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<blockquote data-quote="Southern Oracle" data-source="post: 4756522" data-attributes="member: 1249">My online group is leery of 4E, so I've slowly been introducing elements of it to our 3.5 campaign over the past year.&nbsp; Below is a skill challenge I just designed to integrate the process into our game.&nbsp; (The scenario is taken from the Planescape adventure Dead Gods, if anyone is interested.)&nbsp;&nbsp; Burning Down the House&nbsp; Marlus cackles wildly as flaming timbers crash down around her.&nbsp; “The agony!&nbsp; Chaos!&nbsp; Destruction!&nbsp; Rot!&nbsp; Decay!&nbsp; It’s spreading…spreading!”&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; This skill challenge involves rescuing members of the Woodworkers’ Guild from the burning building while simultaneously battling Marlus Van.&nbsp; Extra XP is available if she is defeated without killing her.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Setup: To successfully complete this encounter, the heroes must defeat Marlus Van and rescue the five woodworkers trapped in the burning building.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Level: 14th.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Complexity: 5 (requires 12 successes before 6 failures).&nbsp; Includes a 9th-level creature (Marlus Van).&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Primary Skills: Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (nature), Search, Survival, Tumble&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Constitution (DC 11): Every character in the party must make a Constitution check each round as a free action to resist the debilitating effects of the heat and smoke.&nbsp; Making this ability check doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge, but a success provides a +2 bonus to the next Strength-, Dexterity-, or Constitution-based check the character makes.&nbsp; Failure means the character suffers 1d10+6 points of damage from heat, smoke inhalation, and the impact of falling debris.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Intimidate (DC 23): A successful check (full-round action) only counts as a success if someone makes the check with a higher initiative than Marlus.&nbsp; In such a case, Marlus takes no actions that round, allowing rescue operations to proceed unhindered.&nbsp; If a successful Intimidate check is made after Marlus has taken her actions that round, she simply suffers a –2 penalty on her attacks the next round.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Jump (DC 18): A successful check (move action) allows a hero to navigate the burning building and counts as a success.&nbsp; A failed check results in damage (1d10+6), and consecutive Jump checks are not allowed.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Knowledge (architecture and engineering, DC 11): A successful check (move action) grants a +2 bonus on Jump, Strength, and Tumble checks to navigate the burning building, and halves any damage from failed checks on that round or the following round.&nbsp; Knowledge (nature, DC 23): A successful check (full-round action) pulls Marlus back from the brink of madness and counts as 3 successes.&nbsp; She doesn’t aid with any rescue efforts, but neither does she hinder them.&nbsp; It can be attained only once during the challenge.&nbsp; Search (DC 23): A successful check (standard action) allows a hero to discover the location of one victim and counts as a success.&nbsp; A maximum of 5 successful Search checks are allowed during the skill challenge.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Strength (DC 18): A successful check (standard action) results in automatic damage (3d6+6) but counts as 2 successes, as the character sacrifices his or her safety to rescue a victim.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Survival (DC 18): Making this check (move action) doesn’t count as a success or a failure for the challenge, but success provides a +5 bonus to the character’s next Constitution check, and it halves the damage if that check is failed.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tumble (DC 18): A successful check (move action) allows a hero to navigate the burning building and counts as a success.&nbsp; A failed check results in damage (1d10+6), and consecutive Tumble checks are not allowed.&nbsp; Success: If the heroes gain 12 successes before 6 failures, all five woodworkers are rescued and Marlus Van surrenders.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Failure: If the heroes gain 6 failures before 12 successes, the guildhall collapses and anyone remaining in the burning building is killed.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; I could certainly run this encounter in a more free-form manner, but after reading the original entry for the scenario, it seemed like a bare-bones skill encounter, so I thought I'd flesh it out.&nbsp; I don't intend to tell the players they're participating in a skill challenge until after the fact; we'll see how it goes.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Southern Oracle, post: 4756522, member: 1249"] My online group is leery of 4E, so I've slowly been introducing elements of it to our 3.5 campaign over the past year. Below is a skill challenge I just designed to integrate the process into our game. (The scenario is taken from the Planescape adventure [I]Dead Gods,[/I] if anyone is interested.) [B]Burning Down the House[/B] Marlus cackles wildly as flaming timbers crash down around her. “The agony! Chaos! Destruction! Rot! Decay! It’s spreading…spreading!” This skill challenge involves rescuing members of the Woodworkers’ Guild from the burning building while simultaneously battling Marlus Van. Extra XP is available if she is defeated without killing her. [B]Setup:[/B] To successfully complete this encounter, the heroes must defeat Marlus Van and rescue the five woodworkers trapped in the burning building. [B]Level:[/B] 14th. [B]Complexity:[/B] 5 (requires 12 successes before 6 failures). Includes a 9th-level creature (Marlus Van). [B]Primary Skills:[/B] Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (architecture and engineering), Knowledge (nature), Search, Survival, Tumble [I]Constitution (DC 11):[/I] Every character in the party must make a Constitution check each round as a free action to resist the debilitating effects of the heat and smoke. Making this ability check doesn’t count as a success or failure for the challenge, but a success provides a +2 bonus to the next Strength-, Dexterity-, or Constitution-based check the character makes. Failure means the character suffers 1d10+6 points of damage from heat, smoke inhalation, and the impact of falling debris. [I]Intimidate (DC 23):[/I] A successful check (full-round action) only counts as a success if someone makes the check with a higher initiative than Marlus. In such a case, Marlus takes no actions that round, allowing rescue operations to proceed unhindered. If a successful Intimidate check is made after Marlus has taken her actions that round, she simply suffers a –2 penalty on her attacks the next round. [I]Jump (DC 18):[/I] A successful check (move action) allows a hero to navigate the burning building and counts as a success. A failed check results in damage (1d10+6), and consecutive Jump checks are not allowed. [I]Knowledge (architecture and engineering, DC 11):[/I] A successful check (move action) grants a +2 bonus on Jump, Strength, and Tumble checks to navigate the burning building, and halves any damage from failed checks on that round or the following round. [I]Knowledge (nature, DC 23):[/I] A successful check (full-round action) pulls Marlus back from the brink of madness and counts as 3 successes. She doesn’t aid with any rescue efforts, but neither does she hinder them. It can be attained only once during the challenge. [I]Search (DC 23):[/I] A successful check (standard action) allows a hero to discover the location of one victim and counts as a success. A maximum of 5 successful Search checks are allowed during the skill challenge. [I]Strength (DC 18):[/I] A successful check (standard action) results in automatic damage (3d6+6) but counts as 2 successes, as the character sacrifices his or her safety to rescue a victim. [I]Survival (DC 18):[/I] Making this check (move action) doesn’t count as a success or a failure for the challenge, but success provides a +5 bonus to the character’s next Constitution check, and it halves the damage if that check is failed. [I]Tumble (DC 18):[/I] A successful check (move action) allows a hero to navigate the burning building and counts as a success. A failed check results in damage (1d10+6), and consecutive Tumble checks are not allowed. [B]Success:[/B] If the heroes gain 12 successes before 6 failures, all five woodworkers are rescued and Marlus Van surrenders. [B]Failure:[/B] If the heroes gain 6 failures before 12 successes, the guildhall collapses and anyone remaining in the burning building is killed. I could certainly run this encounter in a more free-form manner, but after reading the original entry for the scenario, it seemed like a bare-bones skill encounter, so I thought I'd flesh it out. I don't intend to tell the players they're participating in a skill challenge until after the fact; we'll see how it goes. [/QUOTE]

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