D&D (2024) If short rest abilities become Prof # tiimes per day?

[Baron Opal II]

I'm going to sit in my corner and wave my little "I ♡ encounter powers" flag.

It's funny- looking at the Binders from Tome of Magic, being able to do something once every 10 minutes or an hour is fine. Once per encounter irritates me. I suppose I can live with one class being able to do 3-5 things throughout the day, where another class could do 10-12 things per day.

 

[AnotherGuy]

As opposed to death or nothing in the next fight on. The problem with the attrition model is if the party blow their resources in one battle, they are left unable to survive the next one. Unless the can take a rest. And if they can take a rest they can take a rest after every battle.

Attrition never really worked. Even back in 1st edition is was just a case of slogging back to town when you ran out of resources, then slogging back to the dungeon again.

Attrition has never worked because neither TSR nor WotC bothered to integrate a fatigue system to the character's abilities (resources). That is always left to the tinkerers.

Until they do, the system will always be half-baked and the resting mechanic rubbish (IMO).

 

[Minigiant]

As much as I loved 4e, and still look back to it for inspiration quite a lot, I preferred essentials/e+ 4e to PHB1 4e, for much the same reason. I can pick executioner, and I'm only picking my daily poisons from there, or I can pick Hunter or Scout, and I'm mostly just picking utility powers and wilderness knacks. Having every single damn thing be a dropdown with 100+ options is exhausting.
If discussing DnD, I'm going to use the definition that the game has historically used.

Overall I think Essentials had the best model in D&D so far. If not for it being a half edition, ignoring the rest of the edition, and coming late: it would have made the best core for a system with a few Tweeks.

1. Define a core of 3-4 types of "powers" by time.
2. Give Power Types a designation. (Cantrips, Sneak attack, and Stances are At Will, Channel Divinity, Backstab, Power Strikes, and Challenges are Encounter. Spells and Prayers are "Daily"
3. Shift time constraints away from Offensive Ability to Health and Recovery and balance Powers to be used in One Encounter Day Burst, 10 Encounters Day Attrition, and Anything Between.
4. Give classes the powers that the majority of the community agrees on.
5. Allow groups to choose their own resting model knowing that warriors, rogues, priests, and mages can ALL nova or grind. A level 1 wizard can nova their 2 Spells, a level 1 fighter can nova their 3 Strikes, a level 1 monk can spend their 3 Ki, and a 1 level cleric can nova the 1 spell and 1 Channel Divinity for one big fight and it's all more or less balanced.

 

[Horwath]

Attrition has never worked because neither TSR nor WotC bothered to integrate a fatigue system to the character's abilities (resources). That is always left to the tinkerers.

Until they do, the system will always be half-baked and the resting mechanic rubbish (IMO).

In the end it does not matter what mechanics are there.

WOTC can only make short and long rests somewhat more desierable.

Or make official adventures that are hard-coded with short/long rest tempo.

Otherwise, it depends on DM, and mostly players preference.
If players decide that they will take a long rest, players will take a long rest. Rest of the world be damned.
Now, it's up to DM will they blow up the whole campaign on adjust it to players preference, with sometimes random interrupts of rests to spice it up a little.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Then don't nova in the first encounter. Problem solved.

This is a game with random dice rolls. If things go pear shaped due to simple bad luck the party may have to blow their resources in order to survive.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Then we must conclude that the game simply cannot be made to work.

Viewed as a competitive combat game, true.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Viewed as a competitive combat game, true.

That of course is not all that D&D is, but it is an aspect a lot of people expect from it so it should be able to function as one.

 

[AnotherGuy]

In the end it does not matter what mechanics are there.

I disagree. Mechanics matter all (if not most) of the time in D&D.
Be it for resting or otherwise.

 

[Minigiant]

This is a game with random dice rolls. If things go pear shaped due to simple bad luck the party may have to blow their resources in order to survive.

I truly think D&D works better if Attrition or Nova are tied to Defense over Offense.

The wizard should be free to use their fireball as they see fit.

You quit when you HP, HD, Healing Surges, and Potions run out.

 

[John R Davis]

I quite like the idea of
Short / day = #Prof bonus ( or maybe 1+(Half Prof bonus)
AND.
Short rest = 5 minutes only.