Effects lasting until the end of the encounter, w00t!

[RigaMortus2]

So, I guess we won't see PC fall to their death because of an ending "fly" spell or this kind of things.

Well, that can't happen now in 3E. Even if Fly gets dispelled on you, you simply "float" to the ground...

 

[RigaMortus2]

Player: I cast bull's strength and kick down the door.

DM: Ok, your encounter with the door is over, your bull's strength spell ends.

I pity this player for having a crappy DM.

What, specifically, is it that makes this DM crappy? I don't get your statement. Unless you intent was simply to insult someone elses gaming style. In which case, I say bravo for breaking the posting rules here.

Seriously, I don't see a problem here. An encounter doesn't have to be combat related. If a door poses as an obstacle, and a player uses a buff to help get around that obstacle, it could be considered an encounter. In which case, the buff (assuming it only lasts through an encounter) would be over as soon as you defeat the encounter/obstacle.

If you have a crappy DM that enjoys being a dick by getting you to use a limited resource (if buffs like that are per-day instead of per-encounter).

Can we please cool it on the insults of other people's playstyle/players/DMs?

Not every DM is as experienced as the next. Not every DM or group has the same playstlye, rules or enjoys the same things. Not every DM (or player) is right for every group. I think we all understand that. No need to insult people (or DMs) that you don't agree with. There is only one person being a "dick" here. Please cool it.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Failing all else, the GM can simply beat those players over the head with a hardcover rulebook until they stop being jackasses.

To be more specific, beat them over the head with their old 3E books

 

[Imban]

They ought to tie some really beneficial effect to "encounter ends". Something like regaining a substantial amount of lost HP, for free. That should take care of most of the quibbling and goofy attempts to prolong the encounter status.

Failing all else, the GM can simply beat those players over the head with a hardcover rulebook until they stop being jackasses. Scene-based durations work just fine in other games, such as Exalted, and there's no reason they can't work in D&D as well.

Actually, scene-based durations bite me a lot in Exalted, because they mean you have to put up your buffs for each individual battle, usually no earlier than the actual outbreak of hostilities. That combined with the tendency of some of the better buffs to actually be traps for instakilling your own character equals, ah, "teh suck".

 

[kolpo]

I think that players shall actually want encounters to be as short as possible and that they shall certainly not try to lengthen them in most situations. Remember that all classes shall get per encounter powers, what would your wizard prefer: Keeping buffs for the whole day OR getting most of his mid powered spells back every encounter?

They said that someone who uses up all his per day abilities shall still have 80% of his power left, much of this power shall come from per encounter abilities.
Do you want eternal buff strength on your cleric (with goblin on leash) or new heal spells every encounter? Only the most powerful stuff shall be per day the 80% other abilities shall be per encounter or at will.

 

[Pinotage]

I take it that since buffs and other per encounter abilities only last an encounter, the days of 'buffing before a big fight' are gone? No more preparation for any encounter?

Pinotage

 

[Plane Sailing]

What, specifically, is it that makes this DM crappy? I don't get your statement. Unless you intent was simply to insult someone elses gaming style. In which case, I say bravo for breaking the posting rules here.

Since he was responding to a (presumably) hypothetical statement, and one that was probably meant as hyperbole at that, I don't see a problem with his response.

An imaginary DM that responded like that to a player sounds like the epitome of a no-fun situation. I certainly wouldn't play with a DM that went out of their way to screw with the players like that.

D&D does have an underlying assumption that the game is going to be played in a way which is fun for everyone; sure there are different styles of play within that one umbrella, but I would be most surprised to find people who generally enjoyed having a DM arbitrarily mess around with them.

 

[MonkeeGalore]

Why do I feel like we may see the same thing in 4e, players will always open up with the best per encounter buff they have, seeing it lasts till the end of the encounter, get it out as fast as you can.

While this is a valid assumption in WoW, I think that the big difference here is the DM. A good DM would never let his players get away with such a predictable behavior. Building challenging encounters and running them intelligently is the cornerstone of DM’ing, imo.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Back on topic, one of the good potential side effects of 'buffs lasting for the encounter' is the mountain climbing scenario.

It is a classic situation where a bulls strength spell to give someone the edge in climbing would be really useful, but the 3.5e 1 minute per level makes it worthless for pretty much any non-combat situations.

i.e. encounter-duration buffs could prove very useful for noncombat encounters.

 

[erf_beto]

And, it's not *that* hard to keep track of spell durations....

Lanefan

Seriously, I never tracked stuff roundbyround unless it lasted up to 5 rounds... good ridance! let come the concept of the 'scene'!