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General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Skill Challenges in D&D 3.5
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<blockquote data-quote="Nagol" data-source="post: 7343980" data-attributes="member: 23935"><p>One of my issues with skill challenges is the 2X successes before X failures doesn't fit the possible scenarios. Sometimes, it's an endurance contest and a net X successes means success. Other times, it is a race between groups and the first to reach X successes achieves their goal.</p><p></p><p>For the tracking scenario I'd suggest two thresholds: Net X successes and the quarry is found. Net Y failures and the quarry is lost for good. If the speed of the party is slower than the quarry, that's an automatic failure per roll period. If the speed of the party is faster than the quarry that offers a automatic success in a roll period (or adds one if the party manages a tracking check or doubles the number of successes developed in the period... depending on terrain, and how you envision the chase).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Skill challenges in 4e had that requirement which was another thing I chafed at. Sometimes everyone contributing makes sense. Other times, it gets in the way. One of the things I'd suggest is more like the system floated during the 5e playtest: everyone picks a role appropriate to the task at hand and becomes responsible for the success there.</p><p></p><p>For the track the quarry across the desert, you need a tracking station, a survival station, a mount caregiving station, maybe a navigation station, and maybe a scanning for danger station. Each PC can fill a single role. Any role unfilled automatically fails -- though that failure may not directly impact the challenge. "We tracked him to his lair! Great! Where are we again? Which way is home? I thought you were navigating!"</p><p></p><p>Challenge rating / Encounter Level determination is somewhat harder. I'd suggest CR should be based on the highest required DC. Something like a CR = (highest DC - 15) or level of spell that would bypass the challenge.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nagol, post: 7343980, member: 23935"] One of my issues with skill challenges is the 2X successes before X failures doesn't fit the possible scenarios. Sometimes, it's an endurance contest and a net X successes means success. Other times, it is a race between groups and the first to reach X successes achieves their goal. For the tracking scenario I'd suggest two thresholds: Net X successes and the quarry is found. Net Y failures and the quarry is lost for good. If the speed of the party is slower than the quarry, that's an automatic failure per roll period. If the speed of the party is faster than the quarry that offers a automatic success in a roll period (or adds one if the party manages a tracking check or doubles the number of successes developed in the period... depending on terrain, and how you envision the chase). Skill challenges in 4e had that requirement which was another thing I chafed at. Sometimes everyone contributing makes sense. Other times, it gets in the way. One of the things I'd suggest is more like the system floated during the 5e playtest: everyone picks a role appropriate to the task at hand and becomes responsible for the success there. For the track the quarry across the desert, you need a tracking station, a survival station, a mount caregiving station, maybe a navigation station, and maybe a scanning for danger station. Each PC can fill a single role. Any role unfilled automatically fails -- though that failure may not directly impact the challenge. "We tracked him to his lair! Great! Where are we again? Which way is home? I thought you were navigating!" Challenge rating / Encounter Level determination is somewhat harder. I'd suggest CR should be based on the highest required DC. Something like a CR = (highest DC - 15) or level of spell that would bypass the challenge. [/QUOTE]
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