D&D 5E "When DMing I Avoid Making the PCs have 'pointless' combats." (a poll)

[Lanefan]

A group of 4 level 10 characters at full strength going in a cave to rest for the night with a single black bear guarding it's den.

The potential ethical argument about kicking a bear out of its den to sleep or whatever might make for an interesting situation for the players but the "roll initiative" challenge of actually defeating the bear is non-existent. In this scenario I would not run a combat if the players wanted the bear dead or driven out, it would just be narrated.

Same situation for that same party being attacked by 8 low level bandits with daggers and leather armor.

Two issues here:

One, if you're using a system that has fumbles etc. that can cause weapons, shields, etc. to possibly break then every combat of any kind has potential long-term consequences.

Two, by going to straight narration you're not allowing for the one-in-a-thousand chance that the supposedly-inferior opponent gets hella lucky and badly hurts or kills a PC or two, or even wins outright.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Random Encounters are a staple of D&D. Do you consider RE a pointless combat?
There are the other ways to resolve RE of-course such as through a skill challenge, or a simple resource cost for time delay...etc but sometimes a random encounter could result in interesting scenarios that might not otherwise be considered.

I sometimes run quick simple combats for colour whether it be to showcase a monster, a location, reveal a clue, a specific interaction or something else. Colour combats to me are not pointless as they can spark the imagination for both PCs and the DM, they add to player and character morale, and they can assist in the cementing of player character and non-player character choices.

In all of this, real time plays a limiting constraint (as always).

 

[amethal]

I didn't vote, as I don't run 5th edition D&D. If I had voted, I'd have gone for "yes".

In some of the Paizo adventure paths there are lots of "filler" combats where the monsters are only there to provide the XP necessary for the PCs to be at the "correct" level when they start the next instalment. (In later adventure paths they have got better at coming up with non-combat ways the PCs can also get the same XP, and in many cases these alternatives are actually easier than fighting.)

Since I use "milestone" levelling anyway, the sole point of the fight - handing out XP - no longer applies, so I leave out these encounters unless I think the players will have fun dealing with the challenge.

Taking out encounters also leaves room for me to introduce other encounters, either my own or from other published adventures.

If I was running a typical OSR game, there are no pointless encounters, since wandering monsters and the like are all part of the game's risk and reward - and reaction rolls means not every encounter needs to be a fight (all too often in modern adventures it seems like there are only two categories of monsters - those who "attack immediately and fight to the death" and those who "talk for a bit, then attack and fight to the death".)

 

[UngeheuerLich]

There is of course the question, what a pointless combat is, but there are combats the PCs could circumvent and which have nothing to do with the story.

The point however is that the world is sometimes hostile and that if you seek for trouble you get it. Seeking for trouble might simply mean resting in the enemy's territory or trying to do 5 min workday.

 

[Mannahnin]

That’s like saying “pointless pizza.”

That actually exists, though! After a certain point, more pizza is no longer calorically useful, and sometime after that, no longer pleasurable.

 

[Helldritch]

There are never pointless combat.
I use random encounter most of the time, they are there to fill the 6-8 encounters per day. But...

Random encounters are always integrated into the narrative.
Sometimes, it is to show them that getting a break while assaulting a base/lair is not really a good idea.
Sometimes, it is to make the players feel that their character are powerful.
Sometimes, it is to remember them that the world does live and that things happens outside of the PCs' influence.
Sometimes, it is to put some pressure on the PC to go forward.
Sometimes, it is for comical relief. (Low level bandits ambushing a high level party then realizing who they are, the PC hears: "FLEE! IT IS THEM! THE (insert the group's name if any or the leader's name)! WE ARE DOOMED!" Even before a single bow shot was fired.
Sometimes, it is to provide them with a possible prisoner to learn about what they are about to face.
Sometimes, it is just to inspire my self to push the story forward into new territory.

To put it simple. I fill the narrative with both the players' agencies and the adventure in mind.

 

[Charlaquin]

Anything that can be recovered by resting.

That’d fall under renewable, which again, only matters if you can rest before the next encounter.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That’d fall under renewable, which again, only matters if you can rest before the next encounter.

So, most of the time.

 

[Helldritch]

So, most of the time.

Not if you use random encounters.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Not if you use random encounters.

Easily avoided with common spells.