D&D 5E (2024) Mike Mearls explains why your boss monsters die too easily

[overgeeked]

It’s a 99.95% chance of a random encounter, which yes, the players should take as a guarantee. Like I said, it’s most likely about 5 random encounters using the 2014 resting rules, or about 9 using the 2024 resting rules. It’s not a quantum ogre, that’s where you present the players with two (or more) paths that both (or all) lead to the same destination.

Yes, exactly. Regardless of what they choose to do, continue or rest, they will inevitably face "random" encounters. It's disguising the inevitability of a random encounter with pointless rolls. The choice doesn't matter.

 

[The Sigil]

Lots of food for thought here. But one question that I have:

How does a DM be more strict about the rate of Long Rests without seeming too controlling or antagonistic towards the players?

I can tell you that players are always disappointed at best, frustrated at worst, the few times that I've explained to them that "it's too dangerous to take a long rest here; you can make camp, but you won't get the benefits of a Long Rest right now".

EDIT: I've tried to explain in a "metagame" way to the players during session zero that long rests will not be possible inside of a "dungeon environment". But that's never been well received, or they've found work arounds (spells and magic items that let them long rest anywhere that they damn well please).

I would probably go along the lines of the following...

1. When we are not actively involved in the game, time passes in the game world at a rate of 1:1 with real time.

2. A "long rest" is only possible in an environment where you are 100% certain you are safe and secure. In other words, secure behind the locked door of a room or house that is behind the walls of a village or town that is guarded by other sentient beings for the entire duration of the long rest. In other words, "between adventure sessions."

3. If you foray into the dungeon, you need to make it back to a "safe haven" between sessions. Ending a session in the dungeon means you are spending a week in the dungeon and something WILL find you and make a snack out of you ("it is dark, you are likely to be eaten by a grue.")

Yes, this sounds quite west-marches-esque.

 

[overgeeked]

I would probably go along the lines of the following...

1. When we are not actively involved in the game, time passes in the game world at a rate of 1:1 with real time.

2. A "long rest" is only possible in an environment where you are 100% certain you are safe and secure. In other words, secure behind the locked door of a room or house that is behind the walls of a village or town that is guarded by other sentient beings for the entire duration of the long rest. In other words, "between adventure sessions."

3. If you foray into the dungeon, you need to make it back to a "safe haven" between sessions. Ending a session in the dungeon means you are spending a week in the dungeon and something WILL find you and make a snack out of you ("it is dark, you are likely to be eaten by a grue.")

Yes, this sounds quite west-marches-esque.

It's also how Dave Arneson ran games. You end the session in a dungeon and you'd have to make a roll to see how your retreat went as you fled the dungeon.

 

[The Sigil]

“A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours and performs no more than 2 hours of light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity - at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, casting spells, or similar adventuring activity - the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it.

EDIT: and the interpretation of whether the 1 hour is limited to walking only or applying to all items in the list

Sounds like you are reading the list as follows:
"Interrupted by a period of strenuous activity - at least 1 hour of

• walking
• fighting
• casting spells
• or similar adventuring activity"

I read it as:
"Interrupted by a period of strenuous activity -

• at least 1 hour of walking
• fighting
• casting spells
• or similar adventuring activity"

Note the change in emphasis - I'm emphasizing "strenuous activity" while you are emphasizing "1 hour" - I do happen to think the punctuation (with the dash indicating the beginning of the list, with commas breaking off individual items) favors my reading of the text. I also think common sense favors my version since when is the last time you saw a combat (fighting) go at least 60 rounds?

 

[The Sigil]

I use the “it takes an hour or combat to interrupt a long rest” interpretation.

I agree. It takes an hour OR combat to interrupt a long rest.

I know you actually meant "an hour OF combat" - but again, I ask, that's a 60-round combat... have you ever actually had a combat go that long (or even close to it)? Because if the answer is "yes" then your combats are probably powered to the point where the PCs definitely need a long rest after your combats and I don't begrudge your interpretation. (I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm dead serious)

 

[mamba]

when is the last time you saw a combat (fighting) go at least 60 rounds?

when was the last time 30 seconds of exercise counted as strenuous activity?

 

[The Sigil]

when was the last time 30 seconds of exercise counted as strenuous activity?

Well, Training For Maximum Speed Takes Patience And Recovery suggests that three sixty-meter sprints (which take less than 10 seconds each) is strenuous enough to degrade performance.

"Performing three runs at near maximum speed could mean taking anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes between each of the 3 runs. Yes, the runner may be able to get through 3 x 60 metres in a few minutes, but the second and third repetition will be a deteriorated effort, and not yield the intended result."

And that it takes at least 24 hours, possibly 96 hours, for full recovery.

"The ability to recover from speed-training sessions varies among individuals. However, no one should ever routinely train for speed two days in a row. Twenty-four hours is simply not enough time for the body to recover.
...
Some athletes only need 48 hours recovery, so they can sprint hard three days per week--i.e. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Others may need 72 to 96 hours recovery--i.e. Monday and Thursday, or even Monday and Friday. The athlete and coach must be observant that speed sessions aren't crammed together in a training cycle. (Note: A meet day is also considered a speed day.)"

So, uh, the last time somebody sprinted for 30 seconds in a 24-hour period (granted for me that would be "decades ago" but for others could be "an hour ago")?

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes, exactly. Regardless of what they choose to do, continue or rest, they will inevitably face "random" encounters. It's disguising the inevitability of a random encounter with pointless rolls. The choice doesn't matter.

I think if you want to define “quantum ogre” in such a way that random encounter rolls for the definition, it’s no longer a useful term.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

Yes, exactly. Regardless of what they choose to do, continue or rest, they will inevitably face "random" encounters. It's disguising the inevitability of a random encounter with pointless rolls. The choice doesn't matter.

I never roll for random encounter, I always choose to have one prepared in advance because I use VTT and I need time to make tokens before any combat.

 

[overgeeked]

Pointless.