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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rhenny" data-source="post: 6475749" data-attributes="member: 18333">Tension in the battle does not always mean that the party is close to TPK or that the combat lasts x rounds.  In 5e, I think the tension is raised by the fear that something bad can happen at nearly any time.  For example, there is still a 33% chance that the dragon's breath will recharge the round after he's already used it.  That threat is always there.  If that happens, the difficulty of the encounter is magnified.  As a player, I'm going to be tense fighting the dragon, and if possible, I'll try to avoid the fight (unless it is my quest to slay the dragon).In addition, I think some people just want combats to last longer in some situations because that's what they are used to, and that's what they feel makes the combat more tense.  That's not wrong.  It just may not be possible with the default setting of 5e.   Longer combats can easily be achieved by adding hit points (max hp for unique specimens) or granting resistance to physical damage, etc.In my experience, I've been finding that as a player and a DM, I've been acting much more "in character" in combat because I fear that at any time, something bad might happen, even if it never does.   This fear makes foes/villains act more like "real" creatures.   If they get hurt too much, they try to run or negotiate or trick.  The same goes for players.</blockquote>