J-H
2016-08-12, 04:12 PM
This is 3.5, but generally applicable.
I've been DMing for about 5 weeks now. I'm running a high-speed game (daily posting, 1 combat round or more per day with 6 players).
In theory, difficult or challenging encounters are supposed to make up ~25-30% of what the party faces, according to the books and encounter calculator. In tabletop, fine, it's 5 or 6 minutes to kill the 5 level 1 orcs. In PBP, it's at best 2-3 days; for a 1 turn per 2-3 days game, the no-challenge encounter that leaves 1 party member 8hp down could take two weeks.
It seems to me that it's a better idea to either delete those types of minor encounters, or gloss over them: "You were attacked by two darkmantles along the way. (dice roll) Party member 3 took (diceroll) 3 damage, but you killed them with ease."
I've been DMing for about 5 weeks now. I'm running a high-speed game (daily posting, 1 combat round or more per day with 6 players).
In theory, difficult or challenging encounters are supposed to make up ~25-30% of what the party faces, according to the books and encounter calculator. In tabletop, fine, it's 5 or 6 minutes to kill the 5 level 1 orcs. In PBP, it's at best 2-3 days; for a 1 turn per 2-3 days game, the no-challenge encounter that leaves 1 party member 8hp down could take two weeks.
It seems to me that it's a better idea to either delete those types of minor encounters, or gloss over them: "You were attacked by two darkmantles along the way. (dice roll) Party member 3 took (diceroll) 3 damage, but you killed them with ease."