D&D 4e: Long Combats

Lengthy combats are generally regarded as the scourge of 4e games. Defense values and HP totals are high across the board, and the chance that any encounter can be over in less than an hour are slim. Most players and DMs see this as a "bug" and it remains one of the most commonly discussed issues on forum boards. That said, I believe long combat is what makes 4e the best D&D ruleset to date. It lets both players and DMs relax, and focus on whats important: shooting the breeze with your friends.

Combat lets DMs relax. Overland exploration, roleplaying confrontations, and urban adventures require the DM to improvise contant almost by default. And improvisation, creating content for players at the drop of a hat, is hard work. It is among the most demanding skills required of DMs, and the hardest to master. Combat, on the other hand, requires comparatively little improv. The possible interactions of player and environment are naturally limited to whatever the DM has decided to include in a particular encounter. Improv is still required to a degree, but not nearly as much as, say, "in character" conversation demands. In fact, if the DM plans it right, the only thing he needs to keep track of during play is declining HP totals.

Players have an easier time of it as well, as long as the game is locked in combat. Nobody is forcing them to talk with a funny accent, consider their character's motivations, or even have a decent interest in tactics. 4e characters are so shockingly durable that little short of suicidal behavior has any chance of getting you killed. This creates a safety net. Players can relax and just chat. Which is why people play D&D in the first place, isn't it?

People don't come for the thrilling story, dastardly villains, or even the treasure. They can get all that playing WoW or reading fantasy lit. They certainly don't come for the monsters, or the overwrought lore. 4e combat is long and uneventful because good conversation doesn't happen when everyone is gazing intently at to-hit bonuses and die rolls all night. It happens when you're stuck killing 5 goblins over the course of an hour and have nothing better to do than shoot the breeze with your fellow geeks.