Chaos Scar, Pit of Delirium skill challenge question

[Abraxas]

I would appreciate If anyone who has run the Chaos Scar Pit of Delirium adventure could help me. The opening skill challenge makes no sense to me.

I understand that it is there to provide clues for the players to find the source of the problems in the keep - but the way it is written is giving me a headache. They are required to get 4 successes before 3 failures, The adventure gives a list of a possible 6 skill checks that must be made and the order in which they are made. It then lists what information they players get when they succeed on a check. The problem is that the information they get doesn't really lead anywhere unless they make a second check of the same type, but when are these second checks supposed to be made?

For example: The first check is Arcana (DC:25) for which "The first successful check reveals powerful mind-affecting magic engulfing the keep."
Then it says "A second successful check allows the character to ascertain that the magic is strongest in and around the bailiff ’s tower."

However, the instructions in the adventure say the 2nd check the players make is a Streetwise (DC 17) check. Also - if a second Arcana check was made it out right gives away the location the characters need to go. All the suggested skill checks are like that, what am I missing here?

 

[Unwise]

I've been the DM for that adventure and you are not missing anything. The skill challenge as presented is a really bad example of when to use one. I suggest just using the DCs and results as listed, but don't make it a skill challenge. The more skill checks they succeed at the easier and quicker the players work out where they should go. If they pick the right skills, roll well and use them appropriately this scene might well last all of 2 minutes.

 

[Abraxas]

Thanks, that's pretty much the conclusion I came to. I ended up giving the players a few clues as they observed what was going on in town and they took it from there - explaining what they were going to do and look for (and what skill they thought was appropriate for what they were trying). I also converted the whole thing to run with the latest 5E playtest at the last minute (That process was way easier and went better than I had hoped).

It was a lot of fun and really interesting because we had a few players unable to attend and it was the players with the least experience that ran with this. They typically let the more "experienced" players come up with the plans. The whole session was similar to when I first started playing and we didn't really know what we could or couldn't do so we tried all sorts of stuff instead of just what we had on our character sheets or what the "correct" plan was.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Thanks, that's pretty much the conclusion I came to. I ended up giving the players a few clues as they observed what was going on in town and they took it from there - explaining what they were going to do and look for (and what skill they thought was appropriate for what they were trying).

This sounds like the best way to run most skill challenges in my experience. And a style I'm still trying to adapt to. For more sandbox challenges like this, letting the players drive the action can easily work. For more reaction or obstacle based challenges, I've been trying to implement a three-tiered obstacle structure. For example, a recent chase scene I ran would feed the characters thing to react to: blocked alleyway, crowded marketplace, guards on patrol. They then are able to throw ideas and skills out to over overcome the obstacles.

I have yet to use this system as well as I'd like however. Still trying it out with my players.

Trit