Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="D'karr" data-source="post: 5638500" data-attributes="member: 336">What I have found about running Skill Challenges is that the ones that are successful are the ones that don't feel like "classic" skill challenges.  The organic ones are the best.  To achieve this I reversed how the skill challenge is presented.For example the "classic" presentation goes something like this:DM:  You are trying to traverse the city where a horde of "critters" is hanging out.  There seem to be too many to fight so how would you like to achieve this?PC1:  I'm going to use stealth, roll 32...PC2:  I want to assist, roll 22DM:  Okay you have found some cardboard boxes and have advanced past the first horde and street number 1.IMO, that feels strained, simply because the rolling doesn't really determine anything, it feels somewhat artificial.It takes a bit of work from the DM and players to turn it around into this manner:DM:  You are trying to traverse the city where a horde of "critters" is hanging out.  Everyone make a wisdom (perception) check (don't tell them it's an easy DC).PC1-PC5: 10,14,6,18,22DM:  PC4 & PC5 after looking at the size and demeanor of the horde (take this time to describe the creatures) you have determined that taking them on one-on-one in combat would simply end up overwhelming you.  You think that it would be better to circumvent the entire thing.  To the north is street 1, and you think that you might be able to hide from the horde in that direction.  What do you do?PC1:  I use stealth, roll 32.PC2: I assist, roll 22DM:  PC1, that alley ahead looks promising, tell me (describe to me) how you would like to use stealth to get to street 1.  PC2, tell me (describe to me) how you would like to assist on the stealth check.PC1:  Can I find some materials to put over us to cover our approach?DM:  Yes, you notice some cardboard boxes that might have been used by homeless people on the alley coming up.PC1:  Okay, I use those boxes to mask our movement.PC2:  Can I help to hold them up as we move?DM:  Both of you are able to grab the boxes and stealthily move past street 1.  What would the rest of you like to do, as PC1 and PC2 signal to you from up ahead?Instead of putting the entire skill challenge before them and just leaving it entirely open, put little small pieces of it in front of them and "guide" them to give you input as to how they navigate through that piece.  Once that piece is over, then hang out the next carrot and see how they handle it.That's my .02 cents.</blockquote>

Verification