D&D 5E Riding a Roc - need help designing a skill challenge

[Lyxen]

Something else that you might use is maybe the Spirit gives to the player enchanted feathers (Quaal Feather Token) that give them a one-use Feather Fall effect (and it might even fade in a few days if you don't want the players holding onto them for later), so that the aim can still be "ride the roc for as long as you can to impress the spirit", but if a player fails, it does not mean instant death.

 

[toucanbuzz]

I often start designing skill challenges by asking about failure consequences. Do you really want the consequences of failure to be "the party falls over 200 feet to their (possible) doom?"

Yes, it will appear that way. It's a high-cost venture with a strong reward: a 1/year revivify effect. If a fall results in "death," the Spirit will preserve the body at 1 hp and claim the future spirit for the land. Should the character die, they cannot be raised. I envision variable heights over rivers, fields, and fatal rocky terrain.

Then I'd look at what do the PCs have control over? What's the scope of their activity? What change can they bring about? Are they controlling the roc or guiding it somehow?

I envision finding ways to hang on, whether Animal Handling or Grappling or Climbing, with twists and turns over a chaotic route.

 

[toucanbuzz]

What happens if the PCs don't gain the favour of the spirit of the land? What happens if they choose not to attempt the challenge? How good is the spirit at detecting cheating?

Nothing, it's totally optional though they did gain political capital for their barony by promising a druidic-minded church they'd befriend a spirit of the land. Unknown about catching cheating. I like having more options.

 

[Quickleaf]

Yes, it will appear that way. It's a high-cost venture with a strong reward: a 1/year revivify effect. If a fall results in "death," the Spirit will preserve the body at 1 hp and claim the future spirit for the land. Should the character die, they cannot be raised. I envision variable heights over rivers, fields, and fatal rocky terrain.

I envision finding ways to hang on, whether Animal Handling or Grappling or Climbing, with twists and turns over a chaotic route.

My read of your scenario – where the PCs are essentially passengers with very limited control – is that you actually have a group skill check on your hands. Just with a bit of narrative massaging.

There's just not enough happening (in terms of meaningful player choices & power to shape the scene) to merit a skill challenge format.

So instead of all rolls happening / being resolved at once, you're going player-by-player to build tension and weave your narrative of the flight path, the sharp turns, the wingtips brushing an escarpment, etc. But the resolution mechanic is straight-up the group check rules from the DMG.

Instead of limiting it to one predefined skill, it becomes "whatever skill, ability, spell, power, or creative idea makes sense." Cleverness or resource expenditure might gain an automatic success, for example. If half or more of your group succeeds, they reach the mountain destination. If they fail they fall... and you resolve that however you wish.

 

[Rabulias]

Not sure if this fits with what you want to accomplish, your DMing style, and/or your players' likes, but I am thinking if this could be secretly a roleplaying challenge. The old trope of "failing the test to pass the test." They are told they must ride the roc, but something is seen or happens along the way that is a threat to "the land" or the interests of the Spirit of the Land, and the players must abandon the ride to deal with it, even if it means jumping off the roc. I don't have much detail now, but for example, they see a group of people below beginning to burn down a large tree (perhaps a treant/dryad tree?) or killing a number of animals for sport. Intervening to stop whatever violation is going on , even if it means failing the test, could be the "right" answer. Some players may see the cliche and not be challenged by it; others may feel "tricked" if they continue the ride. You can decide if that fits your campaign setting and tastes for you and your players.