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<blockquote data-quote="Primitive Screwhead" data-source="post: 5216608" data-attributes="member: 20805">With my group, skil challenges are slowly getting more interesting. I use Stalker0's Obsideon method and keep it pretty freeform. The first time I ran an encounter, everyone spammed thier highest skill and generally stuck with 'I roll intimidate' as flavor text to thier attempts.&nbsp;The second time it was better, altho they still focused on the mechanically high stats, so I tossed in some exclusions on the skills to force them to use thier off-stats.. which they did and they succeeded at the challenge.&nbsp; Now, almost 10 skill challenges latter, the group is being descriptive and inventive with thier skills.&nbsp;I have also implemented the increasing DC option instead of ruling specific skills out, basically any skill might be able to be used but the player has to sell it to me why it would help.&nbsp;&nbsp;As such, I have seen a Rogue use Stealth successfully in an abandoned Elvish city/forest to track an assassin... he said he would look for the best way to move while staying hidden as that is where the assassin would have gone.&nbsp;Here are some ideas I have learned to use:&nbsp;- don't announce that its a skill challenge unless you have to.&nbsp;- require a description and then you choose which skill applies&nbsp;- allow players to not be involved, altho encourage them to try&nbsp;- Use Stalker0's Obsideon system <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />&nbsp;- Failure costs. I generally use either a loss of a healing surge, hp damage, or difficulty later on {combat or non-combat}&nbsp;- Be descriptive.. players have a hard time being inventive when you give them another 5x5 room and a door.&nbsp;- Don't use skill challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp; No, seriously. Use complex skill checks, use non-mechanical/non-dice resolutions. Save the Skill Challenge for when its important {and worth the XP}</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Primitive Screwhead, post: 5216608, member: 20805"] With my group, skil challenges are slowly getting more interesting. I use Stalker0's Obsideon method and keep it pretty freeform. The first time I ran an encounter, everyone spammed thier highest skill and generally stuck with 'I roll intimidate' as flavor text to thier attempts. The second time it was better, altho they still focused on the mechanically high stats, so I tossed in some exclusions on the skills to force them to use thier off-stats.. which they did and they succeeded at the challenge. Now, almost 10 skill challenges latter, the group is being descriptive and inventive with thier skills. I have also implemented the increasing DC option instead of ruling specific skills out, basically any skill might be able to be used but the player has to sell it to me why it would help. As such, I have seen a Rogue use Stealth successfully in an abandoned Elvish city/forest to track an assassin... he said he would look for the best way to move while staying hidden as that is where the assassin would have gone. Here are some ideas I have learned to use: - don't announce that its a skill challenge unless you have to. - require a description and then you choose which skill applies - allow players to not be involved, altho encourage them to try - Use Stalker0's Obsideon system :) - Failure costs. I generally use either a loss of a healing surge, hp damage, or difficulty later on {combat or non-combat} - Be descriptive.. players have a hard time being inventive when you give them another 5x5 room and a door. - Don't use skill challenges. No, seriously. Use complex skill checks, use non-mechanical/non-dice resolutions. Save the Skill Challenge for when its important {and worth the XP} [/QUOTE]

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