Sessions without combat happen from time to time. Maybe not in every game. I definitely have known some GMs who plan a fight per session at least. Heck, in some games I've been a fight per session GM (in my defense it was a super hero game.)
My question today isn't whether or not yousee them happen, but do you like them? I've had several people claim some of their favorite sessions never had combat. I've had others say they hate them because it's easy for people to get sidelined.
Where do you lie? Do you like sessions without combat? Do you loathe them? Do you like them, but only once in a great while?
I like sessions without combat, when you successfully navigate through all the traps and ambushes the DM has laid without violence if feels like a great triumph. Unfortunately the 5e experience system rewards violence more.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's new to 5e. D&D has always struggled with the fact that the only way the book spells out to get XP is to kill monsters. Which, while there is other ways, does also communicate to GMs and players that if you're not murdering monsters/combat encounters you're not progressing.
DeleteIt's a bit better than the old way where XP was tied to loot, but I admit that D&D is one of my least favorite XP mechanics. I much prefer ones like L5R where I can give out XP for whatever I want to encourage like 1 for showing to session, 1 for good RP, 1 for completing a character objective, etc.