3 Questions To Determine a Combat Encounter’s Length

How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

When you are planning a combat encounter, do you know how to get it into the "Goldilocks" zone in terms of length? You don't want it so short that no one got anything out of it, but you also don't want it so long that all the players are secretly praying that it will be over after the next turn.

To help you plan the length of your encounter, whether beforehand or on the fly, here are 3 questions:

• Question #1: Has each player had a chance to feel either useful, powerful, or seriously threatened?
• Question #2: Has this combat encounter had at least one “story-worthy” moment?
• Question #3: Does the length of this combat match its importance?

Learn how these questions can help you execute an appropriately-lengthy combat in today's episode!

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