D&D 5E Players Only Poll: How Do You Feel About the Number of Encounters Per Session

[Stalker0]

Are people assuming social scenes to be "encounters" or "non-encounters" ?

 

[CleverNickName]

Are people assuming social scenes to be "encounters" or "non-encounters" ?

I'm not sure, but I had intended for it to be combat-only (not social encounters). I tried to flesh that out in the first post, but I guess I could have been more clear about it. I've noticed some folks are struggling with the "generally speaking" and "choose the best fit" qualifiers on the options as well.

Ah well, whatchagonna do? It's a fan-created poll on the Internet. (shrug) More than anything I wanted it to be a springboard for discussion, because I'm more interested in the posts and comments in the thread than the poll results.

One thing I've noticed: for all the forum chatter about the amount of combat in the game, and the number of encounters per rest, the players seem satisfied overall with the number of encounters per session. I think that's interesting.

 

[iserith]

Are people assuming social scenes to be "encounters" or "non-encounters" ?

For the purposes of this poll, I assumed "encounters" to mean combat challenges.

 

[Stormonu]

I’d definately like to get more done in game, but not so that I’m feeling rushed.

One of these days I’m going to implement a one-roll (or maybe up to 3) combat system. Each player choose a resource, roll d20 + modifiers vs. DC and then narrate the fight and results (using a fail-forward approach; wounded/KOed/captured/dead being possible results based on rolls and resources expended), leaving more time for either more combats or other encounters and RP.

 

[Argyle King]

I'm not sure how to answer.

In my head, I would like more encounters. In actual D&D play, that doesn't seem to work out how I imagine it or how it does in other games.

 

[overgeeked]

I'm not sure, but I had intended for it to be combat-only (not social encounters). I tried to flesh that out in the first post, but I guess I could have been more clear about it. I've noticed some folks are struggling with the "generally speaking" and "choose the best fit" qualifiers on the options as well.

I took it as combat encounters and voted accordingly (fewer).

One thing I've noticed: for all the forum chatter about the amount of combat in the game, and the number of encounters per rest, the players seem satisfied overall with the number of encounters per session. I think that's interesting.

Well, there's no telling how many long rests voters get per session.

 

[Yaarel]

I didnt see a poll option for: Dont Want to Worry about How Many Encounters per Day.

If players are in a place going room-to-room with many encounters, great. If players are on a ship with one encounter per week, if that, great.

The game needs accommodate both narrative extremes.

 

[Hussar]

I didnt see a poll option for: Dont Want to Worry about How Many Encounters per Day.

If players are in a place going room-to-room with many encounters, great. If players are on a ship with one encounter per week, if that, great.

The game needs accommodate both narrative extremes.

That's because that's not the question.

It's about the session, not about the in-game fiction. A session could encompass months of in-game time while still having many (or no) encounters. In-game time proceeds at the speed of plot and is largely irrelevant.

 

[Li Shenron]

Not voting but observing, as I am primarily a DM.

I think that asking "per session" is more interesting than "per rest", because the latter would simply turn the question on rules balance, "per session" makes the question all about liking the content of the gaming session.

It would be useful to hear, if you think you want more combat encounters, what would you like to give up in that session to make more room for them, and viceversa if you want less combat encounters then with what would you replace them.

If you just want longer sessions with more of everything, that's another matter.

 

[pantsorama]

Once that first combat of the day happens, I would like to fit in more resource depleting encounters before a long rest can happen. Not every time, mind you, but I do like the feel of running a gauntlet, and escaping by the skin of your teeth.

I hasten to add that this is mainly a function of how often it happens in game I play in. Were there to be a different balance to these games I would likely feel differently. But one encounter a day has gotten old. I will also say that if we spend the in game day role-playing - that is all good. But I feel like in most games, once that first combat happens then we seldom seem to move into gauntlet mode. Which means I am seldom thinking - do I use Action Surge / Cast my 3rd level Spell / Hand out my Inspirations / Have my Paladin go Nova / etc. or will I need it later.

YMMV