Are Short-Rest Classes Bad for One-Shots?

[NecessaryWeevil]

I hope to play in a three-hour one-shot game at our local game store in two weeks.
In thinking about a character, I wonder: in your experience, do short rests tend to be feasible in one-shot games, or do they tend to be high-tempo, press-on-toward-the-goal-at-all-times kinds of games?
If the latter, should short-rest classes be avoided?

Thanks!

[diplomancer]

Yes, but as a part of the general case "short classes are bad if you don't know the DM's style".

Which means they can work out fine if you DO know the style of a DM that's running a particular one-shot, whether by having played with him before or by a previous conversation about it (though the conversation is less reliable than the experience...everyone thinks they're balanced, specially if they haven't put much thought into it).

[Waazraath]

I hope to play in a three-hour one-shot game at our local game store in two weeks.
In thinking about a character, I wonder: in your experience, do short rests tend to be feasible in one-shot games, or do they tend to be high-tempo, press-on-toward-the-goal-at-all-times kinds of games?
If the latter, should short-rest classes be avoided?

Thanks!

In general I don't think there's much of a problem - balance is quite good in 5e, meaning it still sorta works even in suboptimal conditions. I'd only hesitate when the one-shot very specifically only has 5 minute adventuring days, and you have a DM that doesn't take class balane in account when crafting encounters. Whether it's a one-shot or not does not really seem relevant tbh.

[animorte]

Yes, but as a part of the general case "short classes are bad if you don't know the DM's style".
This. It really depends on the DM. If it’s common knowledge that they allow 2-3 short rests, then you should be fine.

I also feel like it depends on what level the one-shot PCs are at. For example, if I’m playing a Warlock at level 7+, no short rests won’t bother me at all. I can build my class to function well with pact boon and invocations (and subclass features).

It also depends on the expected duration of the one-shot. I’ve played a level 3 Monk during a 1-hour one-shot and it felt great. If it was a 3+ hour session with no short rests, I’m sure it would have felt worse.

[Silly Name]

In my experience running one-shots at events and Cons, there's usually time reserved for one short rest each adventure, at least in the adventures I've ran and the ones me and fellow DMs created. This is especially true of low-level one-shots, as the short rest also helps the party recover HP and other resources.

That said, it absolutely depends on the DM and the adventure they're running. IMHO, a good one-shot provides time and space for every type of class to work, but that doesn't always happen.

[Arkhios]

Not necessarily, weevil :smallcool:

As others have pointed out, it depends much on the DM. But, it also depends a lot on the one-shot's structure, especially if it's a pre-written adventure; in other words, how the one-shot is paced. Even a one-shot can include the "standard" 6-8 encounters and the "standard" 2-3 corresponding short rests.

[MrStabby]

As others have said, it depends... but I am a bit more aligned with what you are saying.

Unless the DM stipulates that full rest based classes don't start with all their resources available, these classes will get their full days worth of resources. Short rest classes are going to be a bit more DM dependant.

So far so much the same as any other game though.

What makes it a little different on a one-shot are a couple of related reasons. Normally, a DM can balance campaigns- some days some characters will excel, on other days other characters will. With a good DM this will all balance out, but it will only do so on a longer campaign. Balancing every character within a single day is harder, and one of the key variable balance levers is number of short rests.

The other element is feedback - a DM can look at how things are performing at the table and make adjustments. Again, a key lever is how many rests the party gets. No time for feedback means that a DM is going to have a harder time judging what actually happens to the party.

These things might not mean a short rest class is bad, but it may mean that a short rest class is riskier. And, if a short rest character is seen as being too strong, its easier to stop resting than it is to add additional safe spaces to rest so dynamic adjustment isn't likely to favour you.

It's not a huge thing, and shouldn't dissuade you if you have an idea you love, but it's it's small co sideration.

[Unoriginal]

An one-shot can have tons of short rests, especially if the DM decides that it'll be a "have to handle major threats, but also have time between encounters" type scenario.


One-shots can be anything from a mystery to solve to non-stop combat.

As an anecdote, the last one-shot I did was me playing a Barbarian and another person playing a Warlock. We couldn't take a rest due to circumstances putting us on a timer, but the Warlock did just fine.

[NecessaryWeevil]

Not necessarily, weevil :smallcool:


Oh, well done. :)

Thanks everyone!