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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheDelphian" data-source="post: 9549493" data-attributes="member: 7022317">I recently wanted to run a mystery for my players but mysteries often have issues that don't occur in movies, novels or tv shows. In an RPG it often falls to the Players to solve a mystery and not necessarily the Characters.So while I like Skill challenges which are usually run by having a number of successes before a number of failures. They often allow the players to chose the character and skill they wish to apply. I often found that this makes them too easy as only the highest skill bonuses are the only ones used as most can be justified in some manner.For the Mystery challenge I wanted to run a mystery but realized the info dump I would have to perform to give my players a chance. It was in a fantasy city sewer system that was being disturbed by something. In order to figure it out the players would need a map, an understanding of many aspects of sewer environment and its denizens, and a slew of other bits of info. Giving them the most relevant information would almost spot light the clues too much.Instead I ran it as a modified Skill challenge. They needed a number of clues to get the final location of the corrupting influence. I made it that every two failures would trigger additional encounters that made things harder for the group. All that mattered is eventually they got enough clues since complete failure would not be much fun or excitement. however enough failures might have led to further catastrophe.For example the Clue in a certain encounter didn't matter it just counted as a success though some encounters I did give out what the actual clue was to help foreshadow the end boss fight, like thorns in the Rat Swarms fur, or oddly suspended undigested sap in the Sewer Slimes. The encounters were also varied in the type, combat of course but social encounters talking with sewer managers/workers, even neutral to friendly creatures or folk in the sewers and exploration in searching certain passages etc.It ran well and worked for me but wanted to get others input. So let me know what you think and try not to derail the thread if you come in hating or disliking Skill Challenges unless you have a constructive comments please. Thanks</blockquote>

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