maceochaid
Explorer
So I haven't gotten everything worked out just yet. However I'm thinking of a skill challenge system that is designed around the combat math. Basically after playing Numenara, I liked how all three pillars pull from the same pool of resources, and I was thinking if the most developed part of DnD the combat could be connected to the Skill Side (Exploration and Interaction)
NOTE: I always create layer the "role-playing" around the mechanical chassis of my skill checks (the "roll-playing"). The point of a mechanic is twofold, to inject risk and reward, and resource management into Exploration and Interaction sections of the game. This gives characters the tension of failure or success, and the dwindling of their resources, which heightens an emotional connection to the game. For instance, before rolling for a persuasion check the player has to describe fully what they are saying or doing, if a sneak check fails I describe in detail how that means they were spotted by a guard, and while slipping away in the nick of time, the guards are on higher alert)
Skill Checks with Combat Math:
The following rules are for when as a DM you want to include an extended series of skill checks to create a scene in your story with a sense of risk and reward. Examples include, breaking into a fortified area and stealing a McGuffin, a crucial and tense audience with an authoritarian figure who can aid or hinder the party, passing a particularly hindering geographical obstacle, etc. This is intended for set pieces that define a session at the game table and are not interrupted by combat, use standard ability checks for minor skill challenges scattered throughout a dungeon and interwoven between combats.
Set Skill Pool Starting Value and Skill Difficulty: The skill pool is the number of skill points the heroes must earn to overcome the challenge. This number is the same as the quick stat HP of a monster whose CR is equal to that of the party. The skill pool will go up and down as the players succeed and fail. Also set the DCs appropriate to the characters level, or if skills will be an opposed check (i.e. stealth will be opposed to guard’s perception).
Variations:
Speed Bump: If you expect the heroes to overcome the challenge, but want heroes to expend a few resources use the lower end of Hit Points by CR to determine Skill pool, and set a lower DC.
Long Shot: If you want to represent a desperate plan that could go terribly wrong (and you are prepared to game either success or fail) Choose High DCs but lower Skill Pool.
Calculate the Breakpoint: Add half the skill pool to the skill pool starting value to calculate the breakpoint. If the skill pool equals or surpasses this number the heroes have failed the skill challenge.
Determine Appropriate Skills: Choose skills most appropriate to the challenge and assign them a success die.
Example: Sneaking into a necromancer's tower the DM decides that one single Arcana check can be used at 2d6+ability modifier to gain insight on the layout of the tower. Stealth is the single primary skill, so it is assigned 1d10+ability modifier as it's success die. Perception, Investigation, and Thieve's Tools are also important so they are assigned d8's, Persuasion and Deception can only be attempted 3 times at a d12 to get past apprentices and guards. Insight and History may be helpful in knowing how the tower is set up so they have a d6. The DM decides that any other skills that a hero can reasonably use based on his description of what happens can be assigned a d4+ability modifier.
Set the time per round: For the purposes of spell duration and other effects set the duration between each round. Disabling a diabolical trap or a social negotiation each round might be a minute, for exploring a ruin or small area of the forest, each round might be 10 minutes, while covering several miles each round might be 30 minutes to an hour. It is assumed no matter what the time per round is set at, any short or long rest restarts the skill challenge.
Running the Encounter: Each turn every hero must attempt an ability check, or can follow the "help another" action. Heroes particularly skilled in an area can attempt to gain multiple successes with a skill.
If a hero rolls their ability check and their success dice. If they fail they add their success dice to the skill pool, on a success they subtract their skill dice. Characters who roll a 1 using a skill they are not proficient in always fail their check while characters who role a 20 with a skill they are proficient in always succeed, and in both cases double their success dice. For opposed checks DMs roll once per round for groups of monsters, and the heroes roll once per ability check. (Example: If a hero tries to stealth the DM rolls the guards, the captain, and the guard drakes perception checks, and then each hero who is steal thing attempts to beat each of their perception checks.)
Spellcasting:
Depending on the time frame characters can cast a spell and or ritual that might help the party in a round or for multiple rounds based on duration. If the spell directly effects the skill or abilities apply them as the spell states (enhance ability increases the Charisma of a few key players, Invisibility gives advantage on stealth checks). However some spells can be used cleverly in ways you want to reward the players for, and you want as a DM to acknowledge that they spent resources on casting it. (example: Using fly to enter a lair through an entrance the enemy doesn’t expect, using detect thoughts on a passing guard) The DM can either give advantage to a skill check or they can use the DM’s Guide to Custom Spells by level damage table to replace a skill role’s success dice with the one listed. For spells that will have a duration that will effect round to round use the Multiple Opponents damage. Cantrips can never boost success dice, although some spells like friendship or guidance will increase chances of success. (A wizard casts fly on the Monk, to sneak into the castle through an unexpected means, the Monk rolls their stealth check, but their success die is now 5d10 since it is spending a 3rd level spell, rather than 1d8. A bard attempts an Insight check and casts Detect Thoughts for their skill, while this was a tangential skill originally, giving only 1d4, their success dice is now 2d10).
Bonus Actions:
If a class offers you a bonus action that would allow you to attempt a single ability check reasonably related you can perform a bonus ability check in a round as long as it uses a different ability than your standard skill. So a Fighter can expend his Action surge in one round of a skill challenge to do two ability checks in one turn, while the rogue can use clever action to roll a stealth check the same round he spends using investigation.
