Although PF2 may define exploration and role-playing better, if combat takes too long, you don't have enough time for them. ![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I can't speak to how long PF2 combat takes; certainly in our short time with AV, I don't think it took that long. I can speak to how long 4E combat took, and that was a monster. About every fight was an hour to resolve. (At level 30, which I ran two campaigns to... still about an hour or so - contrary to some experiences).
And it just killed the pacing. Keep on the Shadowfell is an adventure where the dungeon component drags because of how long combat takes. I think it would have been much better received in 5E! Yes, you do want some combats (boss battles) lasting an hour or more, but a random set of five kobolds shouldn't take an hour to resolve, but that's how 4E worked.
When it takes so long to resolve a single combat, you need to structure the game to be more roleplaying/exploration and less combat or the pacing suffers terribly. But, against that, combat is fun. And the switch from "lots of combat" to "only a few key combats" from 3E to 4E wasn't a switch a lot of groups enjoyed.
Cheers,
Merric
I can't speak to how long PF2 combat takes; certainly in our short time with AV, I don't think it took that long. I can speak to how long 4E combat took, and that was a monster. About every fight was an hour to resolve. (At level 30, which I ran two campaigns to... still about an hour or so - contrary to some experiences).
And it just killed the pacing. Keep on the Shadowfell is an adventure where the dungeon component drags because of how long combat takes. I think it would have been much better received in 5E! Yes, you do want some combats (boss battles) lasting an hour or more, but a random set of five kobolds shouldn't take an hour to resolve, but that's how 4E worked.
When it takes so long to resolve a single combat, you need to structure the game to be more roleplaying/exploration and less combat or the pacing suffers terribly. But, against that, combat is fun. And the switch from "lots of combat" to "only a few key combats" from 3E to 4E wasn't a switch a lot of groups enjoyed.
Cheers,
Merric