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Is there any 5e love for skill challenges??
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<blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 7290454" data-attributes="member: 45197"><p>Hiya!</p><p></p><p>Er...hmmm...kinda sorta but not really? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>I get the concept. I understand the desire for the designers of the game to try and impliment some sort of "skill importance" and then try to integrate that into the game mechanics. However, D&D, simply put, doesn't have that kind of "soul".</p><p></p><p>What I have considered doing, but haven't, is using the Masterbook RPG's "Deck" mechanics. Basically, there's a deck of cards. Each round a new card is flipped over. That card has stuff on it that <em>can</em> be used for 'advantages'. One of the aspects of the card is a sort of "Skill Progression" line. It has a letter on it. A, B, C, or D. The GM chooses a difficulty letter (A is dirt simple; D is REALLY difficult). A Player makes a skill roll and if he succeeds, he 'gets' that letter. Next round, a new card is flipped over. The next letter MUST be in the Skill Progression line. He rolls another skill check to 'get' that letter. Failure means the PC has to use a different skill to continue the task. Other PC's can take over with their skill in whatever makes sense for the situation.</p><p></p><p>Ex: A task to disable a trap where water is slowly filling a room and the door are locked in the process. The GM figures it's tricky...so sets it at C. In 6 rounds the whole room will be filled with water. Round one. Card flips up and has "A B" on it. The thief says he will use his "Mechanical Traps" to see if he can figure out how to slow the water or stop it from pouring in. He rolls, and succeeds. He has passed the "A" part. Round 2. New card flips up. It has "D" on it. No B, so this round the thief is still trying to figure out how to stop or reverse the trap. Round 3. New card flips up. It's got "A B" on it. The thief tries his Mechanical Traps again and fails. A dwarven fighter comes over and says "Let me try it!". He uses his "Stonework Traps". The GM lets this be used, but increases the difficulty number. The dwarf rolls and succeeds. The group now has A and B. Round 4, flips up a card, it's got "A B C D". Dwarf tries his skill again and fails. Thief pushes in, "I see what you're trying to do. Here, lets try this!" and uses his Engineering-Architecture skill. He rolls and fails. Next round, 5. New card flips up. It has A and C. Lucky! The dwarf tries a hail mary and just decides to use his Brute Strength skill to force the last mechanical lever down. He succeeds! He gets the C. The water stops and a few seconds later the water starts to drain out through holes in the floor.</p><p></p><p>That's the gist of it. The key things is that any PC can try and 'help' by using his/her own skill to accomplish a task. It can be a single PC or it can be the whole group. Other things can show up in the Skill Progression line, like "Complication"...where the DM can throw in something dramatic to spice things up! Maybe the thieves tools break or he drops them in the swirling water.</p><p></p><p>Honestly, one of the best things about the Masterbook system is the whole "Drama Deck" as it is called. You can also add in the "Plot Deck" where things that are strictly plot/story oriented can happen. It's a really fun system to play, and if I was to use any sort of "Skill Challenge" thing for 5e, I'd probably use this or something VERY similar. I like the idea, and the randomness of the flipping card and letter progression and that something 'else' can happen during the process...it just makes for a very fun and surprising play! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>^_^</p><p></p><p>Paul L. Ming</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pming, post: 7290454, member: 45197"] Hiya! Er...hmmm...kinda sorta but not really? ;) I get the concept. I understand the desire for the designers of the game to try and impliment some sort of "skill importance" and then try to integrate that into the game mechanics. However, D&D, simply put, doesn't have that kind of "soul". What I have considered doing, but haven't, is using the Masterbook RPG's "Deck" mechanics. Basically, there's a deck of cards. Each round a new card is flipped over. That card has stuff on it that [I]can[/I] be used for 'advantages'. One of the aspects of the card is a sort of "Skill Progression" line. It has a letter on it. A, B, C, or D. The GM chooses a difficulty letter (A is dirt simple; D is REALLY difficult). A Player makes a skill roll and if he succeeds, he 'gets' that letter. Next round, a new card is flipped over. The next letter MUST be in the Skill Progression line. He rolls another skill check to 'get' that letter. Failure means the PC has to use a different skill to continue the task. Other PC's can take over with their skill in whatever makes sense for the situation. Ex: A task to disable a trap where water is slowly filling a room and the door are locked in the process. The GM figures it's tricky...so sets it at C. In 6 rounds the whole room will be filled with water. Round one. Card flips up and has "A B" on it. The thief says he will use his "Mechanical Traps" to see if he can figure out how to slow the water or stop it from pouring in. He rolls, and succeeds. He has passed the "A" part. Round 2. New card flips up. It has "D" on it. No B, so this round the thief is still trying to figure out how to stop or reverse the trap. Round 3. New card flips up. It's got "A B" on it. The thief tries his Mechanical Traps again and fails. A dwarven fighter comes over and says "Let me try it!". He uses his "Stonework Traps". The GM lets this be used, but increases the difficulty number. The dwarf rolls and succeeds. The group now has A and B. Round 4, flips up a card, it's got "A B C D". Dwarf tries his skill again and fails. Thief pushes in, "I see what you're trying to do. Here, lets try this!" and uses his Engineering-Architecture skill. He rolls and fails. Next round, 5. New card flips up. It has A and C. Lucky! The dwarf tries a hail mary and just decides to use his Brute Strength skill to force the last mechanical lever down. He succeeds! He gets the C. The water stops and a few seconds later the water starts to drain out through holes in the floor. That's the gist of it. The key things is that any PC can try and 'help' by using his/her own skill to accomplish a task. It can be a single PC or it can be the whole group. Other things can show up in the Skill Progression line, like "Complication"...where the DM can throw in something dramatic to spice things up! Maybe the thieves tools break or he drops them in the swirling water. Honestly, one of the best things about the Masterbook system is the whole "Drama Deck" as it is called. You can also add in the "Plot Deck" where things that are strictly plot/story oriented can happen. It's a really fun system to play, and if I was to use any sort of "Skill Challenge" thing for 5e, I'd probably use this or something VERY similar. I like the idea, and the randomness of the flipping card and letter progression and that something 'else' can happen during the process...it just makes for a very fun and surprising play! :) ^_^ Paul L. Ming [/QUOTE]
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