Xeviat
Hero
I'm about to start a 5E version of Red Hand of Doom, a 3.5 adventure. One thing I'm finding is just how drastic the change in encounter assumptions changes adventure design.
In 3E, characters were expected to be able to handle 4 encounters per day with an Encounter Level equal to their own: a single monster's EL was equal to it's CR.
In 5E, characters are expected to be able to handle 6-8 medium encounters per day, but they're also expected to get 2 short rests in there.
So, where a 3E adventuring day could easily be, say, attacking a keep with 4 different encounters in one go, a 5E version would need to be spaces out more and allow for the characters to squeeze in two one-hour rests.
When I was working on converting Red Hand of Doom to 4E, the encounter structure made it easier to design. Shorter rests between encounters made it easier to pace.
So, I'm wondering what you would rather play in: a game that house ruled daily resources to be divided by 3 and restored on a shorter short rest, or to have short rest resources be multiplied by 3 (and, maybe further limited in how often they work). I'm strongly leaning towards switching everything to an encounter structure, but I'm curious what others think.
Please, leave "it's fine as it is" out as an answer; I want to know which house rule you'd rather try.
Short Rest (All): Long rest recovery abilities would be divided by 3. If they are less than 3, they'd be reevaluated.
Short Rest (Primarily): Long rest recovery abilities would be divided by 3, but 1/long rest abilities would remain (like Mystic Arcanum and high level spell slots).
Long Rest (All): all short rest recovery abilities would have their uses increased by 3 times. These abilities may need other limitations if being able to use them multiple times in the same encounter would be a problem.
In 3E, characters were expected to be able to handle 4 encounters per day with an Encounter Level equal to their own: a single monster's EL was equal to it's CR.
In 5E, characters are expected to be able to handle 6-8 medium encounters per day, but they're also expected to get 2 short rests in there.
So, where a 3E adventuring day could easily be, say, attacking a keep with 4 different encounters in one go, a 5E version would need to be spaces out more and allow for the characters to squeeze in two one-hour rests.
When I was working on converting Red Hand of Doom to 4E, the encounter structure made it easier to design. Shorter rests between encounters made it easier to pace.
So, I'm wondering what you would rather play in: a game that house ruled daily resources to be divided by 3 and restored on a shorter short rest, or to have short rest resources be multiplied by 3 (and, maybe further limited in how often they work). I'm strongly leaning towards switching everything to an encounter structure, but I'm curious what others think.
Please, leave "it's fine as it is" out as an answer; I want to know which house rule you'd rather try.
Short Rest (All): Long rest recovery abilities would be divided by 3. If they are less than 3, they'd be reevaluated.
Short Rest (Primarily): Long rest recovery abilities would be divided by 3, but 1/long rest abilities would remain (like Mystic Arcanum and high level spell slots).
Long Rest (All): all short rest recovery abilities would have their uses increased by 3 times. These abilities may need other limitations if being able to use them multiple times in the same encounter would be a problem.