M_Natas
Hero
The problem again is, that you have to use the "crutch" of random encounters to deny a long rest or just handwave a NO to long rests, because long rests are just too good by giving 100% of all ressources back.Yeah. It’s always been a ridiculous read to say it takes 1 hour of combat to interrupt a long rest. Yet another thing the designers got wildly wrong. See the OP again.
What needs to change is the Long Rest itself. If a good night's sleep in the wilderness only gives back 1 HP(+Con, because we are nice) and the lowest used up spell slot, all the problems go away.
Than even a 25% Chance of one random encounter feels dangerous, because it takes up more ressources than a long rest gives back.
And than you give out consumable ressources like Healing Potions and Mana Potions as a DM to adjust the difficulty.
That way it also feels way more realistic (100% ressource regenration feels just to gamey and is not explained in the game world), damage in combat and casting spells matters longer than a day and the DM is now in controll of pacing the game through the rate of Potions he is giving out.