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<blockquote data-quote="LostSoul" data-source="post: 6052744" data-attributes="member: 386">I think this relates to my comment about player agency:Let's say that the PCs are in a dungeon.&nbsp; They want to get to where the loot is hidden without attracting attention.&nbsp; They are first level.In one case, the DM has a map.&nbsp; He knows that to the east there is a pack of ghasts - a very dangerous encounter.&nbsp; However, they give off a rank odour that the PCs can smell from very far away.&nbsp; To the west lies a bunch of goblins who are not on the alert - a reasonably easy encounter if the PCs handle it right.The players ask questions and make a decision about which way to go.In the other case the DM doesn't have a map.&nbsp; He has a list of skills that the PCs might use, the DCs for each, and the results of a successful check - the DMG's skill challenge format, basically.The players look over their sheets to see which skills have the highest modifier and might result in an easy DC without drawing an automatic failure.The type of player agency in these two situations is quite different.&nbsp; There are other ways to run skill challenges but that's the style presented in the DMG.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="LostSoul, post: 6052744, member: 386"] I think this relates to my comment about player agency: Let's say that the PCs are in a dungeon. They want to get to where the loot is hidden without attracting attention. They are first level. In one case, the DM has a map. He knows that to the east there is a pack of ghasts - a very dangerous encounter. However, they give off a rank odour that the PCs can smell from very far away. To the west lies a bunch of goblins who are not on the alert - a reasonably easy encounter if the PCs handle it right. The players ask questions and make a decision about which way to go. In the other case the DM doesn't have a map. He has a list of skills that the PCs might use, the DCs for each, and the results of a successful check - the DMG's skill challenge format, basically. The players look over their sheets to see which skills have the highest modifier and might result in an easy DC without drawing an automatic failure. The type of player agency in these two situations is quite different. There are other ways to run skill challenges but that's the style presented in the DMG. [/QUOTE]

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