D&D 5E Is 5E Special

[Imaro]

TBH as a MAJOR 4e stan, I think that the length of combats was one of if not the biggest issues 4e needed to work on. I don't see why skill challenges default including everyone is any more or less an issue then the assumption (that every edition has) that every player is in every combat challenge.

The skill challenge forcing everyone to participate no matter what, at least in my experience, was also often a time sink (along with combat), especially when a player was struggling to figure out a way to contribute but also trying to juxtapose that with something they are good at so they didn't generate a failure.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

The skill challenge forcing everyone to participate no matter what, at least in my experience, was also often a time sink (along with combat), especially when a player was struggling to figure out a way to contribute but also trying to juxtapose that with something they are good at so they didn't generate a failure.

what do you find is the answer when the same happens in combats?

 

[Imaro]

what do you find is the answer when the same happens in combats?

I don't think combat forces every character to participate... does it?

 

[Vaalingrade]

I don't think combat forces every character to participate... does it?

I mean, technically they can sit there and die.

 

[Imaro]

I mean, technically they can sit there and die.

Or skip their turn for a round because they don't have a good option at that particular time... but yeah we can go to the extreme if you want...

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I don't think combat forces every character to participate... does it?

no more then skill challenges do? but no less then skill challenges do... I mean the default assumption is that everyone rolls initiative and takes actions.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Or skip their turn for a round because they don't have a good option at that particular time... but yeah we can go to the extreme if you want...

again you can but the books assume they don't... just like with skill challenges.

 

[Imaro]

again you can but the books assume they don't... just like with skill challenges.

I was always under the impression you needed to take an action in a 4e skill challenge, otherwise only those with the highest SC will act and thus nearly guarantee success...

 

[Imaro]

I was always under the impression you needed to take an action in a 4e skill challenge, otherwise only those with the highest SC will act and thus nearly guarantee success...

EDIT: To be clear, you can skip an action in combat and still be individually hurt or have individual success or failure... SC's don't work like that.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Or skip their turn for a round because they don't have a good option at that particular time... but yeah we can go to the extreme if you want...

I don't think skipping a single turn is really 'not participating' in combat.