Help me create a skill challenge: Getting into the zombie mall

[Kestrel]

I thought this would be a fun exercise, and would also give me some ideas for an upcoming session.

Scenario: My PCs are trying to get into a Shadowfell version of the local shopping mall. They have just entered a gate hidden behind a Burger King, across the parking lot, facing the mall. The gate has closed behind them (thanks to the BBEG) and they are trying to get into the mall. The mall is currently surrounded by a horde of zombies (envision the remake of Dawn of the Dead) and is barricaded from the inside. Inside the mall are four survivor npcs, who will assist the pcs with gunfire cover if they are convinced the pcs are not infected and also help remove the barricades to let them in. (Ive ruled that a PC has to be bloodied by the zombies to be infected).

Instead of doing a huge combat, I thought this would be a good opportunity for a skill challenge. I've got some general ideas, but thought I would post and see what you guys come up with.

 

[Kestrel]

Here's what I got so far: Thoughts?

Skill Challenge: Getting into the Mall
Complexity: 5 (12 successes before 3 failures)
Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Bluff, Stealth, Streetwise
Other Skills: Perception

Victory: The PCs manage to make their way into the mall, without the zombies getting in.

Defeat: The PCs are caught in the full force of the horde and a combat encounter begins immediately.

Acrobatics: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character manages to weave, dodge, or maneuver through the zombies.
Failure: The PC is caught in the middle of the zombies, and they hold him back. He loses one healing surge as they tear at him. Mark a failure.

Athletics: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character barrels through the zombies, getting closer to the doors.
Failure: The PC is caught by the zombies, and they tear at him. Lose one healing surge. Mark a Failure.

Bluff: Hard DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character pretends to be a zombie, and successfully moves forward through them.
Failure: The PC does not fool the zombies. They surge around him, forcing one of the other checks. Once a bluff is failed, that PC cannot attempt this again. Mark a failure.

Diplomacy: Hard DC (1 Success, 3 maximum)
The character convinces the NPCs in the mall to help them. The NPCs will begin attacking zombies to distract them and opening the barricades. Success allows for the following options: +2 to any skill check, a reattempt on Bluff/Stealth, or negate the loss of a healing surge when using Acrobatics/Athletics.
Failure: Mark a Failure.

Perception: Easy DC (0 Sucesses, but provides +2 to next skill check by any PC)
The character notices a path that is clear, which zombies are distracted, or if zombies are hiding where they are going.

Stealth: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character evades notice and sneaks to the entrances of the mall.
Failure: The PC is spotted and zombies surge towards him. This forces him to use another skills. Once a stealth check is failed, that PC cannot use this skill again.

Streetwise: Hard DC (1 Success, no maximum)
Using his knowledge of the mall, the pc finds a path closer to the mall without being noticed by the zombies.
Failure: Mark a failure. Took a wrong turn, zombies!

 

[aco175]

I never have realy gotten the hang of skill challenges, I thought you try and allow the players to use any of their skills, dm wanting to yes and not no. That being said some restraints like what you have help. You can also reward once, or give +2 to next check things like insight , knowing that using the grease in the recycle container helps throw off your scent. History or dungeoneering allows you to guess things about the underground manhole cover, the loose air intake vent from when you worked at a mall. The air intake could make a cool trap/hazard. Don't forget things like using abandoned pallets as ladders to climb or as battering rams. The cardboard recycle container can be looted for boxes to hide in or creatively to make a cardboard dragon to bluff/scare the zombies.

I love this idea BTW. I work maintenance at a mall but never had to think about breaking in.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Defeat: The PCs are caught in the full force of the horde and a combat encounter begins immediately.

Definitely have this prepped just in case. Another way of doing it is the PCs all have to flee the area because the zombies are all about to overwhelm them. Then you just turn it into an "Urban Chase" skill challenge.

Bluff: Hard DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character pretends to be a zombie, and successfully moves forward through them.
Failure: The PC does not fool the zombies. They surge around him, forcing one of the other checks. Once a bluff is failed, that PC cannot attempt this again. Mark a failure.

I think it would be fun if this gave a -2 penalty to ensuing Diplomacy checks. You've convinced the zombies you are zombies, but you've made it harder to convince those in the mall.

Diplomacy: Hard DC (1 Success, 3 maximum)
The character convinces the NPCs in the mall to help them. The NPCs will begin attacking zombies to distract them and opening the barricades. Success allows for the following options: +2 to any skill check, a reattempt on Bluff/Stealth, or negate the loss of a healing surge when using Acrobatics/Athletics.
Failure: Mark a Failure.

The opposite of the Bluff result. All of the yelling at the meatbags inside is very un-zombielike

Perception: Easy DC (0 Sucesses, but provides +2 to next skill check by any PC)
The character notices a path that is clear, which zombies are distracted, or if zombies are hiding where they are going.

I like what Mike Mearls has done in some of the articles in Dungeon. He makes checks like these have a penalty for failure (-2 to the next check someone makes). This helps prevent people spamming these, and adds to the tension.

Stealth: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character evades notice and sneaks to the entrances of the mall.
Failure: The PC is spotted and zombies surge towards him. This forces him to use another skills. Once a stealth check is failed, that PC cannot use this skill again.

