Limited Extended Rests - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Limited Extended Rests

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
_radagast__dup
Aug 13, 2009 21:54:33 Does anyone have a rule that you cannot take Extended Rests except inside of a city (i.e. in a tavern or home sleeping in a bed)?

I'm looking to do a "sandbox" style game and I don't want the PCs resting after each battle (and I don't want to have to throw random encounters at them every time they rest).
#2
jgumbyrx
Aug 14, 2009 0:27:36 the key to keeping the party moving after each encounter is to keep the challange level of each encounter down. the "15-minute adventuring day" mentality comes from having the majority of encounters draining significant resources. If a given encounter drains more than, say, one quarter of the party's resources, they're gonna get a little gun-shy. You definitely want to have a varying level in the difficulty of the encounters, but if you want them to keep going, don't drain more than 1/4.

start the dungeon (or whatever the environment) with a couple of "cake-walks", and then have one that actually takes more than a round or 2, but don't hit them too hard. then have a few more "cake-walks", followed by another semi-challenging encounter; and so on, until you hit the climax. have about every-other "challenging" encounter a little tougher than the others -- basically, mix it up as much as possible. If you really want them to push the limit, once they fall below half, "cake-walk" it until they just can't go any more -- and then finish-off thier resources with a bit of a challenge.

now, unless you just want to totally lose their trust as players, make sure they get a good rest (or at least aren't below half) before they meet the "boss" (at which point, you pull out all the stops).

Does that address your question? (or have I just gone on a random tangent?)
Better yet, did that even make any sense?
#3
oxybe
Aug 14, 2009 6:31:40 reread the section on extended rests:

PHB, P263
Once per day: After you finish an extended rest, you have to wait 12 hours before you can begin another one.

so if the party really wants to fight, rest, fight, rest, fight, etc... it will mean:

fight, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, etc...

so 18 hours between each fight... it'll bring new meaning to the phrase dungeon "crawl"
#4
DevoDog
Aug 14, 2009 7:51:46
Does anyone have a rule that you cannot take Extended Rests except inside of a city (i.e. in a tavern or home sleeping in a bed)?

I'm looking to do a "sandbox" style game and I don't want the PCs resting after each battle (and I don't want to have to throw random encounters at them every time they rest).

I would suggest that you simply express your 5-minute workday concerns with your players. Explain to them that you would like the players to go through approximately X encounters per extended rest.

If you are your players are on the same page, you shouldn't need to houserule anything.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 _radagast__dup Aug 13, 2009 21:54:33	Does anyone have a rule that you cannot take Extended Rests except inside of a city (i.e. in a tavern or home sleeping in a bed)? I'm looking to do a "sandbox" style game and I don't want the PCs resting after each battle (and I don't want to have to throw random encounters at them every time they rest).
#2 jgumbyrx Aug 14, 2009 0:27:36	the key to keeping the party moving after each encounter is to keep the challange level of each encounter down. the "15-minute adventuring day" mentality comes from having the majority of encounters draining significant resources. If a given encounter drains more than, say, one quarter of the party's resources, they're gonna get a little gun-shy. You definitely want to have a varying level in the difficulty of the encounters, but if you want them to keep going, don't drain more than 1/4. start the dungeon (or whatever the environment) with a couple of "cake-walks", and then have one that actually takes more than a round or 2, but don't hit them too hard. then have a few more "cake-walks", followed by another semi-challenging encounter; and so on, until you hit the climax. have about every-other "challenging" encounter a little tougher than the others -- basically, mix it up as much as possible. If you really want them to push the limit, once they fall below half, "cake-walk" it until they just can't go any more -- and then finish-off thier resources with a bit of a challenge. now, unless you just want to totally lose their trust as players, make sure they get a good rest (or at least aren't below half) before they meet the "boss" (at which point, you pull out all the stops). Does that address your question? (or have I just gone on a random tangent?) Better yet, did that even make any sense?
#3 oxybe Aug 14, 2009 6:31:40	reread the section on extended rests: PHB, P263 Once per day: After you finish an extended rest, you have to wait 12 hours before you can begin another one. so if the party really wants to fight, rest, fight, rest, fight, etc... it will mean: fight, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, fight, wait 12 hours, 6 hour sleep, etc... so 18 hours between each fight... it'll bring new meaning to the phrase dungeon "crawl"
#4 DevoDog Aug 14, 2009 7:51:46	Does anyone have a rule that you cannot take Extended Rests except inside of a city (i.e. in a tavern or home sleeping in a bed)? I'm looking to do a "sandbox" style game and I don't want the PCs resting after each battle (and I don't want to have to throw random encounters at them every time they rest). I would suggest that you simply express your 5-minute workday concerns with your players. Explain to them that you would like the players to go through approximately X encounters per extended rest. If you are your players are on the same page, you shouldn't need to houserule anything.