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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celtavian" data-source="post: 4419090" data-attributes="member: 5834">reSo do I Steely Dan. I say you're wrong about combats going faster in this edition. I ran 3.5 just as fast. Standard combats are 30 minutes to an hour or more depending on the number of monsters. I'm finding that combats against lower level monstes takes longer in empirically measured time in 4E than in 3E.For example, if I fought 6 hobgoblins at 3rd level in a 3E game they died in less than 20 minutes. In a 4E game 6 hobgoblins die in about 30 to 40 minutes.I would like some people to measure the time and prove there is no difference.Because I'm finding 4E combat as long if not longer than 3E with real time measurements.Why? 1. Each monster and each player can do more. In 3E a hobgoblin could swing a weapon.In 4E a hobgoblin can swing a weapon and move, swing a weapon and slow his opponent, and has a ton more hit points than a 3E hobgoblin so they die much slower.4E combat is longer than 3E combat by quite a large margin given equal level encounters. I think if you take the time to run 3E at similar levels you will find what I say to be true.Maybe at high levels it will even out when 3E casters have huge spellbooks and tons of magic items. But at low level 4E is tougher to run than 3E and takes longer.I have actually measured the time as I run both games as well. You can't tell me that 4E characters can't do more than 3E characters at the same level. You also can't tell me that 4E monsters have far more tricks than 3E monsters at similar low levels.It all adds up to longer combats with more bookkeeping.If you have experience, than run a group of 3rd level 3E characters in a combat against standard hobgoblins versus a group of 4E characters against a hobgoblin encounter of the same number. I'd bet money right now that the 4E combat takes longer, just like it did for me.4E monsters do more. So do 4E characters.I don't mind admitting that 3E gets complicated at higher level and it may even out. But 3E at low levels is less complicate than 4E with all the encounter, dailies, racials, and magic item powers available to characters as well as all the abilities available to monsters.It just takes longer at low level. I'll tell you how it compares at higher levels when spellbooks used to expand. I know with absolute certainty that 3E low level combats took less time. Low level 3E monsters and characters just weren't that tough or complicated compared to 4E monsters and characters at low level.</blockquote>

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