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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Anatomy of a Skill Challenge
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<blockquote data-quote="Jacob Lewis" data-source="post: 7560782" data-attributes="member: 6667921"><p>[MENTION=82106]AbdulAlhazred[/MENTION] Thanks for the feedback! I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean by this:</p><p></p><p></p><p>If I'm reading this correctly, you're suggesting that the situation should change, or at least "evolve in a narrative sense", each time a PC achieves an individual success. Is that correct? Could you elaborate? How would you change the situation at least seven times before winning the challenge? </p><p></p><p></p><p>I think you are looking at this from the inside out. The SC is embedded in the combat encounter, not the other way around. The encounter itself was only average difficulty before introducing the complications of the skill challenge. The idea was to introduce more tactical options where the players had to weigh risks vs rewards. If they focused on the skill challenge, they could complete it sooner and make their next combat easier. But doing so means ignoring the immediate threat of monsters in combat. Such is the decision most real heroes must make. </p><p></p><p>One thing you don't see in this snapshot of a skill challenge in play is the consequences of failing the skill challenge. Had the party failed, the next encounter would have been different. The party would have to deal with different penalties as their morale takes a major hit for failing to save more innocent people during the fight, and the enemy would have been bolstered by their apparent strength.</p><p></p><p>Admittedly, my own perspective has the advantage of seeing the larger picture and behind the scenes that may not be obvious to everyone reading this so apologies for that. But I will do my best to fill in the details as they come up. And I am genuinely interested in hearing similar ideas and different approaches as this is just one example that could have been so many different ways. I hope that this discussion will help others to come up with their own ideas and invent new challenges of their own. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jacob Lewis, post: 7560782, member: 6667921"] [MENTION=82106]AbdulAlhazred[/MENTION] Thanks for the feedback! I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean by this: If I'm reading this correctly, you're suggesting that the situation should change, or at least "evolve in a narrative sense", each time a PC achieves an individual success. Is that correct? Could you elaborate? How would you change the situation at least seven times before winning the challenge? I think you are looking at this from the inside out. The SC is embedded in the combat encounter, not the other way around. The encounter itself was only average difficulty before introducing the complications of the skill challenge. The idea was to introduce more tactical options where the players had to weigh risks vs rewards. If they focused on the skill challenge, they could complete it sooner and make their next combat easier. But doing so means ignoring the immediate threat of monsters in combat. Such is the decision most real heroes must make. One thing you don't see in this snapshot of a skill challenge in play is the consequences of failing the skill challenge. Had the party failed, the next encounter would have been different. The party would have to deal with different penalties as their morale takes a major hit for failing to save more innocent people during the fight, and the enemy would have been bolstered by their apparent strength. Admittedly, my own perspective has the advantage of seeing the larger picture and behind the scenes that may not be obvious to everyone reading this so apologies for that. But I will do my best to fill in the details as they come up. And I am genuinely interested in hearing similar ideas and different approaches as this is just one example that could have been so many different ways. I hope that this discussion will help others to come up with their own ideas and invent new challenges of their own. :) [/QUOTE]
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