I've used skill challenges (so named because 4E formalised them with that name) in every edition of D&D, although I didn't always call them that. Here's my super-simple way of doing it. I'd be curious how others implement it.
1. Set an overall difficulty for the challenge. All checks are the same difficulty. Usually 10/15/20.
2. Each PC states what they are doing towards the skill challenge. If it makes sense to the DM, they make a check.
3. Reach x successes before the same number of failures to succeed in the challenge. Usually 3. Always the same number for each (I know 4E used to say things like "6 successes before 4 failures" but for me it's just "first to 3").
Nice and simple. Been doing it for donkey's years.
The important part -- I'd never ever mention that we'd entered a skill challenge. It has to feel organic for me, so I narrate the task ahead of them and simply ask what they're doing. While my payers know what I'm doing, it's not so in-your-face as to break the immersion.
Occasionally, I might require a specific sill be used at least once or twice.
1. Set an overall difficulty for the challenge. All checks are the same difficulty. Usually 10/15/20.
2. Each PC states what they are doing towards the skill challenge. If it makes sense to the DM, they make a check.
3. Reach x successes before the same number of failures to succeed in the challenge. Usually 3. Always the same number for each (I know 4E used to say things like "6 successes before 4 failures" but for me it's just "first to 3").
Nice and simple. Been doing it for donkey's years.
The important part -- I'd never ever mention that we'd entered a skill challenge. It has to feel organic for me, so I narrate the task ahead of them and simply ask what they're doing. While my payers know what I'm doing, it's not so in-your-face as to break the immersion.
Occasionally, I might require a specific sill be used at least once or twice.
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