NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mearls" data-source="post: 9713359" data-attributes="member: 697">Skill challenges have two main pieces:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There's the basics of a list of possible skills and DCs, with room for player improv.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Each player gets the chance to make one check or assist another check.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">After everyone takes a turn, the skill challenge includes a twist. The situation changes, either driven by or independent of the characters' actions.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Every takes another turn.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The situation resolves. The number of successful checks determines if the group gets the good outcome, bad outcome, or a mix.</li> </ul>As an example, in an adventure I wrote the characters have the chance to investigate a small village for clues. The checks they make measure how long it takes to find information. The NPCs in town are a little hard to deal with, but they ultimately want to help the party.The twist determines what happens when a spy for the evil cult shows up. If the PCs have enough successes, then they move quickly and are in position to confront the spy. If not, the spy shows up, pokes around, but a town guard then spots him.In the second arc, the spy tries to escape. If the PCs succeed, they catch him. On a mixed result, they can pursue him to a nearby cave and see what entrance he uses. If they fail, they follow him to the cave, don't spot where he goes, and he had a chance to alert a nearby NPC to confront the party.I've found that the twist really makes the mechanic work. I've had a lot of success with it in my games.</blockquote>

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