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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KidSnide" data-source="post: 5636490" data-attributes="member: 54710">When it comes to non-combat game areas, I think a modular design system is something that evolves from the attempt to allow richer more immersive(*) gameplay than available in basic skill challenges.Stepping back a bit, if you're going to have a complex challenge resolution system, the players should be making decisions based on their character's abilities and the in-game realities of the challenge at hand.  In combat, you decide which monster to attack, which weapon or spell to use and whether to press the advantage, regroup, or retreat -- all based on the tactical information in front of you.  The default skill challenge mechanic has the merits of flexibility, but -as written - each challenge is a matter of maximizing the number of rolls that take place with the party's best plausible skills.  Without significant GM skill and effort to run (and redesign!) the skill challenge, the player choices are attenuated from the in-game reality.With a modular system, you can have a very simple core: ability checks (perhaps with a level bonus and a fixed +5 skill bonus if you have the relevant proficiency) against standard DCs.  More extended challenges that want the longer playtime and probability smoothing that comes from multiple rolls can use something close to the existing skill challenge system.  Both of these are reasonable for games that want a non-combat challenge mechanic, but don't want a lot of rules weight for that area.And then you can have modular subsystems.  A overland journey, kingdom management, mass combat or epic-level adventuring system can introduce mechanics (possibly of multiple levels of complexity) and adventure guidelines appropriate to give focus to that kind of system.  Some of these mechanics will work better than others, but a "everything doesn't have to be core" philosophy would prevent a bad supplement from polluting the rest of the game.Business wise, "modular" products could include a mixture of new modular mechanics, module-flexible crunch that would be usable in a more basic game and appropriate fluff and GM advice.-KS(*) "Immersive" in the normal sense of getting the players feeling involved in the game, not in the strange Mearlsian use of the word...</blockquote>

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