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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 4924652" data-attributes="member: 710">Firelance approach was discussed before. I wouldn't go so far to turn a short rest into an extended rest. Maybe extending the length of a short rest to a full hour and an extended rest to 24 hours (or even 48) might already do the trick.Individual combats might not be a full encounter under this premise. But the PCs can't find a resting place after each of these combats, they basically have to clear an area "worth" one full encounter. You can probably increase the encounter level notably under this premise, since the "action economy" works in favor of the PCs here. They get more actions in this encounter area then their enemies. It might also help to introduce monsters with less hit points, but don't assume that 1/4 hit points also equals 1/4 the challenge - action economy now works in favor of the monsters. Assuming 1/2 the challenge seems about fair. You could also try a "naive" approach. Just run encounters way beyond the PCs level. The only resources that will cost them are daily resources, primarily healing surges. But hey, "easy" encounters in 3E or even earlier editions didn't cost much more than hit points, either. It's unlikely the Wizard will unleash his Fireball against 2 Hobgoblin Warriors, the Fighter and Rogue will do just fine against them without him. A further approach might be to cover combat scenarios not always by the fully-fledged combat rules - instead, use a skill challenge. The PCs can spend an encounter power to make an attack roll instead of a skill roll to gain successes (or failures), and they may spend daily powers to gain automatic successes or negate failures.Combat Skill Challenge:[sblock=Teutonic Overengineering]Level: The level of the challenge is equal to the level of the encounter. Complexity: Special, see below.Primary Skills: All. Each skill can be used, the difficulty is typically hard. Most skills can be applied in some manner, but each skill can be used only once per individual. Exceptions are by power source. These skills can be used repeatedly, but each repeated use after the first adds a cumulative +2 bonus to the DC. Martial: Choose one skill of Acrobatics, Athletics, Endurance or StealthArcane, Psionic: Choose one skill of Arcana or InsightDivine: Choose one skill of Arcana, Heal or ReligionPrimal: Choose one skill of Endurance or NatureShadow: Choose one skill of Bluff or Stealth.If a check fails, one character loses a healing surge. Characters can make a decision based on their characters primary role (as determined by their first class, not multi class feats) who loses that surge. - A Leader can spend an encounter utility power to negate the healing surge loss.- A Defender can always choose to accept a healing surge loss.- If another character failed his check, the Controller may choose who takes the healing surge loss.- If it was a Striker that failed his check, he can choose a Defender to take the loss.- The character himself can choose to take the healing surge loss.If there is discussion in the group, resolve in the above sequence. Further Exceptional options exist by the presence of monster roles. Each option can be used once per creature of that role. Elites count as two monsters, Solos as 4 and 4 Minions as one. Artillery vs Striker: Acrobatics, AthleticsBrute vs Controller or Defender: Athletics, EnduranceController vs Leader: HealLurker vs Defender or Striker: Endurance, Insight, PerceptionSkirmisher vs Controller or Defender: Acrobatics, Athletics, Endurance, InsightSoldier vs Defender or Striker: Athletics, Endurance, StealthLeader Subrole vs Leader: Bluff, Diplomacy and InsightSecondary Skills: Aid Another is not possible in a combat skill challenge. Instead, characters can choose to use any skill against a moderate DC to grant a +2 bonus to an allies check (including an attack, see below). On a failed check, he inflicts a -2 penalty instead. Each skill can be used only once for this purpose, except for the skills listed under primary skills appropriate for the characters power source. In addition of skills, encounter and daily attack or utility powers can be expended. The player may expend one encounter power to make an attack roll against a defense of 14 + level. On a hit, he gains a success. The player may expend one healing surge to negate a failure.The player may expend one daily attack power to make an attack roll against a defense of 14 + level. On a hit, he gains one success. A failure does not count against the challenge. The player may expend one daily utility power to negate one failure just made.Success or Failure: Failure or minor successes cost additional healing surges. If a PC has less healing surges available than required, either another ally can choose to expend the healing surges, or he takes damage equal to his healing surge value for each surge missing. You can use the same sequence as for in-challenge mechanics to allow people to "trade" their losses. In addition, a Leader may choose to expend any number of remaining daily attack or utility powers to negate 2 lost healing surges per power expended.Failure: 3 failures before 4 successes: The PCs lost and are retreating. Each PC lose 2 healing surges for each success missing to 4 successes. A PC that is reduced to 0 hit points or less was captured by the enemies. A PC that is reduced to his negative bloodied value was killed. Complexity 1 (4 success before 3 failures): The PCs succeeded, but barely so. They lose 2 healing surges for each failure. If a PC is reduced to 0 hit points or less, an enemy could escape. If a PC was reduced to his negative bloodied value, an enemy escaped and took him with him, maybe as a hostage aiding his escape. Complexity 2 (6 successes before 3 failures): The PCs succeeded, with minor failures. They lose 1 healing surge for each failure. If a PC was reduced to 0 hit points or less, an enemy could escape and might reoccur in a later encounter or warn his comrades. Complexity 3 (8 successes before 3 failures): The PC succeeded and took down all opponents. A character can choose to capture one enemy, but must expend 2 healing surges for each failure per enemy. Complexity 4 (8 successes before 3 failures): The PC succeeded, with great success. A character can choose to capture one enemy, but must expend one healing surge for each failure per enemy. Complexity 5 (10 successes before 3 failures): The PC succeeded, with excellent success. The captured all enemies, minus one enemy for every failure.A character can choose to capture additional enemies, but must expend one healing surge for each failure per enemy. [/sblock]</blockquote>

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