Combat Skills Challenge

[MarauderX]

Over in the rules forum I had posted a request to see if there were any combat skill challenges that have been published. Since I didn't learn of anything being published, I thought I'd start making the challenge on my own.

More of what I am looking for: The skill challenges wouldn't be about the battles; they would be more about factors other than the creatures they are fighting: swim through underwater entrance (Endurance, Athletics), battle with terrain disadvantages (Athletics, Acrobatics), being surpised (Perception, Stealth), traps (Thievery, Arcana, Dungeoneering), vast numbers of enemies (Insight, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Streetwise to bottleneck them, etc.), interrogate for insight into the next challenge (Insight, Intimidate), secret passages (Dungeoneering, History, Perception), find & release prisoners (Perception, Nature), bypass guard animals (Nature, Stealth), acquire keys from cryptic puzzles (Religion, History, Insight, Arcana), hold open door for others long enough to pass through (Endurance, Thievery), finding spots for short rests between fights (Dungeoneering, History, Perception) and perhaps more.

On top of that, daily powers wouldn't be taken away, but reserved for the players to use if they see a way to simply get an automatic success (such as dropping an ice storm on a vast hoard of enemies).

With each check (or set of checks) there would be a primary skill roller and any who are aiding (using the revised rules for such). They would be ones at risk for taking some damage or shielding others from taking it (like a fighter protecting a wizard as she helps him jump over a chasm while taking fire).

The idea is that with each success a major area is mostly cleared (depending on the check too), and that they can move on or find a place to rest. With each new section of the dungeon they enter a simple challenge and cannot retreat without consequences or move forward without completing the challenge. This is to mimic being engaged in battle and that it is tough to retreat or press through without increasing the risk.

Other thoughts?

 

[Camelot]

This has certainly been done, but I don't have any published skill challenges to point you towards. You can easily make this into one yourself. The DMG2 talks about battles as skill challenges on pages 180-181, giving suggestions for skill usage.

 

[MarauderX]

The DMG2 talks about battles as skill challenges on pages 180-181, giving suggestions for skill usage.

Yes, which is why I'm still a bit surprised that Dungeon doesn't have one (that I could find).
I'll be baking one here for review when I make time to work on it.

 

[MarauderX]

Below is what I ran a while back. It was for mid-upper paragon level PCs, so the DCs and damge should be altered.

L= level and the number is a specific room on the maps I used, so L0/1 is Level zero, Room 1. Some of the rooms you can tell are large or open areas while others might have special features. The skills listed are usually rolls for someone and others to assist (usually 1-3 successes per item), but some of them are fights in which everyone must roll.

Encounter powers typically gave circumstance bonuses, while daily power uses and rituals gave greater circumstance bonuses or auto-success as long as the power could be applied creatively to the check (DM judgment). Magic item use was treated the same encounter or daily powers depending on their activation. Action points allowed an immediate reroll without incurring damage or other consequences.

Castle Reksdammon Combat Skill Challenge:
DCs: 18,22,26; Skill checks 23,27,31;
Failure Damage: 2d12+5 or Healing surge (situation dependant)

- Battle on difficult terrain (Athletics, Acrobatics)
- Interrogate for insight into next area (Intimidate, Insight)
- Secret Passages (Perception, dungeoneering, History)
- Find place for short rest (Dung, Hist, Percept)
- Interrupt Ritual Sacrifice & bring back to life (Religion, Heal)

• L0/32-37 - Traps (Thievery, Arcana, Dungeoneering)
• L0/1, L1/5-6 - Vast Number of minions (Insight, Bluff, Intimidate, Diplomacy, Streetwise)
• L0/3-16 - Find & Release prisoners (Perception, Nature, Thievery)
• L0/43 - Destroy bloodroot area & tiefling smokers (Endurance, Nature)
• L0/29, 44, 53 - Guard rooms (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate)
• L1/15, 21 - Bypass guard animals (Nature, Stealth)
• L1/10 - Interrupt service for Sephoroth/Syn’nestra (Religion, Arcana, History)
• L2/17-20 - Being Surprised (Perception, Stealth)
• L3/5-7 - Foulspawn
• L3/5-7, L5/2-5 - Tieflings
• L4/1 - Hold door open long enough for others to get to the 4th (Endurance, Thievery); Acquire keys for cryptic puzzles (History+2, Religion+2, Insight, Arcana)
• L5/2-5 - Reksdammon quarters (Ugannon)
• L7/4 - Manticore roost & Mews (Nature, Stealth)