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The problem? That the DMG tells you to use those high DCs. And it is not only on level 1 and 2 that the DCs are too high. Problems stay around at least till the mid 20s. The problem with your solution? That if you lower the DC to help PCs with low skills you make it so that having worked on a...

Keith Baker's blogpost told me the following: It is possible to get skill challenges to work if you add house rules, tweak the difficulties and make sure that all your players have exactly the skills that are needed. Ok he also said that they are supposed to be challenging (which I really hope...

I don't want to pay twice the amount I pay now for my D&D books, and have them written so that they can't ever be used with 3rd party products. So, no thank you. Or to be a bit more serious. I agree with the warning signs being there. Promises are made when it comes to website and the online...

I really like 4th edition. I don't play any MMO, and I doubt that I ever will. My girlfriend plays them a lot with great skill, so I would say I have a clue on how they work. I have played (and beaten) as good as every D&D game released for the PC, so I would say I have a clue about that kind of...

I am houseruling in save points and cheat codes. My players will love me, won't they?

I just read his blog entry. And... I agree, the marketing ploy to keep stressing how things in 3rd Edition was bad was not a good strategy. On the other hand, I buy games not marketing strategies. So I don't feel bad at all for buying the core rules of a really nice new D&D edition. It has its...

On some levels for some parties on some complexities for certain kinds of skill challenges, it seems to work ok if you don't add that +5. The OP has done the math on that too - I can't remember if that was in this thread or any of the other two... (Edit: In table 3 of the original post) The...

If you read the whole thread, you might see that I made a little excel sheet that calculates the probabilities for those things. No need for simulations, as the math is easy enough to do straight. The reason that I get a very different conclusion from you is that I included all the relevant...

According to p 42 in the DMG (that you are referring to) you should add +5 to your DCs if you are doing skill checks, which you are.

I think I get your reasoning. And I think it works. Sometimes. You say that losing matters less than losing a combat. Obviously true. You also say that Aid Another should be allowed when it fits, to the extent that it makes sense. Totally agreed. And you say that more than one skill should be...

Easy DC sounds like a good idea - basically meaning 5 less than it should have been otherwise (if you like me don't intend to ever look at any tables to find the right DC in a skill challenge). I will allow Aid Another when it makes obvious sense, and when the player who wants to use it can...

You have the correct calculations for a Complexity 1 challenge. He ran a Complexity 5 challenge.

At least for people in Europe I say: Cancel the Amazon order and order the individual books from http://www.bookdepository.co.uk instead. I have ordered from them a lot in the past, and always been pleased with service and prices.

According to the rules in the DMG you don't set the DCs yourself. You use their table. Also, setting the DCs yourself is not as easy as it sounds because of how the math works. Which is why I wrote my longish post above with advice on how to use the rules in a way that will actually work.

A guess on the races, which fits all the clues if I understand them correctly: Doppelganger Genasi Gnome Half-Orc Shadar Kai I hope I am wrong, as I only really want three of those. As for classes I would prefer Shadow source to Psionic and Elemental. But without an N for Necromancer I doubt it.

If you understand the concept of the adventure, you will see why the "suck it up" comments aren't really that valid in this case. I will make sure not to give any spoilers, but consider: 1. PCs get tricked into a situation that they can't leave until they have resolved it. They are not there by...

Ah, I was not clear enough. They don't get individual DCs. They all get the same normal DC that I calculated. Also, if they all go for the skill boosting feats and items, I will se that they are above average at their skills, and adjust XP as they are doing above average challenges. If one or...

How to use the system as is: Well at least, this is how I will use the Skill Challenge system, trying to use as much of the written rules as possible: Preparation: 1. Pick which skills fit the situation (including possible special cases as per the rules). I will not look at character sheets at...

Starting powers and feats are never traps - easy to replace over time if you don't like them. The main traps are found in ability distribution and how abilities are tied to feats. I would make a 4th Edition character in this order: 1. Pick race and class. 2. Scan powers in the class and look...

A simple way is just to let those characters hesitate and delay action till they have a situation where they feel can do something useful. That I might actually allow - and then the system can be used, almost as written... :)