Quote Originally Posted by Mister_Squinty View Post
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).
The narrative?

The 5e rest system is designed to play out like an action story.

If you want a drama or a thriller you're in the wrong place.

Constant rests remove all of the tension from the story. What you deem 'race against the clock' is actually just normal story pacing. There are objectives and the PCs either accomplish them or they don't. Time moves forward. The world reacts to the PCs. You can't enter the orc caves and then take 8 hours out after defeating the guards. The rest of the orcs are going to come and kill everyone. Everything on camera is 'race against the clock'. If it isn't then it's downtime.