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<blockquote data-quote="Saeviomagy" data-source="post: 4888086" data-attributes="member: 5890">The problem is that most characters will have a raft of skills that they can potentially use that are all roughly the same numbers: and if diplomacy and intimidate are the only options (and of them, only one is going to work because the DM has decided that this particular NPC is immune to fear or something), then the challenge is almost certainly a failure without some spectacular dice rolling.It sounds like you're not actually talking about the base skill challenge system. Could you explain exactly what you mean? I'm keen on finding ways to make skill challenges work, but using the rules as they are is what I find disappointing.Oh, wait... I realise you just did that a few posts up. Would I be right in thinking that you're mostly improvising? DCs get set based on the described action, degrees of success and failure are decided at the end, &quot;3 strikes and you're out&quot; mentality of the current challenge system is totally gone?Incidentally, I think that the &quot;use my best skill or try to avoid participating&quot; tactic is purely produced by the original skill challenge mechanics' limited failures before the entire challenge is failed. It's like telling players that if they miss with their attack, the entire party loses a healing surge each. Suddenly you're not going to have people with slightly sub-par attacks taking part in the combat. Trying and failing is worse than not trying at all.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Saeviomagy, post: 4888086, member: 5890"] The problem is that most characters will have a raft of skills that they can potentially use that are all roughly the same numbers: and if diplomacy and intimidate are the only options (and of them, only one is going to work because the DM has decided that this particular NPC is immune to fear or something), then the challenge is almost certainly a failure without some spectacular dice rolling. It sounds like you're not actually talking about the base skill challenge system. Could you explain exactly what you mean? I'm keen on finding ways to make skill challenges work, but using the rules as they are is what I find disappointing. Oh, wait... I realise you just did that a few posts up. Would I be right in thinking that you're mostly improvising? DCs get set based on the described action, degrees of success and failure are decided at the end, "3 strikes and you're out" mentality of the current challenge system is totally gone? Incidentally, I think that the "use my best skill or try to avoid participating" tactic is purely produced by the original skill challenge mechanics' limited failures before the entire challenge is failed. It's like telling players that if they miss with their attack, the entire party loses a healing surge each. Suddenly you're not going to have people with slightly sub-par attacks taking part in the combat. Trying and failing is worse than not trying at all. [/QUOTE]

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