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<blockquote data-quote="bert1000" data-source="post: 4942665" data-attributes="member: 29013">Just got the DMG2, and was reading over the skill challenge section. Personally, I think skill challenges can be fantastic if handled well, and I think the DMG2 has great advice on getting more from this often demonized 4e mechanic. I like Stalker’s Obsidian system better than the official version, but a lot of the DMG2 advice and my question below applies to both versions:&nbsp;What are good rewards and penalties for winning or losing a skill challenge?&nbsp;This is an area that I don’t think has gotten enough attention, even with the DMG2. IMO, a lot of the published skill challenges still seem to have problematic rewards and penalties. &nbsp;For instance, I see a lot of reliance on “fail and you enter combat” with the combat being a level appropriate (or lower) combat. Unless there is some other consequence as well (e.g., you need to reach the bandits before they execute the maiden and this unintended combat delays you), this is just another opportunity for XP and not really a penalty at all.&nbsp;What are some of the rewards and penalties that you have used that really matter? I want my players to say “damn, I wish we would have won that skill challenge”. Are people finding that story rewards/penalties (e.g., the town is wiped out because you got there too late) are more powerful incentives to get players to care than mechanical rewards/penalties (e.g., loss of healing surges, mechanical advantage to the next combat)?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="bert1000, post: 4942665, member: 29013"] Just got the DMG2, and was reading over the skill challenge section. Personally, I think skill challenges can be fantastic if handled well, and I think the DMG2 has great advice on getting more from this often demonized 4e mechanic. I like Stalker’s Obsidian system better than the official version, but a lot of the DMG2 advice and my question below applies to both versions: What are good rewards and penalties for winning or losing a skill challenge? This is an area that I don’t think has gotten enough attention, even with the DMG2. IMO, a lot of the published skill challenges still seem to have problematic rewards and penalties. For instance, I see a lot of reliance on “fail and you enter combat” with the combat being a level appropriate (or lower) combat. Unless there is some other consequence as well (e.g., you need to reach the bandits before they execute the maiden and this unintended combat delays you), this is just another opportunity for XP and not really a penalty at all. What are some of the rewards and penalties that you have used that really matter? I want my players to say “damn, I wish we would have won that skill challenge”. Are people finding that story rewards/penalties (e.g., the town is wiped out because you got there too late) are more powerful incentives to get players to care than mechanical rewards/penalties (e.g., loss of healing surges, mechanical advantage to the next combat)? [/QUOTE]

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