There is potential to do something neat here. You could give Stealth checks a +2 bonus after a failure in another skill that results in a PC getting jumped by zombies. The justification? The zombies are looking at that other guy.


It seems like Arcana and Religion should have some sort of role here, as well. Perhaps a moderate or hard religion check could be used to give a +2/-2 to another check. Your knowledge of zombies allows you to guide your allies in their attempts. Similarly, Arcana rolls might indicate you have studied the Shadowfell significantly, and you have read about these periodic zombie hordes and how people cope with them.

Overall, I think this looks fun. I'd play it.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I had another thought:

Depending on the skills your party has, you could also make Thievery available after 10-11 successes. A success in Thievery would then be needed to finish jimmying the lock and finally get inside. Of course, if you don't have someone with Thievery trained, maybe a final Athletics check to bash in the doors.

Heal could be used to give +2/-2 to the Bluff checks. You really know how to make someone look like a walking corpse.

You might also want to make Intimidate against those inside an automatic failure that closes off that line of possibilities. The people inside are surviving a zombie-apocalypse. You currently aren't. They are less scared of you.


Edit: I really like giving my players as many skill choices as possible. It lets them dictate how a skill challenge plays out, and they often come up with stuff which surprises me. Also, how will the zombies react to an explosion or other major 'distraction'? That's something I might try, and you should have a vague idea of how they will respond (bonuses to Stealth for everyone!)

Thaumaturge.

 

[Kestrel]

Excellent ideas. Thanks aco175 for some of the descriptors I can use for their actions. I'm mainly using my own limited experience around a mall (as a patron) so it helps to get some ideas from someone familiar with the inner workings.

I'm going to try to incorporate the ideas you and Thaumaturge added, they all add a little more complexity but make sense in the flow of the challenge. I love the idea of switching to an Urban Chase if they fail. The party is only 3rd level (High Schoolers ) and a huge combat might be overwhelming. It would be good to have that as a backup if they flee.

We're still getting used to skill challenges...I did the framework as a general guide, but in play, I'm open to any ideas that the players have for their skills. My only worry about a framework is that they will feel like they are in a box and use ONLY those skills, which is not my intent. But, Ive found that if I don't provide one, they tend to freeze and don't come up with ideas.

 

[Kestrel]

Updated version:

Skill Challenge: Getting into the Mall
Complexity: 5 (12 successes before 3 failures)
Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Bluff, Stealth, Streetwise
Other Skills: Perception

Victory: The PCs manage to make their way into the mall, without the zombies getting in.

Defeat: The PCs are caught in the full force of the horde and a combat encounter begins immediately.

Acrobatics: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character manages to weave, dodge, or maneuver through the zombies.
Failure: The PC is caught in the middle of the zombies, and they hold him back. He loses one healing surge as they tear at him. Mark a failure.

Knowledge Skills (Arcana/Dungeoneering/Nature/Insight/Religion): Moderate DC DC (0 Sucesses, but provides +2 to next skill check by any PC, failure gives -2 to next skill check)
Your knowledge of Zombie Movies (Arcana), the mall’s inner workings (Dungeoneering), places of natural camouflage (Nature), insight into the zombie’s senses (Insight), and power of faith (religion) allows you to give assist the others on what you should or should not do against zombies.
Failure: -2 to next skill check. You have no clue what you are talking about.

Athletics: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum)
The character barrels through the zombies, getting closer to the doors.
Failure: The PC is caught by the zombies, and they tear at him. Lose one healing surge. Mark a Failure.

Bluff: Hard DC (1 Success, no maximum, Gives -2 to next diplomacy check)
The character pretends to be a zombie, and successfully moves forward through them.
Failure: The PC does not fool the zombies. They surge around him, forcing one of the other checks. Once a bluff is failed, that PC cannot attempt this again.

Diplomacy: Hard DC (1 Success, 3 maximum, Gives -2 to next Bluff Check)
The character convinces the NPCs in the mall to help them. The NPCs will begin attacking zombies to distract them and opening the barricades. Success allows for the following options: +2 to any skill check, a reattempt on Bluff/Stealth, or negate the loss of a healing surge when using Acrobatics/Athletics.
Failure: Mark a Failure.

Perception: Easy DC (0 Sucesses, but provides +2 to next skill check by any PC, failure gives -2 to next skill check)
The character notices a path that is clear, which zombies are distracted, or if zombies are hiding where they are going.

Stealth: Moderate DC (1 Success, no maximum) +2 check if another pc failed Athletics/Acrobatics check.
The character evades notice and sneaks to the entrances of the mall.
Failure: The PC is spotted and zombies surge towards him. This forces him to use another skills. Once a stealth check is failed, that PC cannot use this skill again.

Streetwise: Hard DC (1 Success, no maximum)
Using his knowledge of the mall, the pc finds a path closer to the mall without being noticed by the zombies.
Failure: Mark a failure. Took a wrong turn, zombies!

