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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shazman" data-source="post: 5157115" data-attributes="member: 13509"><p>I can see how fewer encounters with the same xp budget for the session/adventure would mean tougher encounters that last longer, but I think the main problem is the math of the system.  In 4E monster defenses and hitpoints start out very high compared to the hit and damage bonuses of the PC's and their hit points and defenses scale faster than PC's to hit and damage bonuses.  The end result is combat that takes a long time.  Compared to earlier editions, you will most likely fight more monsters, have a harder time hitting the monsters, and have to hit them more (unless they are minions which seem to be used infrequently in all the adventures I've seen) times to drop them.  Under these circumstances how can combat not take a long time?  Throw having to track myriad ongoing damage, conditions, penalites, and bonuses that all begin and end at different times into the mix, and you have a bookeeping nightmare. The mechanics  of combat and the logistics of keeping track of all the mechanical bits during combat pretty much make combat that doesn't crawl at a snail's pace and take a long time to resolve nearly impossible. So much for making combat quicker, simpler, and more streamlined than in 3.5.  They not only failed to accomplish this, but did exactly the opposite.</p></blockquote><p></p>