How many combat encounters per session?

[BSF]

The last two sessions I have run both had a combat in them. Next session probably will as well. I'm in a combat heavy phase at the moment. Sometimes I can get a few combats in in a session. Sometimes I go a few sessions without a combat. Whatever works for you and your group to have fun.

 

[random user]

It seems I'm averaging about 1 to 1.5 fights per 3.5 hr session. However, they generally have more "encounters" per session, though many of these encounters they could fight, but they would either probably lose, or not get information that they need, or otherwise be inefficient. Luckily my players are smart enough to realize that bloodshed isn't the best way to solve everything.

 

[Gothmog]

We game in whole weekends of about 20-24 hours of gaming, but usually in that time we have 1-3 combats, so I'd say one combat every 6-8 hours of gaming is about what we go for. Most of my battles tend to be pretty big/tough though, so they usually take 1-2 hours to finish.

 

[Herpes Cineplex]

For D&D and superhero games, we seem to get about 1 per 3 hours of play time, unless we're using a published D&D module...the average for those is closer to 1 per hour or even higher. Some Feng Shui games are nothing but combat encounters, with a few minutes scattered here and there for in-character plan-making and funny quips.

For most of our non-D&D games, we average about 1 combat encounter in four to eight sessions (something like 1 per 15-30 hours of play).

Not surprising, really; our D&D games tend to be adventure-focused, while the other games we play are heavier on intrigue, investigation, and social interactions. (Plus, many of the systems we use for those games have really atrocious combat systems, which tends to make us all unwilling to waste time with it.)

So basically, we allocate combat encounters in approximate proportion to how good the system we're using is at handling them. If getting into fights in the system is fun, we'll play a game where the characters get into fights. If the combat system blows, we'll make a bunch of pacifists.

--
not exactly the most startling conclusion, i suppose
ryan

 

[Morte]

About 0.1 to 0.2 for Traveller.

About 10-20 for Neverwinter Nights.

I don't play P&P D&D. If I did, I suspect I'd aim for about one per session.

 

[FireLance]

My group usually runs 2-4 encounters per session per three-hour gaming session, but we favour a combat-heavy style of playing. We have noticed that combats tend to take longer as you get higher EL encounters.

 

[hong]

If my body count doesn't reach two digits by the end of the session, I've failed as a DM.


Hong "and dead PCs count double" Ooi

 

[Crass]

If my body count doesn't reach two digits by the end of the session, I've failed as a DM.


Hong "and dead PCs count double" Ooi

Does that mean that Jubal counts double? I think you had one combat too many yesterday...

 

[hong]

Does that mean that Jubal counts double? I think you had one combat too many yesterday...

Oh, look, I think it's only fair after the 100+ points you've been doing to my poor NPCs.

 

[shilsen]

Never less than 1 per session, since my players couldn't take it otherwise, but rarely more than 2. I don't really do dungeon crawls any more, so that makes the multiple combat a session rare.