D&D 5E Are there really encounter powers?

[Nikosandros]

I'm seeing a lot of 'powers' by several classes being called encounter powers. Those are all powers that can be recovered after a short rest. However, since a short rest is actually an hour, it seems very unlikely that those powers can actually be used every encounter. If you consider the first two dungeons in Lost Mine, once the party is inside, the characters certainly won't have the possibility of stopping for an hour without being swarmed by the rest of the occupants.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I tend to agree with you @Nikosandros . In 4e I just assume they take a short breather before going on, but in 5e, it's more like you clean wounds, get a small fire going to heat some food, etc. It's more like a short daily rest than something you do between encounters. In 4e, it was usually a bit far-fetched to get interrupted during a short rest, while in 5e I think it's very plausible to get a "random" encounter that interrupts the rest.

The 5e short rest does introduce a mechanic that makes it less likely that people will have 15-minute work days though, even spellcasters can get some of their spell slots back and you get some hp back without using magic.

 

[Juriel]

Yeah, I think it's a band-aid over the 15-minute workday. We'll see how it works out.

 

[fba827]

Someone said it well in another thread ( apologies, I don't recal who or where it was said) but don't think if them as encounter powers. Think of them as daily powers that you might sometimes get recharged.

That sets the mental expectation since you won't realistically get them recharged between every encounter.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Yeah, I think it's a band-aid over the 15-minute workday. We'll see how it works out.

The two-15-minute-shifts with an hour for lunch workday?

I do have to agree with the OP and others who have made this point. Short-rest-recharge powers are by no means 'encounter' powers.

 

[Capricia]

The length of short rests is really bad because the design of the classes assumes that you're going to get one after every encounter. Some abilities, like Action Surge, it makes a lot of sense to be able to reliably use. Others, like Second Wind, have obvious problems if you can use them every few minutes. But Next is full of both kinds of abilities. So if the party rushes through a dungeon, the fighter is going to be crippled, while the rogue, wizard, and cleric are going to barely notice a dip in their abilities.

WotC's deathly fear of using 4e language and design in favor of "natural" language and their emphasis on simplicity above all is why you can't simply have some abilities that can be used once an hour and some that can only be used once a minute.

 

[Wrathamon]

The length of short rests is really bad because the design of the classes assumes that you're going to get one after every encounter. \

I dont think this is true at ALL

if anything I think they designed it that the players may get 1 or 2 short rests during a Day and that is all.

But, each of those short rests may result in a random encounter so their is risk in taking them.

I also dont think the classes are crippled if they dont get a rest after every encounter.



I do agree that they don't like using 4e only terminology (and even some 3e) you dont see bloodied or power sources used very often, nor roles. I think bloodied was a good mechanic/condition.

 

[jgsugden]

The length of short rests is really bad because the design of the classes assumes that you're going to get one after every encounter. ...

I do not see support for this assumption. I think tjhy're aware that PCs will not have these abilities in every encounter, and need to give some thought as to whether they want to use them or hold them.

Let's take a pretty basic situation as an example: The PCs encounter a cave in the wilderness. There are a couple goblin guards standing outside. The PCs can take those guards out if they get the jump on them and then make their way into the caves. Is it worth using some of these 'once per short rest' abilities to make sure you get the jump on them, or do you want to save those abilities for fights against whatever is inside the cave?

If they assume you'll use the ability every combat, you get into the 4E problem where every battle is the same series of attack combos over and over and over... that adds complexity, without really providing diversity. If you're going to be doing the same things over and over, you might as well make them simple so that they go smoothly.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I like the one hour rest. It always provides and interesting decision point at my table.

In our last session, the PCs had invaded the main villain's stronghold. They had 2 rough encounters, and they knew she was just a room away. They had to decide whether to go back to a safe distance and recover or press on. They knew if they pressed on the wizard and the cleric were both down important abilities, but they also knew they would be giving the villain an hour to react to their presence.

In the end, they didn't rest, and they won. But it was a close thing.

Thaumaturge.

 

[DMZ2112]

if anything I think they designed it that the players may get 1 or 2 short rests during a Day and that is all.

I am glad to see folks expressing this view, as it has been my experience as well. I had real concerns about the length of the short rest before release, but after seeing it in action I agree that it does not serve the same purpose or occupy the same niche as the short rest from D&D4.

But, each of those short rests may result in a random encounter so their is risk in taking them.

This is exciting.

I think bloodied was a good mechanic/condition.

I still use it in D&D5, but then I still use it in nearly every RPG I play that utilizes hit points.