New "Red Box" Starter Set hands-on preview

[Scribble]

Hey has anyone mentioned what they so with Skill Challenges in essentials?

Is it just like a rewrite using all the stuff from DMG1 and 2 and other sources, or do they add anything new?

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

I think the question would be if there are any skill challenges at all...

I would put those rules as something "for more experienced DMs" and put them in the Rules Compendium and the DMing boxed set

 

[thalmin]

The DM led adventure does have a skill challenge in it, but I haven't read through it yet.

 

[the Jester]

I'd love to hear a little bit about the monsters in the Red Box.

Thank you so much for all the info, as always!!

 

[thalmin]

Hey has anyone mentioned what they so with Skill Challenges in essentials?

Is it just like a rewrite using all the stuff from DMG1 and 2 and other sources, or do they add anything new?

There is one skill challenge. It is a diplomacy challenge, but other skills can be used to give bonuses to the the diplomacy checks.
Also, there are a couple of skill checks.

 

[pedr]

Sarah Darkmagic comments favourably on the way skill challenges are integrated into the adventure in the Red Box, which she says is eight encounters long. Running Red Box at Gen Con | Sarah Darkmagic

Since she got the box on Wednesday night and - while cutting out a few bits - felt happy to run it on Thursday, it does seem as if it's written in a way which makes it easy to use!

 

[thalmin]

I'd love to hear a little bit about the monsters in the Red Box.

Here is the list of Monsters that have stat blocks in the Monsters section of the DM Book:
Doppleganger Sneak level 3 Skirmisher
Fledgeling Black Dragon level 2 solo Lurker
Fledgeling White Dragon level 1 Solo Brute
Guard Drake level 2 Brute
Psuedodragon level 3 Lurker
Bloodseeker Drake level 4 Soldier
Goblin Sniper level 1 Minion Artillery
Goblin Cutthroat level 1 Skirmisher
Goblin Hex Hurler level 3 Controller (Leader)
Bugbear Thug level 4 Brute
Hobgoblin Battle Guard level 3 Soldier
Human Common Bandit level 2 Skirmisher
Human Town Guard level 3 Soldier
Kobold Tunneler level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Kobold Slinger level 1 Artillery
Kobold Quickblade level 1 Skirmisher
Lizardfolk Poisonscale Brawler level 3 Brute
Lizardfolk Poisonscale Snatcher level 2 Lurker
Gelatinous Cube level 5 Elite Brute
Green Slime level 4 Lurker
Battletested Orc level 3 Soldier
Orc Archer level 4 Artillery
Orc Savage level 4 Minion Brute
Dire Rat level 1 Brute
Scurrying Rat Swarm level 1 Skirmisher
Skeleton level 3 Soldier
Decrepit Skeleton level 1 Minion Skirmisher
Deathjump Spider level 4 Skirmisher
Stirge level 1 Lurker
Wererat level 3 Skirmisher
Gray Wolf level 2 Skirmisher
Dire Wolf level 5 Skirmisher
Grasping Zombie level 1 Brute
Hulking Zombie level 4 Brute

 

[thalmin]

The adventure also has some additional monsters:
a named and slightly different statted out Bugbear
some specific pupose constructs level 1 Minion Soldier, level 2 Skirmisher, level 2 Brute, level 3 Skirmisher
and of course the Big Bad Evil Guy

edit: Stat blocks are not used in the solo adventure

 

[thalmin]

Oh, the solo adventure has several skill checks.

 

[TarionzCousin]

Sarah Darkmagic comments favo[-]u[/-]rably on the way skill challenges are integrated into the adventure in the Red Box, which she says is eight encounters long. Running Red Box at Gen Con | Sarah Darkmagic

When Sarah Darkmagic is asked about how the Skill Challenge is "different," she replies:

Submitted by Sarah Darkmagic on August 11, 2010 - 4:24pm.

I don't think I can talk about it quite yet but I will as soon as I can. What I will say is that once I got over the shock of not seeing it in it's "normal" format, I really loved it.