I don’t have much time to really craft this post and I’m just heading out the door, but I wanted to provide a response to a question recently posed in the most recent D&D Podcast (Episode 13: Mailbag, part 2). In this episode, Mike Mearls & Dave Noonan are asked, “What are the elements of the current rule set that you would most like to get rid of in future editions?” Dane Noonan responds by saying he would change “the fundamental pacing of the game in the fictional world.” This response is based on his belief that the “adventurers are the strongest when the game begins at 9:00 and ends at 9:05.” He further clarifies this position by stating this is mostly a “spellcaster issue.”
Certainly, from a game-mechanics point-of-view, the PCs are the strongest at the beginning of the day. The PCs have had time to rest and heal, the spellcasters have memorized their spells, and any rechargeable magical effects and other reusable abilities have essentially been “reset.” To me, this is not the heart of the issue, and as Dave further explains his answer, even the pacing that he mentioned may not even be the issue. What seems to be his particular point of contention is the style of spellcasting, or maybe even how this style of spellcasting is being used.
Dave seems to be referring to a recurring problem in D&D: the 5-minute D&D day. The PCs rest, wake-up, fight, and then rest. However, I believe this is more of a combination of issues that operate independent of the “Vancian magic system.” The 5-minute D&D day is a product of a lack of understanding in designing and running encounters coupled with a particular style of play.
Consider the following, “An Encounter Level (EL) equal to the PC’s level is one that should expend about 20% of their resources – hit points, spells, magic item uses, and so on. This means, on average that after about four encounters of the party’s level the PCs need to rest, heal, and regain spells.” (DMG, Pg. 49, 2003).
Many times, players casually say “I cast fireball” as an easy way to overcome an encounter – or to be ‘the bigshot’ at the table – with no thought to any possible repercussions because the DM and players allow the 5-minute D&D day mentality to pace their game. In these cases, players (and DMs) forget to treat the D&D day as just that – a day of adventuring. Instead of thinking of the D&D day in terms of hours, minutes, seconds -- locations, people, and adventuring, it is reduced to X amount of encounters, X amount of prepared spells, and X amount of XP and loot.
With this in mind, from a DM’s point of view, encounters should be created with the full scope of time in mind, and from the players’ perspective, resources should be spent accordingly. For DMs this means understanding how the encounter affects PC resources and player fun. For the players this means expanding their game-day view to include the proper application of high-impact resources (i.e. wisely choosing to use the 5th level wizard’s only prepared Fireball spell) or the consideration of other resources available to the group. However, since Dave mentioned that this is primarily a spellcaster issue, let’s look at a spellcaster.
Let’s say a 5th level Wizard name Uri has a 16 dexterity score (many players utilize a high Dexterity score to improve their Wizard’s AC). This provides Uri with a BAB of +2, and a total attack bonus of +5. If he’s luck enough to have a +1 weapon, his bonus is now +6. When in a combat situation, let’s say with a band of Orcs, Uri is faced with a decision: Does he use Melf’s Acid Arrow (a ranged touch attack at +5) from one of his two prepared 2nd-level spells, or does he shoot a crossbow bolt (a ranged attack at +6)? The median average damage for the Acid Arrow is 5 points per round, and the median average for the crossbow is 5.5 (if it’s light – 6.5 if it’s heavy). Granted, Uri must shoot a second time to deal damage with the crossbow in the next consecutive round. Either way, Uri is going to deal decent damage if he hits. However, if the player practices parsimony & a little wisdom when expending her PC’s resources, she may be better prepared for later encounters (such as a Troll later in the day – isn’t Uri glad he used the crossbow against the Orcs?)
Dave also mentioned providing artificial downtime in the game, which in turn, he believes “it closes off all sorts of great stories we could tell.” I’m not sure I understand what he means by “artificial downtime” – but in my game, downtime is incorporated into the day as a way to enhance and create the stories that Dave mentions. Many of our most memorable gaming experiences come from the PCs sitting around the fire or lounging in an inn.
I believe retooling D&D pacing or spellcasting is not the answer here, instead perhaps what is needed is for players & DMs alike to gain a better understanding of how encounters are created and distributed through a D&D day, a day that is not contingent upon players’ actions, but rather a specific time-frame with should inform players’ attitudes regarding pacing and shape their decisions on how they will use their resources.