D&D General IS the 5 min work day a feature or a bug?

[Minigiant]

And the denizens of the dungeon will just let you do that, week after week until they're all dead?

Yes? We chained Fireball 5 out of 40 goblins. Now there's fewer goblins. They send 5 goblins for help. Guess what? there are EVEN FEWER goblins now. So now we can go HARDER.

The WHOLE RANGER CLASS in based on the concept that if you ambush and run away the enemy enough while having decent defensive capacity, the enemy will either all die or run away before they take too many losses.

 

[Larnievc]

in another thread I responded to this but I think it deserves it's own thread



I have to ask, forgetting a moral argument of what is or isn't right, and forgetting how you as a DM CAN CHOOSE to do things... do you know any individuals that have told you directly or indirectly the 5 m work day is good or what they want?



in my case I have not only never heard someone directly say it, but I have found even people who seem to enjoy using that mode of play DENIE liking it.

Funnily enough it has never happened in my group that has been playing together for the last nearly 4 years. I’ve been lucky.

 

[Oofta]

While it's always been an issue I think part of the 5MWD comes from video game logic. Many games are trigger based, until you trigger a response nothing will change. Occasionally you'll have the equivalent of a wandering monster, but typically the opponents are static unless engaged.

In my games NPCs and monsters react. Take out that guard post? The enemy may not react right away but will realize at some point nobody's checked in. Alarms are raised, reinforcements are called. For that matter the enemy may simply pack up the McGuffin and leave.

 

[Voadam]

Honest Question - how do you implement D&D style spellcasting without an attrition style of resource management?

3.5 Recharge magic.

3e or 5e style Warlocks who are at will based.

4e casters.

4e or 5e monster recharge mechanics.

Basically either at will or a recharge mechanic.

 

[Mort]

Yes? We chained Fireball 5 out of 40 goblins. Now there's fewer goblins. They send 5 goblins for help. Guess what? there are EVEN FEWER goblins now. So now we can go HARDER.

And while you rested up the goblins promoted and "trained" 10 "young" goblins to active duty. Now there are more than when you came in last time.

They can do stuff while you're resting too!

 

[Mort]

3.5 Recharge magic.

3e or 5e style Warlocks who are at will based.

4e casters.

4e or 5e monster recharge mechanics.

Basically either at will or a recharge mechanic.

But it's still attrition based between rests. Unless it's ALL at wills but, again that's moving pretty far from D&D.

 

[Greg Benage]

But it's still attrition based between rests. Unless it's ALL at wills but, again that's moving pretty far from D&D.

Recharge rolls aren't even vaguely attrition based.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Yes? We chained Fireball 5 out of 40 goblins. Now there's fewer goblins. They send 5 goblins for help. Guess what? there are EVEN FEWER goblins now. So now we can go HARDER.

The WHOLE RANGER CLASS in based on the concept that if you ambush and run away the enemy enough while having decent defensive capacity, the enemy will either all die or run away before they take too many losses.

Why are the goblins suicidal? Why the goblins keep sending up five people attack parties once it is evident that such gets slaughtered? If they're brave, the remaining goblins would attack all together (so 30 or so goblins) or if they think the PCs are just too tough to beat why would they wait to be slaughtered rather than flee with their treasure?

 

[CleverNickName]

It depends on how much game you want in your TTRPG.

This is the best and most succinct answer I've read so far.

How "gamey" do you want the game to be? Your answer will inform how you feel about the "5-minute workday."

 

[Minigiant]

And while you rested up the goblins promoted and "trained" 10 "young" goblins to active duty. Now there are more than when you came in last time.

They can do stuff while you're resting too!

How did they train them so fast?

We return with new fireballs in 2 days.
One if we have enough healing potions.