What's a good way to encourage players to use their encounter/daily powers more?

Question

My players don't tend to use their encounter and daily powers during combat, to the point where they have run from encounters they could win fairly comfortably if they used their special abilities. Instead, they tend to use normal attacks and hope for the best.

I tried throwing a large monster at them they would have no chance of killing without engaging with their powers, but they chose to retreat. I don't like the idea of just saying "Guys, you keep forgetting you have powers, and they recharge quicker than you think".

Homebrew game based on D&D and a little from Earthdawn. Cheers.

Answer 1

Make sure they know the rules

One reason to overconserve powers is simply being unaware of the rules. Remind the players when the powers recharge, and that there's no cost in using the powers if they can recharge them right after the battle.

Necessitate it

In Finland we have this saying that translates roughly to "Siberia will teach 'em". It sounds like you already tried by throwing a suitably hard challenge - don't give up, they'll learn eventually. You shouldn't pull your punches simply because the players aren't exploring the full spectrum of their tactical options. If you can get them to use their dailies and encounter powers as an emergency resort first, they might realize their usefulness to prevent emergencies as well.

In particular, you could aim to create situations where the players' unlimited attacks are significantly lacking. For example, if the only area attacks of the party are encounter and daily powers, let them face an encounter against numerous weak minions. Conversely, you could create a situation where an effect of one of the daily powers is tailor-made to accomplish a task: if you want to get your cleric to experiment that power that strikes enemies mute, have them fight a monster that primarily attacks through sound.

React positively to the use of powers

My players react very positively to embellished descriptions of the effects of their power, and this is a good way to reward their use if mechanical rewards are not well-suited to your homebrew system. So when you actually get someone to use their limited powers instead of the unlimited ones, make that moment cool. Embellish, put them in the spotlight for a moment. Describe the severed goblin parts, or the black knights buckling before the heavenly light. This reinforces the idea that the powers are cool and meant to be used.

Lead by example

Tag an NPC with your party, or have one fight against your PCs with abilities similar to theirs. Let them use their dailies and encounters to show off their powers, and serve as examples to your PCs. Nothing loosens a mage's fireball trigger or a paladin's righteous fury like another character trying the same, especially if the other character is a hostile.

Answer 2

Some people have the inability to let go of something they might need. The fear of failing because you don't have it available is crippling. In order for them to get over that fear, try removing the consequence for failure temporarily.

I don't know much about your home campaign, but if possible, place them in a situation where they know they cannot die, no matter the outcome. Maybe they are being tested in a magic "danger room" style of dungeon, by an illusionist who tells them that he wants to see if they are worthy of hiring for a quest. Maybe they are given "potions of 24 hour resurrection" for want of a better term, so that any time they die in the next day, they are automatically raised.

If those solutions are too silly for your campaign, you can appeal to their player greed. Place an XP bounty on using encounter and daily powers. This gives them an immediate and tangible benefit to using them whether or not they prove successful in the encounter. Similarly, if using an Inspiration-like mechanic, immediately reward the use of these abilities.

In short: minimize the fear of failing, maximize the immediate payoff.