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<blockquote data-quote="MonkeezOnFire" data-source="post: 8090819" data-attributes="member: 6784845">I've adopted 4th edition style skill challenges to 5e and I've been pleased with them. The idea is you use a series of skill checks as a group to accomplish a larger goal. The way it works is the group must succeed on X skill checks before failing Y times. If they succeed the group accomplishes their goal, if not then consequences apply. The number of successes, failures and DC of the checks can all be configured independently to increase difficulty or increase the amount of effort needed. I also play it pretty fast and loose, allowing spells and class features to replace checks if they are appropriate. I even allow attack rolls against enemies or objects to count when it makes sense. The biggest complaint this system received was that it just devolves into the players taking turns rolling dice in order to proceed. However, this can be avoided as long as the DM puts the fiction first over the mechanics. Narrate the situation as it unfolds and most importantly have the situation evolve as it unfolds. New obstacles that crop up give the players things to spring off of with new ideas so that they are engaged with the story rather than just the dice. My go to example is a chase scene. Playing a chase out in combat turns is slow and often very predictable based on base speeds when it should be a fast paced and full of tension. Possible actions could include creating obstacles for enemies, working out a short cut, trying to blend in with a crowd, or baiting a distraction by going in an unexpected direction. Basically describe the scene as an action sequence instead of just a taking turns until someone runs off the map.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="MonkeezOnFire, post: 8090819, member: 6784845"] I've adopted 4th edition style skill challenges to 5e and I've been pleased with them. The idea is you use a series of skill checks as a group to accomplish a larger goal. The way it works is the group must succeed on X skill checks before failing Y times. If they succeed the group accomplishes their goal, if not then consequences apply. The number of successes, failures and DC of the checks can all be configured independently to increase difficulty or increase the amount of effort needed. I also play it pretty fast and loose, allowing spells and class features to replace checks if they are appropriate. I even allow attack rolls against enemies or objects to count when it makes sense. The biggest complaint this system received was that it just devolves into the players taking turns rolling dice in order to proceed. However, this can be avoided as long as the DM puts the fiction first over the mechanics. Narrate the situation as it unfolds and most importantly have the situation evolve as it unfolds. New obstacles that crop up give the players things to spring off of with new ideas so that they are engaged with the story rather than just the dice. My go to example is a chase scene. Playing a chase out in combat turns is slow and often very predictable based on base speeds when it should be a fast paced and full of tension. Possible actions could include creating obstacles for enemies, working out a short cut, trying to blend in with a crowd, or baiting a distraction by going in an unexpected direction. Basically describe the scene as an action sequence instead of just a taking turns until someone runs off the map. [/QUOTE]

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