Stalker0's Obsidian Skill Challenge System (NEW VERSION: 1.2!!!)

[spinmd]

So, I have been using Obsidian for my last two modules that I DMed and the mechanics have gone very well and the DCs are fair for the party's level. The roleplaying, not so much, a skill challenge framework still feels a little artificial, but that is an issue to resolve with my group and not a problem of the system.

Where I have a question, is with combat skill challenges where there is a penalty for failure. A good example would be disabling the magic crossbow turret trap from the DMG where if you fail the skill challenge to deactivate the control panel, it blows up on you. How would I resolve this with the Obsidian system?

 

[WampusCat43]

I've been wondering about how easy it is to convert recent published SCs to this format. Any experiences with that?

Obviously, I haven't tried it yet myself.

 

[eriktheguy]

Wow man, not only is this system better by the math and more interesting/rewarding than the skill challenges in DMG, but its way easier to read/run. Thank you, it is being used.

 

[eriktheguy]

Building a larger challenge:
I have one quibble with this system: the first challenges seem pointless to me.

Lets take the example of a three part challenge

If the players succeed or fail the first challenge, it has no bearing on the final challenge directly. They get -1 to the second challenge which slightly alters the probability that they will succeed that, which would then directly alter how the third challenge goes.
If you use a four part challenge, the first one seems even less important.
Finally, if they players succeed the first two skill challenges in a four-part challenge, then fail the third, they end up with a penalty on the final challenge, all their hard work and success was for nothing!


Another solution is that the success/failure penalty is that each success/failure in the initial skill challenges gives bonuses/penalties to the final one. This gives the players the feeling that all their hard work is paying off and all their mistakes are coming back to bite them in the final epic showdown. Lets say we have a string of 4 challenges. The players might get -1 to checks in the final challenge because they failed to impress the duke in the first challenge, but get to use intimidate as a primary skill because they learned something about the dukes enemies, and they require 1 less success in this challenge because they gained the favor of the duke's daughter during the third challenge and she comes to their aid.

I think this would give the players a better feeling of accomplishment because everything they did up to this point effects their success. Since players are probably slated to succeed at most skill challenges, they will probably have more bonuses than penalties at the end which is okay, because you want them to eventually succeed during the final epic challenge anyways.

 

[Stalker0]

Where I have a question, is with combat skill challenges where there is a penalty for failure. A good example would be disabling the magic crossbow turret trap from the DMG where if you fail the skill challenge to deactivate the control panel, it blows up on you. How would I resolve this with the Obsidian system?

The premise of Obsidian is that wasting your actions is the failure, not actually failing. In Obsidian, if your party is engaged in combat and the rogue tries to disable the trap hitting everyone, then that's an action he could have been killing his enemy. If he fails, he doesn't disable the trap, but he doesn't make things worse. If he fails and it causes the party to be harmed, the rogue now has two reasons to never try disabling a trap in combat.

 

[Stalker0]

Building a larger challenge:
I have one quibble with this system: the first challenges seem pointless to me.

The idea of the challenge is that each challenge builds off each other. If I pass the first challenge, the second challenge is easier (meaning I'm more likely to pass) which could give me another bonus for the final challenge.

Further if I fail the challenge, it makes it harder to pass the second, and if I fail that one, then I'll have problems on the final challenge.

That said, the golden rule is use the system as a framework. Feel free to try a complex skill challenge that has compounded results. Just note that every +1/-1 can actually have a pretty decent effect.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Any chance you can include several examples, or heck, even a full template, of what your skill challenges look like?

Negotion skill challenge
Gather Info skill challenge
etc.

 

[eriktheguy]

Questions about this sort of skill challenge
There's no 'right' answer to the following, so anyone with input is welcome
Do you tell the players what the primary skills are in the challenge or let them figure it out themselves after describing the situation? If you tell them the challenge goes smoother, but feels less organic.
Do the players get to know what each round of the skill challenge is from the beginning, or just one at a time as they get there.

 

[Nytmare]

Do you tell the players what the primary skills are in the challenge or let them figure it out themselves after describing the situation? If you tell them the challenge goes smoother, but feels less organic.
Do the players get to know what each round of the skill challenge is from the beginning, or just one at a time as they get there.

I do a little bit of both, but in general my players know that they're in a skill challenge, and we normally hash out what primary skills are applicable together at the start of it.

Even when I sneak them into one, the moment that we run through a full round of "What are you doing, ok roll, and what are YOU doing, ok roll..." it tends to clue them in.

I don't find it any more jarring or less organic than rolling for initiative or putting miniatures down on a map.

 

[Wik]

Questions about this sort of skill challenge
There's no 'right' answer to the following, so anyone with input is welcome
Do you tell the players what the primary skills are in the challenge or let them figure it out themselves after describing the situation? If you tell them the challenge goes smoother, but feels less organic.
Do the players get to know what each round of the skill challenge is from the beginning, or just one at a time as they get there.

You can put them in a skill challenge without them even realizing they're in one... remember that the obsidian rules are a framework, and there's no reason you can't fiddle with things. For example, I had a gather info skill challenge the other week, and in that challenge we had a PC break into an office to get information, another PC use her knowledge on sailing to strike up a conversation with some friendly sailors (which was an auto success) and even a combat (since the PC rescued his contact, it counted as a "success"). It didn't really feel like a challenge, because each PC was involved in their own little subplot that felt natural.

The trick is to use the rules as a starting point, and then change them as you see fit. It is for that reason more than any other that I like the Obsidian system over the DMG system - it's much more flexible.