NOTE: I always create layer the "role-playing" around the mechanical chassis of my skill checks (the "roll-playing"). The point of a mechanic is twofold, to inject risk and reward, and resource management into Exploration and Interaction sections of the game. This gives characters the tension of failure or success, and the dwindling of their resources, which heightens an emotional connection to the game. For instance, before rolling for a persuasion check the player has to describe fully what they are saying or doing, if a sneak check fails I describe in detail how that means they were spotted by a guard, and while slipping away in the nick of time, the guards are on higher alert)
Skill Checks with Combat Math:
The following rules are for when as a DM you want to include an extended series of skill checks to create a scene in your story with a sense of risk and reward. Examples include, breaking into a fortified area and stealing a McGuffin, a crucial and tense audience with an authoritarian figure who can aid or hinder the party, passing a particularly hindering geographical obstacle, etc. This is intended for set pieces that define a session at the game table and are not interrupted by combat, use standard ability checks for minor skill challenges scattered throughout a dungeon and interwoven between combats.
Set Skill Pool Starting Value and Skill Difficulty: The skill pool is the number of skill points the heroes must earn to overcome the challenge. This number is the same as the quick stat HP of a monster whose CR is equal to that of the party. The skill pool will go up and down as the players succeed and fail. Also set the DCs appropriate to the characters level, or if skills will be an opposed check (i.e. stealth will be opposed to guard’s perception).
Variations:
Speed Bump: If you expect the heroes to overcome the challenge, but want heroes to expend a few resources use the lower end of Hit Points by CR to determine Skill pool, and set a lower DC.
Long Shot: If you want to represent a desperate plan that could go terribly wrong (and you are prepared to game either success or fail) Choose High DCs but lower Skill Pool.
Calculate the Breakpoint: Add half the skill pool to the skill pool starting value to calculate the breakpoint. If the skill pool equals or surpasses this number the heroes have failed the skill challenge.
Determine Appropriate Skills: Choose skills most appropriate to the challenge and assign them a success die.
| d4+ability modifier | improvised or tangential skill |
| d6+ability modifier | related skill |
| d8+ability modifier | primary skills |
| d10+ability modifier | singularly important skill |
| d12+ability modifier | limited use or High DC relevant skills |
| 2d6+ability modifier | single use or High DC singularly important skill |
Example: Sneaking into a necromancer's tower the DM decides that one single Arcana check can be used at 2d6+ability modifier to gain insight on the layout of the tower. Stealth is the single primary skill, so it is assigned 1d10+ability modifier as it's success die. Perception, Investigation, and Thieve's Tools are also important so they are assigned d8's, Persuasion and Deception can only be attempted 3 times at a d12 to get past apprentices and guards. Insight and History may be helpful in knowing how the tower is set up so they have a d6. The DM decides that any other skills that a hero can reasonably use based on his description of what happens can be assigned a d4+ability modifier.
Set the time per round: For the purposes of spell duration and other effects set the duration between each round. Disabling a diabolical trap or a social negotiation each round might be a minute, for exploring a ruin or small area of the forest, each round might be 10 minutes, while covering several miles each round might be 30 minutes to an hour. It is assumed no matter what the time per round is set at, any short or long rest restarts the skill challenge.
Running the Encounter: Each turn every hero must attempt an ability check, or can follow the "help another" action. Heroes particularly skilled in an area can attempt to gain multiple successes with a skill.
| Skill Modifier | Number of Attempts Per Round |
| any | 1 |
| 6+ | 2 |
| 8+ | 3 |
| 10+ | 4 |
If a hero rolls their ability check and their success dice. If they fail they add their success dice to the skill pool, on a success they subtract their skill dice. Characters who roll a 1 using a skill they are not proficient in always fail their check while characters who role a 20 with a skill they are proficient in always succeed, and in both cases double their success dice. For opposed checks DMs roll once per round for groups of monsters, and the heroes roll once per ability check. (Example: If a hero tries to stealth the DM rolls the guards, the captain, and the guard drakes perception checks, and then each hero who is steal thing attempts to beat each of their perception checks.)
Spellcasting:
Depending on the time frame characters can cast a spell and or ritual that might help the party in a round or for multiple rounds based on duration. If the spell directly effects the skill or abilities apply them as the spell states (enhance ability increases the Charisma of a few key players, Invisibility gives advantage on stealth checks). However some spells can be used cleverly in ways you want to reward the players for, and you want as a DM to acknowledge that they spent resources on casting it. (example: Using fly to enter a lair through an entrance the enemy doesn’t expect, using detect thoughts on a passing guard) The DM can either give advantage to a skill check or they can use the DM’s Guide to Custom Spells by level damage table to replace a skill role’s success dice with the one listed. For spells that will have a duration that will effect round to round use the Multiple Opponents damage. Cantrips can never boost success dice, although some spells like friendship or guidance will increase chances of success. (A wizard casts fly on the Monk, to sneak into the castle through an unexpected means, the Monk rolls their stealth check, but their success die is now 5d10 since it is spending a 3rd level spell, rather than 1d8. A bard attempts an Insight check and casts Detect Thoughts for their skill, while this was a tangential skill originally, giving only 1d4, their success dice is now 2d10).
Bonus Actions:
If a class offers you a bonus action that would allow you to attempt a single ability check reasonably related you can perform a bonus ability check in a round as long as it uses a different ability than your standard skill. So a Fighter can expend his Action surge in one round of a skill challenge to do two ability checks in one turn, while the rogue can use clever action to roll a stealth check the same round he spends using investigation.
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