Skill Challenge Design Help

[bobcat_grad]

Okay, I'm a little confused on Skill Challenge mechanics and could use some guidance.

I've put together a skill challenge for a campaign that I'm going to be running, but some of the mechanics of skill challenges confuse me as to how to let it play out.

Skill Challenges in DMG1 are bland and very mechanical. The subsequent articles released in Dungeons magazine flesh it out some, and the section on Skill Challenges in DMG2 are even better. But there seems to be zero recommendations of how to let it play out - I've seen 'roll initiative and each player MUST make a check' all the way to 'let players make checks in any order, just try not to have a single player make them all.'

I don't want to force players to make checks if they have a great chance of failing, but I want to make sure everyone's involved.

So, the questions I have for everyone is what have you done? What works? What hasn't?

 

[bobcat_grad]

Shoot - put this in wrong thread... sorry. Trying to move it.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I recently followed Piratecat's advice, and my players were all fairly happy with the results.

I found it useful to give them a handout and let them choose what to do. My only real rule was each person had to participate each 'round'.

I've attached the handout I used in my most recent session.

Thaumaturge.

 

[bobcat_grad]

Thanks - I'll take a look at that. The idea of giving them a sheet of things to do was what I ended up with, too.

 

[LostSoul]

I "lead with the fiction." That means what's important is what's going on in the game world; that determines who needs to make a check, what kinds of checks they can make, the DC of the check, the outcome being different for success or failure, etc.

So, I don't know, let's say the PCs are trying to escape a collapsing dungeon. I'll describe something happening: "A column of rocks falls down right on the Wizard! It's going to hurt unless you do something." Then I let the players decide what actions their PCs take. The Wizard might make an Athletics check to jump out of the way, or he might throw up a Shield to block the impact, or the Fighter who's close by might shove the Wizard, or whatever else they can think of.

 

[jcayer]

I do the handout as well. Not nearly as nice as the one posted above. But I do include the DCs and Primary/Secondary skills, etc. I also make mention that they can suggest and use any skill they want as long as it is relevant.

We've probably run 8 or 10 so far. Some good, some not so good. The "find the path ones" are getting a bit repetitive. The diplomatic ones seem to work better for my group since it is more varied. That being said, I'm probably going to start pressing them with more specific actions. Till now, we've been trying to figure the whole deal out, so we're getting to the point of buckling down.

We've also done some other types, like trying to pick the magic lock on a necromancer's tower. They had a similar key, from his peer, and using that, thievery, arcana, and religion, they managed to unlock the door. It was a good challenge and they ran it well...since they really wanted to get the necromancer.