Skill Challange Question

[beldar1215]

Hello All,
I have a questions about skill challenges. Let me preface it with an explanation. We were playing last night and our DM threw an impromptu challenge at us. There were four players. Our DM stated that all of the PC's had to take part in the challenge. One of the the PC's was not really set-up for the challenge.

So here is the rules question: Does everyone at the table have to take part in the challenge. Our DM says yes. I say that a PC should be able to opt out of the challenge. What is the right answer?

Beldar

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

There isn't a rule in the book that says 'all players have to play a part in the challenge'.

However, one of the design concepts of the skill challenge is to allow all players to effectively participate in order to avoid the 'well, its the Thiefs time to do skill stuff so lets grap the XBox for an hour while they figure it out' problem of some editions. Which means some DM's will enforce everyones involvement.

If it was a Core Rules challenge, then the non-optimized player could simply opt to 'aid another'.. easy to do and pretty much guarenteed to help.

If it was a Stalker0 Obsidion challenge {I highly recommend}, the system is designed to allow any character to be effective and does not require skill-monkey optimization.



Was it a fun challenge?

 

[Caliban]

There isn't a rule in the book that says 'all players have to play a part in the challenge'.

Actually, there is a rule that says all players have to participate, at least in the original printing of the DMG (page 74, Running a Skill Challenge).

The rule was removed via errata though (errata states to remove the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs of that section).

If his DM is not aware of the errata, he's probably using that rule.

 

[Paul Strack]

Per the errata, no, the players don't all have to participate.

In game I run, it depends on the nature of the challenge. If the challenge is "investigate to find the missing person" or "talk to the duke", players can sit out. If the challenge is "everyone climb up the cliff" or "resist the plague sweeping through town", then the whole party has to participate (unless they want to sit out the adventure or just die from the disease).

As an extra item, I treat skill challenges as an encounter for earning milestones, and if a PC doesn't participate, that encounter doesn't count for them. I find that helps to balance out non-participation.

 

[Piratecat]

The trick to a well designed skill challenge is making all the players want to participate.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

If his DM is not aware of the errata, he's probably using that rule.

Hmm.. normally I have it the other way around as I don't pay much attention to errata unless I read about it here
Thanks for the correction.