Note: would like this to be a thread for those who like the idea of skill challenges, not another debate on why people do or don't think they are any good or neccesary
Anyway, I really like the idea of skill challenges, as I think they have the potential to:
1) create a non-combat bounded scene with a beginning and end (helps with pacing)
2) mostly reward character skill (equivalent to combat stats and powers)
3) at the same time encourage player creativity (equivalent to combat tactics)
4) encourage all players to participate in the scene (although not always equally which is fine)
5) set up interesting follow-on events based on the outcome of the scene (I would not use a skill challenge where failure = TPK, but rather failure would make a subsequent scene more difficult, for instance a combat coming up. Or failure means you don't get a reward, rather than you get an outright penalty)
I would also personally not have everything be a skill challenge. There is certainly room in the game for simple skill checks as well. Climbing a wall to get a view beyond seems like a simple check. Infiltrating a heavily guarded fortress without alerting the main body of guards (so you only have to take on the elites guarding the whatzit) does seem like it could be a skill challenge.
In my mind, traps are a tough example to use as a skill challenge example as many are not complex scenes per se and we are burdened by prior edition concepts on how traps work. It's interesting that many of the sample skill challenges I have read on the boards seem to be trap related. I'm not saying traps can't work (it would be great if my group had an encounter like the hanging corpse dryad tree), but I don't see traps as the main use of skill challenges in my campaigns.
Is there a thread that has started to compile non-trap skill challenges? If not how about we start it…
Here’s a few ideas I’ve seen on the boards in some form:
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Set-up: Party in search of monsters terrorizing the region. They come upon the aftermath of a town being attacked by Kobolds. Buildings are on fire. Cattle is stampeding. Townfolk are in panic and unorganized.
Goal of challenge: Minimize damage to town
Success/failure: 8/6
Success outcome: [pick only one] 1) Old timer ranger survives the chaos and tells party of alternative path to Kobold lair, which let’s them avoid stronger defenses, 2) Mayor rewards party with a loaner minor magic item, 3) in the process of helping, party is able to capture a lone Kobold that got left behind. Can tell party the same info in number 1
Failure outcome: none of the above, and town asks party for help (X gold) after they defeat the kobolds to replenish their lost cattle and rebuild. If they don’t give them help, a quarter of the town dies next winter and story gets back to party.
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Set-up: Neighboring kingdom of dwarves is about to declare war on elves of the great forest. Party needs elf king help to close ancient gate located in said forest
Goal of challenge: Prevent dwarf king from declaring war
Success / failure: 6/6 (Special, advisor to king will use diplomacy every round against DC 20 and add 1 failure to total if successful)
Success outcome: no war is declared and dwarf king sees the party as wise advisors. Later in campaign Dwarf lord will help party out if circumstances are right. Current advisor is cast out and becomes reoccurring villain. Elf king helps party with gate, which makes it possible to harness part of gate’s power into a magic item.
Failure outcome: party is kicked out of throne room as “meddlers” and elf sympathizers, and must deal with warring dwarf and elf parties throughout the great forest, both of which are unfriendly. Party must find a way to close the gate themselves, and has no hope of harnessing any of the gate’s power.
Anyway, I really like the idea of skill challenges, as I think they have the potential to:
1) create a non-combat bounded scene with a beginning and end (helps with pacing)
2) mostly reward character skill (equivalent to combat stats and powers)
3) at the same time encourage player creativity (equivalent to combat tactics)
4) encourage all players to participate in the scene (although not always equally which is fine)
5) set up interesting follow-on events based on the outcome of the scene (I would not use a skill challenge where failure = TPK, but rather failure would make a subsequent scene more difficult, for instance a combat coming up. Or failure means you don't get a reward, rather than you get an outright penalty)
I would also personally not have everything be a skill challenge. There is certainly room in the game for simple skill checks as well. Climbing a wall to get a view beyond seems like a simple check. Infiltrating a heavily guarded fortress without alerting the main body of guards (so you only have to take on the elites guarding the whatzit) does seem like it could be a skill challenge.
In my mind, traps are a tough example to use as a skill challenge example as many are not complex scenes per se and we are burdened by prior edition concepts on how traps work. It's interesting that many of the sample skill challenges I have read on the boards seem to be trap related. I'm not saying traps can't work (it would be great if my group had an encounter like the hanging corpse dryad tree), but I don't see traps as the main use of skill challenges in my campaigns.
Is there a thread that has started to compile non-trap skill challenges? If not how about we start it…
Here’s a few ideas I’ve seen on the boards in some form:
************************************
Set-up: Party in search of monsters terrorizing the region. They come upon the aftermath of a town being attacked by Kobolds. Buildings are on fire. Cattle is stampeding. Townfolk are in panic and unorganized.
Goal of challenge: Minimize damage to town
Success/failure: 8/6
Success outcome: [pick only one] 1) Old timer ranger survives the chaos and tells party of alternative path to Kobold lair, which let’s them avoid stronger defenses, 2) Mayor rewards party with a loaner minor magic item, 3) in the process of helping, party is able to capture a lone Kobold that got left behind. Can tell party the same info in number 1
Failure outcome: none of the above, and town asks party for help (X gold) after they defeat the kobolds to replenish their lost cattle and rebuild. If they don’t give them help, a quarter of the town dies next winter and story gets back to party.
*************************************
Set-up: Neighboring kingdom of dwarves is about to declare war on elves of the great forest. Party needs elf king help to close ancient gate located in said forest
Goal of challenge: Prevent dwarf king from declaring war
Success / failure: 6/6 (Special, advisor to king will use diplomacy every round against DC 20 and add 1 failure to total if successful)
Success outcome: no war is declared and dwarf king sees the party as wise advisors. Later in campaign Dwarf lord will help party out if circumstances are right. Current advisor is cast out and becomes reoccurring villain. Elf king helps party with gate, which makes it possible to harness part of gate’s power into a magic item.
Failure outcome: party is kicked out of throne room as “meddlers” and elf sympathizers, and must deal with warring dwarf and elf parties throughout the great forest, both of which are unfriendly. Party must find a way to close the gate themselves, and has no hope of harnessing any of the gate’s power.
