certain point on the map. There's just too much that can happen between Point A and Point B, and the dice are fickle. I've got more than enough to keep track of already without adding "PC Resources" to that list.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The PC's resources are the PC's responsibility to keep track of. Period.

Now, if something seems a little off about their resource usage (due to ignorance or error) I will inquire.

"Hey, are you keeping track of those arrows you are firing?"
"You're checking you ki points, right?"

In the end, I have enough to do without doing their bookkeeping as well.

(All of this is why I prefer rules lite.)

 

[billd91]

Kind of a mix. It depends mostly on the experience level of the players. If they are highly experienced, they're in charge of their own stuff, including their dwindling resources. If they overextend themselves, oh well.
But if the players are relatively inexperienced, I'll give them reminders that they may be low on healing resources, food, etc. It's still up to them to adjust to that information and back off to rest and resupply or take the risk and press on. I'll react to their decisions and actions based on the situation they're in, regardless.

 

[Deset Gled]

If the players talk about their resources and the DM listens, does that count as paying attention because the DM is cognizant of what's going on, or not paying attention because they're not keeping track of resources themselves?

 

[iserith]

None of my business as DM as far as I'm concerned. It's their resources and I trust they are tracking them according to the standards of the given game we're playing.

I don't pull punches either if I have a sense they are low on resources. They got into that predicament. It's on them to get out of it.

 

[payn]

Depends on the game I'm running. If its an old school inspired sandbox, I expect hard mode resource attrition and decision making on part of the players. In this case, the answer would be true. However, if I am running an adventure path and the players got unexpectedly shellacked, I'm likely to change the adventure a bit. A retreat may be unlikely, and/or feel bad narratively. I don't want the players to feel defeated in this type of game, just challenged. So, here I find the answer false.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

If the players talk about their resources and the DM listens, does that count as paying attention because the DM is cognizant of what's going on, or not paying attention because they're not keeping track of resources themselves?

C'mon.

Like a DM ever listens to the players???????

 

[Medic]

C'mon.

Like a DM ever listens to the players???????

I sure do. The sounds they make when I tell them how much damage their characters take is ambrosia for the ears.