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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rhenny" data-source="post: 7479612" data-attributes="member: 18333">You are so right about listening to your players to give them what they want. I’ve been DMing and playing a long time, and one thing I try to do is to balance combat, exploration and interaction in nearly all sessions, especially until I get a feel for the players. One of 5e’s major strengths is that it is easier to balance the three pillars because sometimes combat does not have to last a long time. To me variety is the key to making sessions that give all players something they like, and also a surprise so that they don’t get locked into repetative patterns.   Use variety all the time, even with combat. Some encounters should be a piece of cake.  Others should be really deadly. Be sure to Telegraph the deadly encounters to give players a chance to fortify themselves, or to figure out a way to avoid combat, or devise other plans. My best games are when the players come up with interesting ways to beat the system or use other skills to turn the combat into interaction or a chase or other unexpected outcome. But, for most players, being able to beat down some bad guys provides an unambiguous joy and a feeling of great satisfaction. Give the people what they want.</blockquote>