need skill challenge advice

[Shadeydm]

Although I have been playing 4E for some time now, I have yet to run a game. This is about to change as I am planning a one-shot game a couple weeks from now. As a part of this one-shot I have been studying and trying to plan a skill challenge.
After thinking things over I have a plan forming in my mind how I would like this SC to go, but since there are so many people in these forums who have much more experience running SCs than I do I would really appreciate advice and feedback including ways to implement and improve my plan along with pitfalls to avoid. Help me make this better!

I guess the way I would describe how I envision the SC unfolding would be to call it a progressive skill challenge. By this I mean that I envision the SC unfolding in two stages and that each stage has a compartmentalized list of applicable skills. Once the correct number of successes in the first stage are met this triggers the second stage opening up a new compartmentalized list of skills.
The challenge revolves around a treasure map the PCs are trying to follow through a dense jungle ultimately leading to a lost temple of a dead and forgotten god.

After arriving at the remote lagoon which corresponds to a starting point on the treasure map the PCs will have a combat encounter with the creature currently inhabiting the lagoon after which the SC should begin.

Stage 1 where did the trail go: Beyond the lagoon things on the map do not appear to match the existing terrain.
(1 good) History (moderate): success detects that this map though well preserved is incredibly old and that the jungle has changed significantly covering or destroying some of the landmarks.
(1 good) Nature (difficult): predict how the passage of time will alter the terrain as marked on the map.
(Aid another) Athletics: Climbing a tall tree and look for signs of the landmarks on the map.

Stage 2 moving out: The PCs head out to blaze their own trail through the jungle.
(1 good) Nature (easy): Maintain the correct general direction.
(1 good) Nature (moderate): detect and avoid natural hazards.
(2 good) Endurance (moderate): resist the effects of wandering through the jungle.

Zero failures results in the PCs achieving their objective with little difficulty. 1-2 failures will cause the PCs to face an environmental difficulty and 3-4 failures will result in an additional combat encounter. 5 or more failures will result in the combat encounter happening simultaneously with the environmental difficulty.

 

[Jack99]

I would consider incorporating some loss of surges into it, mostly if the nature and endurance checks in part two fail.

You could also change the 2 endurance checks in part two into an endurance check for everybody, where more than 1-2 fails carries the surge penalty (to everyone).

I would probably also perception to the list of skills, for example to find a trail leading in the right direction.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Greetings!

I would suggest doing this as a single skill challenge, altho using Stalker0's Obsidian rules instead of the core rules.
I recommend this because the core rules skill challenge is mechanically limiting of player actions and tends to not work well.

The three stages in the challenge would be:

Stage 1, Mental: Find clues and determine direction to travel
Stage 2 and 3, Physical: traverse the terrain. Each stage takes two days*.

Failure results in the group getting lost and needing to restart the skill challenge, having wandered the jungle for 4 days.
Partial victory means the group gets to the location, but takes two extra days.
> Total victory means the group arrives at the location.
> Every 2 successes beyond the total victory grant a +2 bonus to the PCs endurance checks.

Each day the PC's have to make an Endurance check against an Environmental danger, per DMG page 159.

* the number of days can be changed to reflect higher danger arriving at the location. Keep in mind that healing surges lost to environmental damages would not be able to be recovered until the group finds some way around the conditions of the Jungle. This means your DC shouldn't be too high, or your team will be dangerously depleted going into the battle.
-Perhaps it would be better to have each stage last a week of travel, but only have one Endurance check for the period. Meaning each PC might be endangered by losing a max of 2 healing surges during the adventure.
- You could also have a 'healing spring' in the temple somewhere that refreshes these lost surges... making this location an important first stop.

 

[Shadeydm]

I would consider incorporating some loss of surges into it, mostly if the nature and endurance checks in part two fail.

You could also change the 2 endurance checks in part two into an endurance check for everybody, where more than 1-2 fails carries the surge penalty (to everyone).

I would probably also perception to the list of skills, for example to find a trail leading in the right direction.

Thanks for replying Jack.

Which stage would you add perception to and at what difficulty?

 

[Shadeydm]

Greetings!

I would suggest doing this as a single skill challenge, altho using Stalker0's Obsidian rules instead of the core rules.
I recommend this because the core rules skill challenge is mechanically limiting of player actions and tends to not work well.

Thanks for replying PS I will have to check those out!

 

[Jack99]

Thanks for replying Jack.

Which stage would you add perception to and at what difficulty?

Stage 2, moderate/difficult