D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)

[Blackjack]

of our enemies Xiras

I think you misspelled that.

And most disturbing, Caldwell and Toiva, who are more devout that the rest of us in their worship of non-Sklar deities, had taken on the visual appearance of waterlogged cadavers.

Hmm, I'm not convinced that's the reason; Dr. Caldwell has a fairly average level of devotion. On the other hand, Dr. Caldwell is a follower of Demis, Sklar's archenemy, so perhaps that's it.

hey, players! Would it have been better to save that news until your characters returned to town next game?

Not for me. I liked having the effect follow closely to the cause; it emphasizes that the PCs have agency in the gameworld.

 

[Vaslov]

Thanks for sharing the details of the skill challenge PC. That definitely sounds like it was an engaging challenge! I've already shared your notes with the group I game with and hope to see something like it in our game soon!

 

[Blackjack]

Here are the two skill challenges I used once someone had bumped the silver cup.

Bookkeeping note, but a fun one: whenever we succeeded with a skill challenge, Piratecat handed us a marker: a big clear plastic glass stone (like a really large Pente piece.) Failures were denoted with a red stone.

Not only did it make it easy to keep track of how many successes/failures we had, but this made each success really visceral, and added to the edge-of-the-seat intensity of the scene.

 

[WizarDru]

2. The DCs are straight from the DMG for easy, medium and hard skill checks for 1st-3rd lvl PCs.

Thanks for this, guys. The details of these skill challenges is very illuminating. I've used a couple, but this is something I'd love to try, using this approach. It's something I might not have come to on my own and I think it's great that you're willing to share both the method and the experience of trying it. This is the sort of thing that makes ENWorld great.

Kevin, the DCs you were using...were they straight from the printed PHB or did used the numbers from the errata?

 

[Piratecat]

Kevin, the DCs you were using...were they straight from the printed PHB or did used the numbers from the errata?

From the errata. If you're doing skill challenges, definitely use the errata!

Official D&D Updates

And let me say that I'm thrilled that this is useful and fun for folks to read. Digital Matt, I'm particularly flattered that you made your first post for this thread. Thanks, Sagiro, for starting and updating it!

Hereticus, this was game #13 of the campaign (I have another campaign as well, and ran some 4e test games, making about 30 4e games that I've run.) The Grey Guard PCs have just made 4th level. I'm not sure if our wizard is reading this thread; I'll ask her.

 

[Fajitas]

Glad to hear it worked so well. Sounds very exciting.

PC and I had a very interesting conversation about skill challenges. I tend to be much more of a gamist than a simulationist (where I think he tends to be the opposite), and the differences in what seemed natural to each of us made for a fascinating discussion. I absolutely adore the "mini-game" like feeling of a skill challenge, so I'm doubly pleased to see that that carried through.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I agree that the default skill challenge DCs are too easy.

So, I've been using the DCs and complexity table developed by Stalker0 here. (Note: I don't use his entire skill challenge rules framework; just his DCs and complexities.)

For people too lazy to check the other thread:[sblock]

Table 1. Skill DC Table

[b]Level	Easy	Med	High[/b]
1	14	18	23
[b]2	15	19	24[/b]
3	15	19	24
[b]4	16	20	25[/b]
5	16	20	25
[b]6	17	21	26[/b]
7	17	21	26
[b]8	19	23	28[/b]
9	19	23	28
[b]10	20	24	29[/b]
11	20	24	30
[b]12	20	25	31[/b]
13	20	25	31
[b]14	22	27	33[/b]
15	22	27	33
[b]16	23	28	34[/b]
17	23	28	34
[b]18	24	29	35[/b]
19	24	29	35
[b]20	25	30	36[/b]
21	25	31	38
[b]22	26	32	39[/b]
23	26	32	39
[b]24	27	33	40[/b]
25	27	33	40
[b]26	28	34	41[/b]
27	28	34	41
[b]28	30	36	43[/b]
29	30	36	43
[b]30	31	37	44[/b]

Table 2: Complexity Table

[B]Complexity Table[/b]
Comp. Success Failure
1	3	3
2	5	4
3	7	5
4*	9	6
5*	11	7

*These complexities tend to be very challenging to normal parties (only 51-56% win rate). A DM may consider subtracting 1 from the DC when using these challenges.

[/sblock]To respect this thread, if you want to discuss Stalker0's skill challenge system, go do it in that thread.

 

[Piratecat]

Thanks for the link, Joshua.

Incidentally, I've just given everyone an expertise feat for free. I'm also following RangerWickett's advice and asking them to add a "do something cool" card to their powers, so they remember that they can make use of impromptu stunts instead of just being limited by their powers.

 

[Nebulous]

Bookkeeping note, but a fun one: whenever we succeeded with a skill challenge, Piratecat handed us a marker: a big clear plastic glass stone (like a really large Pente piece.) Failures were denoted with a red stone.

Not only did it make it easy to keep track of how many successes/failures we had, but this made each success really visceral, and added to the edge-of-the-seat intensity of the scene.

Hey, we have colored glass beads like that. I think i'll try the same thing. I used to do that for Action Points until people got used to using them.

 

[Ruined]

Thanks for the link, Joshua.

I'm also following RangerWickett's advice and asking them to add a "do something cool" card to their powers, so they remember that they can make use of impromptu stunts instead of just being limited by their powers.

Is this a Daily? I'll have to search for that thread, as it's been a while since I read it.