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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mesh Hong" data-source="post: 4955609" data-attributes="member: 73463">I can identify with this. In my experience as soon as the players are informed that they are in a Skill Challange Situation they have the tendancy to switch mentality and start looking for ways to either use their primary skill, or only perform actions that cannot result in a fail result (e.g. assisting another character or even worse doing nothing). Amazingly though I have learnt that if you don't announce a Skill Challange Situation and instead continue as normal (player anounces what they are going to do, or roleplays conversation), then just ask for the most appropriate skill checks (at each appropriate point) then they act as normal and are prepared to accept a much broader scope of risk (i.e. they do not mind attempting skills they are not specialised in, or even have trained). I suppose the ideal Skill Challange is the Secret Skill Challange, but then in reality this is no different to the way actions have always been resolved.  This is absolutely the best way of handling the situation. If you create an interesting and exciting map, filled with different elements that both the PCs and the Enemies can interact with then you will get an excellent combat encounter. When the players see that the creatures they are fighting are having to make the same skill checks as they are to get into the best position they will become a lot more involved. Another thing I have learnt is that players love to see creatures fail. There is nothing they love more than to see a creature get pushed down it's own pit trap then have a hard time trying to climb out.</blockquote>

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