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

[payn]

tight rules do not mean things have to be challenging, it just means they are pretty predictable


6-8 encounters per day does not feel like a combat-light story. If people can ignore that, they can also ignore 3-4 better controlled encounters and either reduce the number or challenge as needed.

I see no upside to loose math, there is nothing you gain from it. Anything you can do with loose math, you can do with tight math, there are however things you can do with tight math that just cannot be done with a loose one. The only ‘question’ is whether tight math is worth the effort, and WotC apparently has an answer.

I can say that every time the math is tightened (4E/PF2) I bounce right out. Its not a mathematically right discussion, but one of feel which is subjective. I enjoy not knowing exactly how a combat is going to go, and sometimes that means it goes pear shaped. Its more an art approach than a predictably reliable system. I also get why folks very much do not like that. They dont want to tinker and they dont want surprises.

Ultimately I don’t think it is about tight math for me anyway, but about tradeoffs. If resting is always the strategically best way to go about things, it gets boring.

No idea how tight DS!’s math is, but I like its approach where the characters get stronger from not resting while their HP deplete. This is interesting whether the math is tight or not. It offers a dilemma and a choice. D&D’s approach does not, it is up to each DM to turn it into one (potentially against the interest of their players) or just roll with the punches / frequent rests.

That is interesting, but you cant opt out of that play loop either. D&D has to be flexible, or at least 5E was built with a modular mindset that folks are going to tailor it out of want or need.

 

[SkidAce]

Refreshed and completely healed of all damage and conditions?

Didn't say that, just said like going to work again the next day.

Conditions and "lingering damage/wounds" (if they were in game) would be a different matter.

 

[mamba]

The first thing the players would ask is why? Why does my character have variable power?

my understanding is they don’t, you decide on which option you pick for a campaign based on its style

 

[SkidAce]

It does.

The current D&D Fans want to press reset on their digital character sheet at the session start.

I'm not sure of the ratio to those that want to push that reset and those that dont.

Agreed that it is a problem for some styles.

 

[Parmandur]

6-8 encounters per day does not feel like a combat-light story.

6-8 is the norm, but because it is a maximum rather than an average the game works fine with fewer, smaller fights, it merely gets easier.

Pretty sure they do know that most fights are cakewalks

Having watched them play, I am dead certain the players don't not have a strong grasp of the rules, at least no stronger than most people I know who play...they genuinely don't know they are overpowered.

 

[mamba]

That is interesting, but you cant opt out of that play loop either. D&D has to be flexible, or at least 5E was built with a modular mindset that folks are going to tailor it out of want or need.

it’s not like you can opt out of the rest based approach of D&D either, the only difference is that in D&D taking a rest is always the right answer whereas in DS! it depends on the situation

 

[payn]

it’s not like you can opt out of the rest based approach of D&D either, the only difference is that in D&D taking a rest is always the right answer whereas in DS! it depends on the situation

I guess in my D&D games taking a rest whenever you want isnt always an option.

 

[Staffan]

it’s not like you can opt out of the rest based approach of D&D either, the only difference is that in D&D taking a rest is always the right answer whereas in DS! it depends on the situation

Minor quibble: there's no exclamation mark in "Draw Steel".

 

[mamba]

6-8 is the norm, but because it is a maximum rather than an average the game works fine with fewer, smaller fights, it merely gets easier.

that would be true for any baseline and degree of ‘tightness’

As I wrote it is not just about that anyway. While I would prefer somewhat tighter math, there definitely is a limit to that, esp. with an attrition model, and I prefer that over an encounter based one.

The real goal is to not make rests the obvious best choice every single time, and to achieve that through mechanics rather than because the DM finds a way to have negative story impacts to counter the players innate desire to constantly rest, i.e. the players want to push on rather than the DM having to twist their arms for them to do so

 

[mamba]

I guess in my D&D games taking a rest whenever you want isnt always an option.

sure, but I would prefer to not always have to find reasons for why it might not be the best idea, and want the players to have a mechanical reason to push on