I enjoyed reading these scenarios quite a bit! Very inspiring.
I am wondering if the convention in these scenarios (specifying what both success and failure entail) was for the reader's benefit, or is how you actually play the game. I feel like it could play very well, but it seems quite...
Once I ran a campaign where the PCs started the game by returning from the dead. Unfortunately for them, the dark magic which had granted them their new Frankensteinian bodies was unstable, and they began to decay.
This was supposed to lead them on a grand quest to find a magical cure before...
Yeah, I wouldn't expect higher speed in combat to directly translate to running faster; I imagine it to be partly a measure of maneuverability. Yet, obviously some classes/races should be faster...
I think the rogue's cunning action is more straight forward. It's not that the rogue can run...
Yeah, I didn't notice that OP wanted to use a specific set of rules from the DMG.
I've found more enjoyment with abstracts when dealing with encounters that aren't strictly combat. But I go for cinematic scenes and throw out rules all the time [emoji39] .
I've found this article to be very interesting, so you might enjoy reading it.
http://angrydm.com/2013/07/how-to-build-awesome-encounters/
I haven't had a chance to try this scheme out myself, but it seems like a solid idea.