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<blockquote data-quote="James Gasik" data-source="post: 9340418" data-attributes="member: 6877472"><p>I think what you're running into here is that if a DM has decided there's going to be an encounter with the gate guards, <em>they</em> think that it's important. It very well might be for some reason, like, you'll encounter those guards again later, or they have a clue or something. Simply put, you're saying "skip irrelevant encounters" and I think some DM's see that and bristle because they don't think they <em>have</em> irrelevant encounters!</p><p></p><p>See, I look at climbing out of a ravine (with 5e's very lenient climbing rules) as not a big thing- but there might be a time when I want it to be a thing for some reason. So maybe it's rained recently and the ravine is full of mud, or the rock face is particularly smooth, or there's high winds, or there's goblins shooting at you- <em>that's</em> an encounter!</p><p></p><p>I bring up old school "in room 5B, two orcs sit at a table playing cards- badly. Upon the party entering the room, they jump up and draw their swords to attack!" style encounters as examples of things that are speed bumps. I don't run these (even though I can't deny that encounters like this <em>should</em> happen, logically) because, in general, it's barely worth rolling dice for. These guys will probably die to sword swings and cantrips in 5e! However, there <em>can</em> be times to run the battle, like say, you're sneaking around an orc fortress and drawing attention to you or letting an orc sound an alarm is <strong>a very big deal</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Now I don't think that is what you're saying at all, that everyone who runs, shall we say "minor encounters" is badwrong for doing so. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think you are instead saying "if there's no good reason for the encounter, don't make it an encounter". Which is just basic DMing- don't roll dice unless there's a good reason to do so. Don't put an option on the table if you don't want it to occur.</p><p></p><p>Now, that having been said, if a given DM and their players absolutely love rolling dice for everything, and are masochistic enough to savor gambling on hours of hardship because one guy rolled a 2, hey, have it! D&D is for everyone!</p><p></p><p>But like, even in an adventure I plan to run, where the PC's fight enemies in a mine, once they defeat all the leaders, I fully plan on saying "and you clear out the mines" after that, even though there would be monsters left, because narratively speaking, the juice of fighting those battles out wouldn't be worth the squeeze! </p><p></p><p>Some might say "but the experience points!" but they're getting those and what little treasure they have anyways, I'm simply cutting past what I feel would be a foregone conclusion.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="James Gasik, post: 9340418, member: 6877472"] I think what you're running into here is that if a DM has decided there's going to be an encounter with the gate guards, [I]they[/I] think that it's important. It very well might be for some reason, like, you'll encounter those guards again later, or they have a clue or something. Simply put, you're saying "skip irrelevant encounters" and I think some DM's see that and bristle because they don't think they [I]have[/I] irrelevant encounters! See, I look at climbing out of a ravine (with 5e's very lenient climbing rules) as not a big thing- but there might be a time when I want it to be a thing for some reason. So maybe it's rained recently and the ravine is full of mud, or the rock face is particularly smooth, or there's high winds, or there's goblins shooting at you- [I]that's[/I] an encounter! I bring up old school "in room 5B, two orcs sit at a table playing cards- badly. Upon the party entering the room, they jump up and draw their swords to attack!" style encounters as examples of things that are speed bumps. I don't run these (even though I can't deny that encounters like this [I]should[/I] happen, logically) because, in general, it's barely worth rolling dice for. These guys will probably die to sword swings and cantrips in 5e! However, there [I]can[/I] be times to run the battle, like say, you're sneaking around an orc fortress and drawing attention to you or letting an orc sound an alarm is [B]a very big deal[/B]. Now I don't think that is what you're saying at all, that everyone who runs, shall we say "minor encounters" is badwrong for doing so. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think you are instead saying "if there's no good reason for the encounter, don't make it an encounter". Which is just basic DMing- don't roll dice unless there's a good reason to do so. Don't put an option on the table if you don't want it to occur. Now, that having been said, if a given DM and their players absolutely love rolling dice for everything, and are masochistic enough to savor gambling on hours of hardship because one guy rolled a 2, hey, have it! D&D is for everyone! But like, even in an adventure I plan to run, where the PC's fight enemies in a mine, once they defeat all the leaders, I fully plan on saying "and you clear out the mines" after that, even though there would be monsters left, because narratively speaking, the juice of fighting those battles out wouldn't be worth the squeeze! Some might say "but the experience points!" but they're getting those and what little treasure they have anyways, I'm simply cutting past what I feel would be a foregone conclusion. [/QUOTE]
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