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<blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 5509036" data-attributes="member: 2011">Except in combat, the ebbs and flows have mechanisms to handle minor setbacks. A PC goes unconscious, another PC heals him. A PC is stunned, another PC gives him a save. A ranged NPC is out of range of melee PCs, the players figure out ways to bring him back into range. And in combat, failure often means death.Skill checks don't have this. The ability to adapt and overcome multiple failures is extremely limited and the penalty for failure is usually not severe at all.And for the most part, the SC part of the game is somewhat out of the hands of the players. Yes, the players decide which skill to use and a given DM might even give a +2 bonus, but meh.If the PCs have a 90+% chance of success for each individual roll in a complex skill challenge, then the only thing complex about this skill challenge is attempting to not roll super low on the dice a ton of times in a row.The individual checks themselves are easy.So no, a complex SC shouldn't be with a ton of easy checks. It should be fewer more difficult checks and multiple good ways for players to overcome adversity, but that's not how WotC designed it.They designed complex SCs to be exercises in dice rolling with a high chance of success for each one, otherwise, the PCs will easily fail the challenge.Not.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="KarinsDad, post: 5509036, member: 2011"] Except in combat, the ebbs and flows have mechanisms to handle minor setbacks. A PC goes unconscious, another PC heals him. A PC is stunned, another PC gives him a save. A ranged NPC is out of range of melee PCs, the players figure out ways to bring him back into range. And in combat, failure often means death. Skill checks don't have this. The ability to adapt and overcome multiple failures is extremely limited and the penalty for failure is usually not severe at all. And for the most part, the SC part of the game is somewhat out of the hands of the players. Yes, the players decide which skill to use and a given DM might even give a +2 bonus, but meh. If the PCs have a 90+% chance of success for each individual roll in a complex skill challenge, then the only thing complex about this skill challenge is attempting to not roll super low on the dice a ton of times in a row. The individual checks themselves are easy. So no, a complex SC shouldn't be with a ton of easy checks. It should be fewer more difficult checks and multiple good ways for players to overcome adversity, but that's not how WotC designed it. They designed complex SCs to be exercises in dice rolling with a high chance of success for each one, otherwise, the PCs will easily fail the challenge. Not. [/QUOTE]

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