13.33 encounters to rise a level?

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IME 3e combat takes longer. The rules are better, but there are so many options. At higher levels the combats take even longer, which is ironic since it usually takes fewer rounds to do (and a 3e round is shorter than a 2e round).

 

[Ace]

Ditto.

As a matter of fact, it is not unheard of for our group to spend an entire session without combat and not even notice until a couple days later.

Lucky you.

My 3e group (when it plays) is all combat all the time. Weaverage 2 combats per session, 1 hour downtime/etc 1 hour yattering and 4 hours combat

 

[abri]

It really depend.
The group I used to DM generally had 2 fights per 5 hours sessions (with sometimes 0).
BUT the encounters were always LV+4 and I gave XP for good idea/roleplaying/problem solving...
They leveled once per 2 sessions after L5

 

[Starman]

as useful as a three-legged cat.

I'm sure P-kitty has his uses, just don't ask me what.

Starman

 

[aurin777]

I just thought I'd mention not all encounters are combats. Even though the sessions with my group (8-12 hours) usually contain 1 combat if that with a rare occasion of two, there are many encounters to give eps. It substitutes, and I agree it takes roughly 4 sessions to level.
~~Brandon

 

[Nifft]

I'm sure P-kitty has his uses, just don't ask me what.

Based on the old "I Blame Piratecat" epidemic, he's a decent scapegoat.

I once had a party go from levels 3-4 to levels 5-6 in one marathon 13-hour session, with only 3 combats. Granted, one combat was with over 25 goblins (in their lair) and another was with 10 goblins and 10 worgs, but still...

-- Nifft

 

[Piratecat]

Starman unfairly maligned me by saying...

I'm sure P-kitty has his uses, just don't ask me what.

Hey - I'm still here!

 

[Starman]

Just checking, Piratecat.

Starman

P.S. Of course, you have your uses. That's why we let you continue to post around here.

 

[mseds99]

hmmmmm...

.

Our group levels every 14-22 hours (ussually every 18 hours) or so, with a combat encounter anywhere between 3-6 hours. We also tend to do one very large combat rather then a bunch of small combats... though I'm thinking of changing that cause I suspect one single massive combat will favor caster's over fighters, and I feel caster's are too dominant, especially in higher level games.

Wow, sound like Arravis and I run the same campaign. We work exactly the same way in regards to combat and the time it takes to level. I've also found that spellcasters tend to dominate when there are single encounters with rest in between, so I'm going to be making more "dungeon-style" situations for the party. Where those darn spellcasters down!

 

[dcollins]

Re: Re: Re: 13.33 encounters to rise a level?

Strange I find that although 3rd Ed has more rules combats run quicker.... I rarely find combat last more than a few rounds.

Neither do ours. But regardless of how many rounds they last, it takes an hour or two to play them out. The time spent with players counting spaces, analyzing possible AOOs and how to avoid them, planning flanking, asking what action that can put together in a round, placing the best spot for spell templates, etc., simply chews up large amounts of time.

(I've considered establishing Warhammer-style "no pre-measuring" rules, but I know I'll encounter resistance if that's not authoritatively limited in the rulebooks.)

Interesting. Do you have a link to the RPGA adventure guidelines? I'd like to read them.

I believe I see it on this page: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=rpga/downloads