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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Saagael" data-source="post: 4891911" data-attributes="member: 84839">I've been DMing a group for about a year now, and have only done two or three skill challenges; mostly because I'm nervous they won't be entertaining. Incidentally, it's mostly my lack of knowledge that keeps them from being interesting. One of the best ways to make really dynamic, evolving situations is to just let the dice sit on the table. When players are forced to roll the dice it's as if their characters are leaving everything to chance (with a modifier). Realistically the characters would never feel that way. If they think they have something good to contribute, then they will open their mouth. I encourage that participation, so I like to let the dice sit on the table for most social encounters. It forces the players further into the shoes of their character. If they can't think of anything to say then I'll let them roll a diplomacy check (there is always a knowledge discrepancy between players and characters).The only time I would use skill challenges are for extended tasks (multiple days) or non-deadly obstacles; I don't want the player to die because he failed to jump the chasm. Social encounters are much easier to role play out, rather than base off of die rolls (singular die rolls to convince the shopkeep to lower costs, or gain some information around town, or sneak into the nobles private quarters I do use). One skill challenge I'm looking forward to using is a couple day long siege coming up in game that will require the players to take part in preparing the fortress and then defending it. What the players do is up to them, though I've outlined basic ideas for them to fall back on. This system was introduced in an article in Dungeon Magazine, btw. The challenge is made up of three challenges, each requiring 6 successes before 4 failures. There's the tactical command, artillery fire, and defending challenges. I have six players, so that's two on each challenge (they can divy themselves up differently, this is just for planning purposes). For each challenge there's a primary and secondary check. The primary check offers the success or failure, while the secondary check gives advantages. For example: In the Tactical Command check, the player uses his skills to direct troops, determine the enemy tactics,  or inspire or scare allies to fight. The secondary check is perception or insight, which allows the player to determine or guess the enemy force's strategy. On a primary check success, the artillery fire check gets a bonus (the player determined what's going on in battle, so he can better direct the archers). If the secondary check succeeds, the bonus also applies to the defending the gate challenge. All in all, the players have 3 main skills for a primary check (that's 9 primary skills, I think the players can cover them), with 1-2 skills for secondary checks (not as important, but useful if a player doesn't really fit in any other roll).</blockquote>

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