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Help Me Make My Skill Challenge Fun
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6658497" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>Plan bolded by me. My prep is extremely light. I mean extremely, extremely light. I basically have some antagonists (after consulting with my players what they're interested in engaging with) and PC build flags (backstory, background, theme, paragon path, epic destiny et al). We'll handle some prologue stuff together to flesh out setting. Then we'll use all of that stuff to coordinate the thematic premise(s) that each player is seeking to engage through their PC and come up with (typically) 3 Minor Quests and 1 Major Quest for each PC. As they resolve them, we'll create more (based off the evolved fiction). </p><p></p><p>Technique-wise, in terms of Skill Challenges and their relationship to dungeon exploration in 4e, you have three choices:</p><p></p><p>1) Pick a skill Challenge complexity (let us say 5). Devise a purpose (the players' collective goal) for the Skill Challenge and the cost of failure (the stakes). Create a map that features WAY more relevant locations of interest/conflict (eg the room with the crumbling framing) than you would need to resolve the Skill Challenge. Make a little key for yourself with a pithy descriptor of the adversarial element at each location (eg Failing Framing and Collapsing Ceiling). As the players move through, you frame them into each bit of conflict until the final success is achieved (and then you just frame them into the next scene...eg the BBEG lair or the room with the McGuffin or the exit, etc). If failure is met instead then frame the PCs into that conflict (an overwhelming combat or the dungeon is collapsing in on itself and they have to make a mad dash back to the entrance - another SC, etc).</p><p></p><p>2a) Create an abstract map. Stock it with isolated SCs (typically complexity 1) for specific, important conflicts. These might be infiltration challenges, intelligence gathering, hazard/terrain navigation, et al. Proceed through the map until you reach the final conflict. </p><p></p><p>2b) Alternatively, you can do a combo of 1 and 2a above and have each of the SCs be nested Complexity 1 SCs, each success or failure in those micro-SCs contributing 1 success or failure in a macro Complexity 1 SC.</p><p></p><p>Also, if you want to pull out specific phrases or component parts that I didn't communicate effectively in my initial post, feel free to do so. I'll try to be more clear.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6658497, member: 6696971"] Plan bolded by me. My prep is extremely light. I mean extremely, extremely light. I basically have some antagonists (after consulting with my players what they're interested in engaging with) and PC build flags (backstory, background, theme, paragon path, epic destiny et al). We'll handle some prologue stuff together to flesh out setting. Then we'll use all of that stuff to coordinate the thematic premise(s) that each player is seeking to engage through their PC and come up with (typically) 3 Minor Quests and 1 Major Quest for each PC. As they resolve them, we'll create more (based off the evolved fiction). Technique-wise, in terms of Skill Challenges and their relationship to dungeon exploration in 4e, you have three choices: 1) Pick a skill Challenge complexity (let us say 5). Devise a purpose (the players' collective goal) for the Skill Challenge and the cost of failure (the stakes). Create a map that features WAY more relevant locations of interest/conflict (eg the room with the crumbling framing) than you would need to resolve the Skill Challenge. Make a little key for yourself with a pithy descriptor of the adversarial element at each location (eg Failing Framing and Collapsing Ceiling). As the players move through, you frame them into each bit of conflict until the final success is achieved (and then you just frame them into the next scene...eg the BBEG lair or the room with the McGuffin or the exit, etc). If failure is met instead then frame the PCs into that conflict (an overwhelming combat or the dungeon is collapsing in on itself and they have to make a mad dash back to the entrance - another SC, etc). 2a) Create an abstract map. Stock it with isolated SCs (typically complexity 1) for specific, important conflicts. These might be infiltration challenges, intelligence gathering, hazard/terrain navigation, et al. Proceed through the map until you reach the final conflict. 2b) Alternatively, you can do a combo of 1 and 2a above and have each of the SCs be nested Complexity 1 SCs, each success or failure in those micro-SCs contributing 1 success or failure in a macro Complexity 1 SC. Also, if you want to pull out specific phrases or component parts that I didn't communicate effectively in my initial post, feel free to do so. I'll try to be more clear. [/QUOTE]
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