The actual problem in the question is that since there are only a couple of encounters per rest, mages can use all their tricks without conserving resources, and hence overshadow other characters.
Making long rests more costly is one way of treating this problem. There are others.
Long rests ha...
@NautArch I am well aware that resting happens once per session/adventure; I edited to make this explicit. I do not know how my answer is not compatible with that.
If the primary issue is being rested after returning back to their homebase, and that's a factor of WM play, then I'm not sure what your answer is recommending. Have you actually played 5e in a WM style?
I have run an extended sandbox campaign (including with D&D 5) and lots of one-shots with various D&D-type rules, so I feel my experience is close enough.
The main issue in the question is that mages go nova. The question supposes messing with rests solves this problem. I offer solutions to the problem. Some of the solutions involve resting rules.
Again, my point is that if you haven't run a WM campaign in 5e (or seen it run to comment), answers seem more like idea generation and guessing - especially when the rest rule is part of WM style games.
Given that my sandbox game involves lots of travelling through hostile territory, shifting character base (and to lesser extent player base), and a game mastering ethos very like WM, I fail to see how it does not apply.
I use the mentioned house where characters rest once they are back at civilization. This is not always at the end of a session (we can have longer expeditions), but it often is.
No, my proposals are written down in the answer. Risk of random encounters, encounter locations that react to player characters being absent, making gameplay and especially combats faster, and giving players the responsibility for keeping the game advancing at good pace.
I just don't see how you're answer isn't "WM doesn't work with 5e, you need to make changes. But I haven't actually tried to play WM style in 5e and therefore can support this statement".
I know i'm sounding harsh, but that's how I'm reading it.
Very similar is not the same. I'm sorry. And your paragraph about how resting works and your recommendation to use your houesrule suggests that you are recommending changing how resting works for 5e/WM.
I figured a good answer would include (1) my understanding of the problem, (2) why my experience is relevant, (3) what solutions I have based on the experience. It seems that I did not signpost (2) explicitly enough, or that including it was a mistake.
Discussion between NautArch and Tommi
Discussion between NautArch and Tommi