We're playing in Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, from Tales From the Yawning Portal. Due to special circumstances with the adventure, we're well past 8 encounters with no long rest at this point I believe.
In my experience "knowing" is not necessary. They only have to be aware that it's likely or possible. In other words, as long as they dont think pace is meaningless and they can rest freely, the pressure is there and choices adjust.One thing that can make a difference is knowledge. The party may, or may not, know how "long" the adventure is. They could have caught up with the thief at encounter 2... or encounter 15.
When a party *knows* that there will be a *long* time (and lots of encounters) before rest is possible, then they play differently. The cleric blew a 4rth level slot to cast confusion on the first encounters - now it made the fight even easier, but it was a waste of a 4rth level slot. Had the player known how long the day was going to be, I bet they wouldn't have done that.
"PCs should NEVER reach the BBEG with everything on tap, that defeats the purpose."
So a great session or three i ran saw my players trying to rescue hostages and take out slaver camp.
Due to a non-linear structure they actually met the BBEG basically as a patrol type encounter. They did not know that and a fight ensued.
At first it took a few rounds before they realized and shifted to full power try and survive mode. Net result they took him out but were very depleted AND they various raider low lifes started breaking down into chaotic situations...
So now instead of an organized group ready to ransom they had lotsa different divisions and ready to make run with whatever they had.
So the PCs had to move faster, encountering weaker foes but with their own tanks on empty as they tried to get to the hostages.
It was a great set of epidodes on its own but also, as a larger picture thing, it showed them never to expect any NEVERs ever again as far as story or structure goes and handle situations as they come.
One thing that can make a difference is knowledge. The party may, or may not, know how "long" the adventure is. They could have caught up with the thief at encounter 2... or encounter 15.
When a party *knows* that there will be a *long* time (and lots of encounters) before rest is possible, then they play differently. The cleric blew a 4rth level slot to cast confusion on the first encounters - now it made the fight even easier, but it was a waste of a 4rth level slot. Had the player known how long the day was going to be, I bet they wouldn't have done that.
One thing that can make a difference is knowledge. The party may, or may not, know how "long" the adventure is. They could have caught up with the thief at encounter 2... or encounter 15.
When a party *knows* that there will be a *long* time (and lots of encounters) before rest is possible, then they play differently. The cleric blew a 4rth level slot to cast confusion on the first encounters - now it made the fight even easier, but it was a waste of a 4rth level slot. Had the player known how long the day was going to be, I bet they wouldn't have done that.
In a dungeon or the wilderness surrounding it, the time pressure is wandering monsters and random encounters. You just have to set the frequency of the checks to time the PCs spend. In my Sunless Citadel game, for example, there's a wandering monster check in the dungeon every 10 minutes on an 18+ on a d20. (19+ if kobold faction is eliminated, 20 if kobolds and goblins are eliminated.) In the wilderness outside the dungeon, there's a random encounter check every 4 hours if the PCs are static, as with a camp.
So sure, take 30 minutes to search for secret doors in this chamber if you want, but I'm making 3 wandering monster checks. Or sure, go right ahead and take that long rest - but it's not safe. And if you have to abandon your camp and run because the random encounter came up hostile and also too deadly, you're going to have to start that rest over again.
You are perhaps projecting.So it was such outlier and exceptional circumstance that this occurred that you remembered it clearly and vividly and you posted here. You have made more point for me, thanks!
Yeah our party did not know this was going to happen. Druid didn't even prepare cure wounds, just healing word.