D&D 5E How many short rests per long rest?

[Sword of Spirit]

...that means anything at least an hour, but less than eight hours, could be called a Short Rest by the DM. So that four-hour break the party took? Just a Short Rest...

And I'd revolt if a DM tried to run it that way. It's ridiculous because it provides no way to indicate when your time validly "resets" so that a new short rest can be taken. Do you have to have combat? How about sparring? How about running around and jumping a bit?

I mean even in 4e, the D&D poster child for that sort of mechanic, out of combat your "encounter" powers recharged after 5 minutes.

 

[Horwath]

I like the cap of 3 short rests per day, with variable duration.

1st rest; 10 min, 2nd; 30 min, 3rd; 1hr.

 

[DND_Reborn]

It is also to mention that thje SR LR 2:1 ratio best makes sense if you are using the encounter frequency suggested with appropriate mob difficulties. If you run another baseline (like I do) or if you got the 1day / 1week or 1 weekend at the comfortable inn SR LR solution (which I also do), and 5 minute SR is only handed out in rare dire circumstances, then all the rulings do not work.

Our table doesn't worry about balance between rests and encounters. It is too mechanical to use the suggested guidelines. Sometimes we only have an encounter or two between long rests, other times we have a dozen or more. It keeps with how the "life" of the game goes, not artificially forced.

That's why I don't like systems where you get things back after a set number of encounters. The rest mechanic isn't ideal, either of course, but it works well enough.

 

[Coroc]

And I'd revolt .....

... How about running around and jumping a bit?
....

You forgot the "screaming" part. Today you need to run around an jump a bit and scream to get your wishes fulfilled. What worked all the time for children, today also works for grown ups

 

[FrogReaver]

As others have already noted, you aren't missing anything.

BUT (I like big buts and I cannot lie) the game is balanced on the 2:1 short rest to long rest ratio. AFAICT, any tinkering etc. should take that into account.

Delving into the numbers for many classes - I'm not so sure about the 2:1 split being more balanced than the 1:1 split. 0:1 is way out of whack though.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Fenris-77]

So long as the average over the long term is 2:1 then there won't be any issues of balance between classes and their resource renewal. Trying to make sure it's 2:1 every day and the every session has exactly X encounters in it is a fools errand IMO. Personally, I often handwave the exact length of the short rest to make it fit in more naturally with the unfolding narrative. I don't think maintaining the hour duration is particularly important, certainly less important than maintaining the correct ratio anyway.

@FrogReaver - the 2:1 ratio is pretty important when you delve into the Warlock versus the other full casters. Specifically about spells and levels of spells per day anyway.

 

[FrogReaver]

IME in play, a 2:1 split makes the short rest classes good.

A 1:1 split makes them underpowered.

As a general rule, given that there will be times when you can't always get to the 2:1, if you shoot for a 2:1 and end up short of it (say, 1.5:1 on average) you will be fine.

I've never seen a thread where people are like, "You know what the real problem in 5e is? Those darn overpowered short-rest classes!"

So going back to the actual numbers:

Say a Battlemaster vs a Paladin. Level 5. Both using a great weapon. 2d6+4 damage. Let's say 60% chance to hit. 1 Short Rest.

The battlemaster will do at least 31.2 Damage per short rest (potentially a bit more with good use of precision and trip attack)

Fighter will do 62.4 damage from limited use abilities
Paladin will do 63 damage from divine smites.

That's with 1 short rest.

 

[FrogReaver]

@FrogReaver - the 2:1 ratio is pretty important when you delve into the Warlock versus the other full casters. Specifically about spells and levels of spells per day anyway.

Then start comparing the warlock to a fighter or paladin.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*