Skill Challenge Question

[Plissken]

So, I've ran a 4e game before but this is the first time I'm doing a skill challenge. I'm going to be running scales of war AP and in it, it says:

"Only one character can attempt this check in each set of checks..."

So, assuming everyone is in initiative order, would saying that only one character can roll this (nature) check each round be the same thing as that statement?

Also, there is one thing I do not understand. So, there are a number of successes you need. Say, 4. The party achieves this number. So...then what? Let me give you an example. In the Scales of War AP, there is a skill challenge where the PCs need to interrogate a hobgoblin prisoner to give up information. So, during the skill challenge, some PCs will get information out of the hobgoblin. After the PCs accrue enough successes, does the hobgoblin just spill out all the information? Even if the questions the PCs were asking were no where near, or would make sense, for the hobgoblin to spill all the information on his hideout?

Skill challenges are...quite strange.

 

[Tuft]

So, during the skill challenge, some PCs will get information out of the hobgoblin. After the PCs accrue enough successes, does the hobgoblin just spill out all the information? Even if the questions the PCs were asking were no where near, or would make sense, for the hobgoblin to spill all the information on his hideout?

Yes and yes.

It's the die roll that counts, not how the player describes his action - just as it doesn't matter to a fighter's to hit roll how he describes his sword swing. Skill Challenges are, after all, made to make non-combat stuff look like combat rounds.

You, as DM, may of course add any situational bonus or penalty you like to the roll, though.

Skill challenges are...quite strange.

Yes.

 

[Oompa]

If players are asking about green pants, while they know they need to ask about the red ones, i would not make it a failure, but also no succes..

I dont demand of my players they tell me word by word what they would say, but i do want a general idea of what they are trying and if they try something that has influence, they can succeed and fail.. but if they doing something that is just not right for the moment (trying to let the guard bring some water for one of the characters instead of the prisoner, the guard would do it or not, but it wouldnt count as a succes or failure..)

Don't punish players for doing stuff we don't expect..