understanding skill challenges

[Quickleaf]

I just finished reading the skill challenges thread over here http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=223754, and it's left me with some questions. Perhaps those who've playtested skill challenges could help me out?

1. How do you decide what merits a skill challenge? Is it a milestone challenge where there are several possible outcomes/solutions which affect the story based on what the PCs do?

2. Are traps, hazards, and puzzles subsumed by the skill challenge mechanic?

3. Is there an agreed upon format for skill challenges? For example, I've derived this one from examples on these forums...

Skill Challenge [DC:successes/failures] XP
Description of the challenge.
Suggestions: Arcana... Bluff... Religion...
Development: At 1 failure... At 2 failures...
Victory: What happens when/if you succeed, possibly divided into Moderate Victory (X or less failures), and Strong Victory (Y or less failures).

Thanks for your help.

 

[Professor Phobos]

1. How do you decide what merits a skill challenge? Is it a milestone challenge where there are several possible outcomes/solutions which affect the story based on what the PCs do?

Instinct, whim, intuition? There might be guidelines in the DMG, but it'll pretty much be up to the DM.

 

[deathdonut]

1. How do you decide what merits a skill challenge?

As far as I've read, the purpose of skill challenges is to give structure to otherwise structureless non-combat interactions. Consequently, I plan on simply declaring them if my pc's ever seem at a loss to come up with a specific course of action.

Other than that, designate a skill challenge whenever players have to face a multiple unknowns or problems simultaneously. If a single roll or skill would suffice, let it do so. If the players face something that they are having trouble conceptualizing or sorting out a solution (or you think they might), make it a skill challenge.

2. Are traps, hazards, and puzzles subsumed by the skill challenge mechanic?

Most of these are simple-roll situations. Obviously they can become more or less complicated as you see fit. Avoiding a burning timber from a falling ceiling might just be a single reflex or acrobatics roll, while a party of PC's who have to escape from the third floor of a burning tower may have a skill challenge on their hands.

Puzzles can likewise be handed to them in old-school riddle format or something more complex. Use your own judgement on which system will flow better for your players.

3. Is there an agreed upon format for skill challenges?

None at all as far as I know. Yours looks pretty good.

 

[Quickleaf]

Hmm, so I have a social conflict in mind and I'm not sure whether it warrants a skill challenge. what do you think? also, has anyone run social skill challenges?

PCs are confronted by a creature of prophecy which attempts to change their mission from one of peace to one of war. The social conflict has a couple parameters:
1. It's tense and battle could result; success guarantees that even if the PCs refuse the creature's offer it won't attack.
2. This is the PCs first meeting with the creature and both sides are trying to size up their opposition and find out what makes the other tick. It's a battle of wits to get the other side to reveal its secrets or to divine their weakness.
3. The creature offers a compelling argument for the war quest and the adventure can accomodate the PCs changing their focus. There's a real decision to be made.
4. There is an NPC present who disagrees with the creature of prophecy, but doesn't want to resort to violence.

 

[LostSoul]

Hmm, so I have a social conflict in mind and I'm not sure whether it warrants a skill challenge. what do you think? also, has anyone run social skill challenges?

It's only a skill challenge if the PCs don't want to have their mission changed.

If they don't, is there really a conflict?

Here's what I think:

When to Initiate a Skill Challenge:

• When there is a conflict of interest between the PCs and another character or the the environment.
• When you want to spend a lot of real world time on the conflict.
• When you want the outcome to be unknown until the skill challenge is finished.