Finally, a semi-official word on non-combat encounters

[hong]

Granted, they don't have to be (similar to an encounter with a merchant to buy supplies).

Correct. Now someone COULD decide to use a 1/encounter suggestion ability to get a price cut, and in that context talking to the merchant would count as an "encounter". But it still doesn't have anything to do with XP, just as using a +22 Diplomacy bonus for the same thing doesn't give you XP.

But given the context of the original poster, encounters outside of combat, then to me one of the flow on effects is when/how to adjudicate the encounter in light of giving out or not giving out xp.

The context of the original poster was encounters for the purpose of using special abilities. Nothing was said about XP until you added it.

Encounter very approx = challange,

For the purpose of XP. Not for the purpose of anything else. A situation in which you use a 1/encounter ability does not have to be a challenge in and of itself. Just because I decide to amuse myself and other patrons in the bar by using 1/encounter mage hand to do card tricks, doesn't make it a challenge in game terms.

opening a door is a challange in some cases and is now stated as an encounter.

If it was a challenge before the advent of 1/encounter abilities, then it's still a challenge. Conversely, if there's no challenge now, then there wasn't a challenge before. There are already rules for XP awards for such situations, and they can be applied the same way as always.

So, the potential for xp is there, but is it going to be totally ad hoc? Or based on some system? does it change when by itself versus as part of a larger encounter?

Huh?

 

[Beastman]

The door is a single encounter. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if they try to break down a door, fail, go somewhere else and have some combat, then come back to that door 5 hours later, it should be the same encounter. In essence, things limited to so many uses per encounter would be how many times you could use them to take a whack at a particular problem.

WOW...so you have two tries at the dungeon door and if both fail say goodbye, adventure over? This can't be right. This should't be right...IMO WotC is taking the wrong route here. I don't like their "new" adventure format (with its too confusing layout) but this would perfectly fit with these "uses per encounter". Perhaps, in the future, they will make a number of small boxes in one of the page's corners where you can make a dot to mark how many times you have used an ability for this encounter...

 

[hong]

Granted, you need to use a little common sense. For example, if they're trying to break down a door and fail, if they wait a few minutes and then try again, it shouldn't be treated as a new encounter. The door is a single encounter. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if they try to break down a door, fail, go somewhere else and have some combat, then come back to that door 5 hours later, it should be the same encounter. In essence, things limited to so many uses per encounter would be how many times you could use them to take a whack at a particular problem.

Eh. Using an ability multiple times to attack the same problem is no different to rerolling a skill check multiple times.

 

[Dross]

Correct. Now someone COULD decide to use a 1/encounter suggestion ability to get a price cut, and in that context talking to the merchant would count as an "encounter". But it still doesn't have anything to do with XP, just as using a +22 Diplomacy bonus for the same thing doesn't give you XP.



The context of the original poster was encounters for the purpose of using special abilities. Nothing was said about XP until you added it.

Which was why

....then to me one of the flow on effects is when/how to adjudicate the encounter in light of giving out or not giving out xp.

And to quote you out of context:

Hooray for classification and codification!

 

[Asmor]

Speaking as the OP, I totally don't think an encounter neccessarily has to give exp. I'd define an encounter as anything you don't handwave away. That beggar you gave a few copper to, and he played a song for you? That was an encounter. The all-day shopping trip where the DM said "Ok, you're in town, you can buy anything you want of less than 5,000 gold in value" is not an encounter, because the details are handwaved. An encounter is literally anything where you decide what your character does in semi-real time.

 

[lottrbacchus]

thank you

i'm glad i wasn't drinking anything when i read that. awesome!

Unless you make PCs subject to interaction skills.

"You bash down the door and rush into the room. The Liche Lord looks up from his Tome of Excrutiating Evil and raises a single bony digit.

'Just a moment,' it says in a voice as hollow as an empty tomb. 'I'd like to finish this paragraph and then get a few things from my secret chest before I destroy you for this unpardonably rude intrusion. Wait over there for me, please.'

It points to the far corner of the room where several comfortable chairs surround a walnut table on which has been laid out an assortment of refreshments. Since the Liche Lord rolled so well on its fast task Diplomacy check, all you are well-disposed to do as it asks, and thus you politely retire to the waiting area while the Liche Lord prepares for battle."