Originally Posted by
Mister_Squinty
We evidently have a different definition of "meta-game". Mine would be along the lines of "compromising the narrative to exploit or accommodate game mechanics." Coffeelock is meta-game, demanding the DM play a certain number of short rests between each long rest is meta-game. Players blowing all of their resources in what is described as an "all or nothing" fight isn't meta-gaming, it's playing to the narrative set by the DM. The fights are set up as requiring all of their strength and power to overcome (at least that is the gist I am getting from the OP descriptions).