Thievery: Hard DC (1 Success, Maximum 3)
You assist with finding a way through the barricades.
Failure: Mark a failure. You think you know what you’re doing, but the truth is you should just be hammering on the door. The zombies close in.

 

[Kestrel]

Here's another part of the session that I came up with today:

Destroying the Mall

You must drive the propane truck into the garage, next to the boiler room, without stalling out or getting overwhelmed by zombies.

There are three parts to the challenge.

1) You must get the truck running, sneak and repair the truck or defend the truck while repair it.
2) Drive the truck to the Garage, while the zombies try to overwhelm it and crash it. Defend, Assist, or Drive.
3) The security gate to the Garage is locked. You either have to open the gate or crash through it. Opening the gate without destroying it allows you to close it behind you.


Part 1-Fixing the truck.

4 successes before 3 failures.
Victory: You get the truck started and begin driving towards the sublevel parking garage. Defeat: Combat Encounter starts. Zombies surge the truck and try to force their way through barricades.
Skills: Stealth and Thievery.

Stealth: Moderate DC (1 Success, Max 2)
You hide, keeping the zombies from noticing you in the truck.
Failure: Mark a failure. You are noticed by a zombie, he has not been noticed by others yet.

Thievery: Hard DC (1 Success, Max 3)
Failure: Mark a failure. You fail to get the truck started, but it makes noise. Zombies begin to file closer to the truck.

Creative uses of other skills can add to these checks. If combat breaks out, the zombies will attack. To get the truck started, you must succeed at the thievery checks.

Part 2- Driving the Truck
Complexity 4: 10 successes before 3 failures.
Victory: The truck makes it to security parking gate.
Failure: Truck crashes. Have to leave it behind and fight the big boss without a big propane bomb.

The way this challenge will play is that you have choice to drive, assist, or fighting the horde.

Driving: Hard Difficulty-Any skill or stat can be used with a descriptor, but repeated use of the same skill drives up DC +1. These checks are only ones that can give Successes for Victory

Assistance: Easy Difficulty- Gives +2 to next driving check. Failure gives -2 to next check. Repeated use of same skill gives +1 DC.

Fighting the Horde: Whenever there is a failure on the driving test, a zombie climbs up on the truck. When the third zombie gets on the truck, it crashes. If you choose to fight, make an attack (any attack power or basic attack), if you are successful, the zombie is knocked off the truck and a failure is removed. If you miss, you miss. Encounter powers gain a +1 to attack roll. Daily powers gain a +3 attack.


Part 3- Opening the gate
Complexity: 4 successes before 3 failures
Victory: Gate is opened for truck, but closed before zombies get in.
Defeat: You cannot get the gate open. Your options are to crash the truck through or climb through to fight big bad without propane bomb.
Before this challenge begins, assuming the pc’s still have the truck, they can simply choose to drive the truck through the gate. Make a +8 vs AC attack on each person in truck, for 2d8+3 damage. The downside is that the zombies will follow them into the garage, making escape difficult.

Skills: Thievery, Athletics, both Hard DCs. Do not increase DC for repeated use.
Other skills can assist, giving +2/-2 per normal. +1 dc for using same skill repeatedly.

While this challenge is ongoing, a combat encounter is going on. A skill check for the challenge takes a standard action.

 

[Saagael]

Something I've had a lot of success with in the past is building skill challenges based around several small challenges. The Dragon articles on skill challenges go over this a little, but for your situation, here's what you could do.

Have several defined rolls in the group, and different goals that need to be met before the PCs can get in. It looks like right now you've got one goal: break into the mall. Make up some smaller steps that go into that, each of which is represented by a small skill challenge (4 successes before 3 failures, perhaps). Here are some examples:

Reconnaissance (stealth, thievery, perception): The PCs scout out the area and determine which routes are safe and which are not. They unlock doors and provide easy escape paths. A success in this challenge might let them gain a bonus to checks in other skill challenges, or provide them with an easier means of escape should they fail.

Distraction (athletics, acrobatics, streetwise): The PCs set up some kind of distraction to lure the zombies away from the reconnaissance group, giving all their checks a +2.

Teamwork (diplomacy, insight, bluff): The PCs try to gain help from the local residence. If they succeed, they might gain a bonus on their distraction checks, since they have recruited some of the people to help. Maybe this gives them a bonus to their reconnaissance check, because the locals know the lay of the land better.

Breaking and Entering (Any skills the PCs want to use): This is where all the PCs' hard work pay off. They have done the best they can in setting themselves up for success, now they need to actually get in to the building. The PCs can choose whatever mode they want, but gain bonuses depending on which earlier skill challenges they succeeded in. If they got some locals to help, then the continued distractions give them a bonus. If they succeeded their reconnaissance check, maybe they can ignore the first failure, falling back to a pre-determined fail-safe area.

The idea is that the skill challenge changes and grows depending on what the PCs do. It also gives them a chance to more accurately choose their role.

This is just something to think about, because I've been part of the difficulty 5 skill challenges and they tend to get really boring after the first 5 or 6 rolls.

 

[Turtlejay]

My only comment is that a failure costing a surge does not get a player closer to the infected condition that you established. Perhaps tweak it to do a surge's worth of damage?

Jay