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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6176397" data-attributes="member: 6696971">One other thing right quick as I think it might apply to the way you play.&nbsp; My D&amp;D has never been as combat intensive as the cultural baseline.&nbsp; My players understand this due to many years gaming with me.&nbsp; On average, I probably run a 2:3 combat:non-combat conflict ratio.&nbsp; So, in a day with 5 encounters, you're looking at only 2 combats.&nbsp; As such, my players inherently understand 3 things about encounter difficulty, respective resource value, and pacing:1)&nbsp; The combats that I do run are going to be difficult (universally above standard; L + 2 to L + 5 encounter budget).2)&nbsp; The value of non-combat feats, Rituals, Martial Practices, Skills, Skill Powers, non-combat features (Theme, Class, PP, etc), and non-combat Utility Powers will have a much higher level of potency than their combat analogs with respect to baseline expectations.3)&nbsp; Non-combat conflicts will be difficult and punitive with respect to Healing Surge ablation.&nbsp; As a group, they're losing a lot of aggregate surges with Failures in Skill Challenges and outright losses in Skill Challenges (where the whole group will lose 1 or 2 surges apiece depending on what the loss reflects).&nbsp; Those surges lost work as a good exchange rate for what they would be losing in an easy combat.&nbsp; Further, they will burn surges for Martial Practices and use surges within the framework of Skill Challenges for specific advantages.&nbsp; This is how I deliver the expectant pacing for the adventuring day.All told, given what I've read of your depiction of your games, I suspect your ratio will be similar to my own.&nbsp; If that is so, make sure that is clear to these players such that they understand that the investment in non-combat resources is well worth it (possibly moreso).&nbsp; Further, if it is indeed true, consider using 3 as a means to pace the adventuring day such that players feel pressure on their surges.&nbsp; I have another tool I use regularly with the Disease/Condition Track but that is probably best left for when you're comfortable with the ruleset.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6176397, member: 6696971"] One other thing right quick as I think it might apply to the way you play. My D&D has never been as combat intensive as the cultural baseline. My players understand this due to many years gaming with me. On average, I probably run a 2:3 combat:non-combat conflict ratio. So, in a day with 5 encounters, you're looking at only 2 combats. As such, my players inherently understand 3 things about encounter difficulty, respective resource value, and pacing: 1) The combats that I do run are going to be difficult (universally above standard; L + 2 to L + 5 encounter budget). 2) The value of non-combat feats, Rituals, Martial Practices, Skills, Skill Powers, non-combat features (Theme, Class, PP, etc), and non-combat Utility Powers will have a much higher level of potency than their combat analogs with respect to baseline expectations. 3) Non-combat conflicts will be difficult and punitive with respect to Healing Surge ablation. As a group, they're losing a lot of aggregate surges with Failures in Skill Challenges and outright losses in Skill Challenges (where the whole group will lose 1 or 2 surges apiece depending on what the loss reflects). Those surges lost work as a good exchange rate for what they would be losing in an easy combat. Further, they will burn surges for Martial Practices and use surges within the framework of Skill Challenges for specific advantages. This is how I deliver the expectant pacing for the adventuring day. All told, given what I've read of your depiction of your games, I suspect your ratio will be similar to my own. If that is so, make sure that is clear to these players such that they understand that the investment in non-combat resources is well worth it (possibly moreso). Further, if it is indeed true, consider using 3 as a means to pace the adventuring day such that players feel pressure on their surges. I have another tool I use regularly with the Disease/Condition Track but that is probably best left for when you're comfortable with the ruleset. [/QUOTE]

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