OK. Let me rephrase. They've severely nerfed a lot of the monsters, so you CAN go for some time in the EA without Long Resting. I mean, I've literally gone from the beach to the Grove without a single long rest - and that includes the entire Dank Crypt, the Secret Tunnels and the Harpy Fight.
First playthrough way back in Patch 1 or 2, no way in heck. Nearly died every time against the three intellect devourers - which aren't intellect devourers except in name and appearance only - but I digress. (Sorry, still bugs me to no end that they put monsters in the game and don't make them true to their stats and stuff. THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY INTELLECT DEVOURERS!!!)
Ahem. Anyway. It does make sense that they would just do away with the Long and Short Rest button and instead make it so you could click on bedrolls that you find in the game to initiate a rest, or some other type of in-game item. Click on the bedroll and it asks, "Do you want to End Day?" for bedrolls are pretty specific to Long Rests. You wouldn't use a bedroll, typically, to Short Rest. For Short Rests, chairs, benches, etc. would make more sense. Wherever you find a chair or bench, you could initiate a Short Rest by right clicking on it and selecting Short Rest. Then you simply rest right there at whatever camp or rest area you are at.
Imagine. You exit the Dank Crypt and head to the entranceway of the area where there are benches at that overlook. Shoom! Cutscene showing you taking a break right where you are, and you are eating and drinking some of your Camping Supplies (because Long and Short Rests should both require Camping Supplies).
Short Rest Camping Supply Cost = 1 Camping Supply per Character Level in your party. So, if you have 4 level 4 characters, 16 Camping Supplies to Short Rest.
Long Rest Camping Supply Cost = 2 Camping Supplies per Character Level in your camp. So, if you have 6 level 4 characters, 48 Camping Supplies to Long Rest.
Anyway, if I remember correctly, all this would mean that you could presently, in the game long rest at:
- The Dank Crypt. I believe there were a couple of campsites set up, though I can't remember exactly. Either way, there's an entire dining room with fireplace, you could shut and lock the entrances to the place, etc. It just makes sense that they could allow you to Long Rest there.
- The Grove. I'm pretty dang sure there are quite a few campsite locations at the Grove.
- The Harper Lookout where you find the spider egg. I KNOW there's a campsite there.
- The Bog near the Swamp-Docks. There's a few bedrolls there and the existence of someone's camp. Granted, it's bloody. Someone was attacked there, but it would make for a valid camp location - keeping in mind that a Random Encounter Chance should exist and it should be somewhat high in that particular location since someone and their kid were obviously attacked there just recently.
- Moonhaven (Bogrot). If I recall, I think you find several locations with bedrolls, but regardless, like the Dank Crypt, there are numerous places you could likely set up as a campsite. For example, Blacksmith's basement with chance of Random Encounter being spider related, since it is right on the border of the Whispering Depths. The apothecary basement would be another good spot with chance of Random Encounter being skeleton related, since the Necromancer's Lair is nearby. The windmill could be another one with chance of Goblin/Bugbear/Hobgoblin random encounter. And lastly, if you clear it out, the shack where the bugbear and ogre were having a bit of fun... though why you'd want to sleep there is beyond me.
- Scratch Location. The little grove where you meet Scratch above the owlbear cave would be a good campsite location, though there are no campfires or bedrolls. A character could stop you and make a comment. "This looks like a good place, actually, to make camp. Should we, or do you want to keep going?" Random Encounter Chance is relatively high here and you could encounter an owlbear, if you didn't kill her in her nest (or maybe the papa bear), or gnolls coming at you from across the river, or goblins on patrol, or cultists searching for survivors.
- Whispering Depths. Resting in Eliette's old laboratory area. This would be only IF you didn't alert the spiders that you were there. If you alerted them, and Rested there, high chance of Random Encounter spider related.
- Waukeen's Rest and/or the Zhent Hideout.
- The Toll House.
- The Goblin Camp (as long as they're not hostile to you).
- The Shattered Sanctum in the chamber where you free Halsin or in Gut's Bedroom after you've cleared it. Maybe a high chance of goblins finding you if you haven't cleared out the entire place of enemies and you've killed Gut and/or her guardian.
- Spaw's Grotto.
- The Selunite Outpost
- The Arcane Tower.
- Philomeen's area in Grymforge
- Grymforge itself, because no one's over there, so very low chance of discovery.
I mean, if you provided all these places as camp locations, you'd never have to really go back far to the nearest camp. They're naturally all over the game map.
