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Doh! Killed my party with a skill challenge
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<blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 7507759" data-attributes="member: 97077"><p>In practice this was often true. However, the rules for skill challenges in D&D 4e specifically say "A skill challenge should not replace the roleplaying, the puzzling, and the ingenuity that players put into handling those situations." So the DM should be granting auto-successes from time to time. </p><p></p><p>What I often saw 4e DMs do is present the goal and then just say "Have at it." The players would then individually go their best skill and try to imagine a way to shoehorn it in, knowing that the real choice wasn't in how to engage with the setting to solve the problem but to just roll the best skill they could to earn a success. Hence the old joke, "I Intimidate the grass."</p><p></p><p>Now, if instead the DM frames the specific challenges in the context of the overarching goal, then hits up the characters in initiative order* to tackle those challenges, we end up with what I think is more in line with the D&D 4e rules where the DM determines if a skill check is appropriate in a given situation, based on the player's response. Of course, the player can suggest or ask to make a particular check relevant to how he or she is dealing with the situation in that rules system, too. The DM is encouraged to say "yes" to such requests, but should not forget the line I quoted above. Sometimes, no check is necessary because the player's roleplaying, puzzling, or ingenuity won the day.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, I still don't think this is a great system to import directly into D&D 5e. It's just not a great fit as is.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 10px">* This is supported by the D&D 4e rules specifically. In practice it makes it more of a tactical challenge and actually disincentivizes skill specialization in favor of more well-rounded builds and encourages actually taking utility powers that help you in skill challenges instead of stuff for more damage or whatever.</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="iserith, post: 7507759, member: 97077"] In practice this was often true. However, the rules for skill challenges in D&D 4e specifically say "A skill challenge should not replace the roleplaying, the puzzling, and the ingenuity that players put into handling those situations." So the DM should be granting auto-successes from time to time. What I often saw 4e DMs do is present the goal and then just say "Have at it." The players would then individually go their best skill and try to imagine a way to shoehorn it in, knowing that the real choice wasn't in how to engage with the setting to solve the problem but to just roll the best skill they could to earn a success. Hence the old joke, "I Intimidate the grass." Now, if instead the DM frames the specific challenges in the context of the overarching goal, then hits up the characters in initiative order* to tackle those challenges, we end up with what I think is more in line with the D&D 4e rules where the DM determines if a skill check is appropriate in a given situation, based on the player's response. Of course, the player can suggest or ask to make a particular check relevant to how he or she is dealing with the situation in that rules system, too. The DM is encouraged to say "yes" to such requests, but should not forget the line I quoted above. Sometimes, no check is necessary because the player's roleplaying, puzzling, or ingenuity won the day. Anyway, I still don't think this is a great system to import directly into D&D 5e. It's just not a great fit as is. [SIZE=2]* This is supported by the D&D 4e rules specifically. In practice it makes it more of a tactical challenge and actually disincentivizes skill specialization in favor of more well-rounded builds and encourages actually taking utility powers that help you in skill challenges instead of stuff for more damage or whatever.[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
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