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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rod Staffwand" data-source="post: 7353971" data-attributes="member: 6776279">'Encounters' should be thought of as any situation that drains resources (spells, ability usages, hp, HD) from the PCs. They need not be combat encounters, but can be traps, hazards or environmental effects. These don't necessarily generate xp for completion but can limit the party's adventuring day. Consider the poisonous gas from Tamoachan that does damage every hour, doors that require knock spell slots, chasms that require levitating, collapsing tunnels that cause damage, and so on. These all can take a toll but not be classic combat encounters.Even monsters can be used this way. Have your goblins fire at the party and then run and hide. If they're lucky that's a bit of attrition right there. Have the evil cultist pull a trap lever causing a portcullis to fall, separating the party. Force the party to react to obstacles and new challenges by throwing off their game plans. Make them more faster than they want, split them up, hide vital information, and so on. Make them make skill checks or spend resources or be rather clever to overcome obstacles in their path. They will succeed on some and fail at others, taking drain the entire way.This becomes more important at higher levels with more resources available to the PCs.</blockquote>