Skill challenges as conflicts

[Kzach]

I'm still hating on skill challenges. I just can't get used to them no matter how many times I try to run them and no matter how many ways. But I just read something over on RPG.net that really sparked my interest.

It reminded me of one of the design philosophies I'd read about the reason why skill challenges were put into 4e in the first place, i.e. to frame skills within some sort of combat-like mechanic.

Anyway, I really liked the idea of making skill challenges into conflicts, as this guy did in his 4e game: I did it..I enjoyed running 4e - RPGnet Forums

I'm too tired right now to think straight, so I figured I'd throw it out there and see what other's thought about this and see if I can get some good responses by the time I wake up tomorrow

I wonder if Stalker is busy...

 

[Kestrel]

Here's something I posted for a friend and one way to build them:

Before you start:
Determine what the ultimate goal of the skill challenge is, what are the PCs trying to accomplish? Is the goal something quick and easy? Is it a task intended to be accomplished during combat? Or is it a long, involved story-based challenge?

1) Determine Complexity (Number of Successes to reach the goal vs. 3 Failures)
Complexity is a judge of how long it should take to accomplish the goal. If you have a high complexity, then it will take more successes to reach your goal, and increases the chances of failure (I actually call the 3 failures Complications).

2) Set your DCs
Determine how hard is it to reach the goal. Set your DCs based on how many complications you want them to have. If you want a lot, increase the DCs. Want only a few, or something else (like a combat) is going on during the challenge? Lower the DCs.

3) Create Complications (What happens after 3 failures)
3 Failures should not be an end to the challenge. Pass/Fail is for skill checks, not challenges. Determine what happens after they hit the 3 failure mark. What they have to deal with to continue the challenge and reach their goal. If they succeed in overcoming the complication, then allow them to keep the success tally generated and reset the failures. Determine what happens if they fail again.

4) Choose your skills.
Look over the list of skills. Imagine what is going on during the challenge and determine which skills move the party towards the goal and which just assist. Determine if a skill would be Easy/Moderate/Hard to use in this challenge. Success generating skills should never be Easy. Make sure to specify how many times a particular skill can be used (Sometimes a skill can help reach the goal, but cannot succeed by itself) and if there are penalties to using the skill repeatedly. (This forces variety and not just using their best skill over and over)

5)Success/Fail on skill checks
For each skill, determine what happens when you succeed. Give it a game bonus if you can. Do the same with a failure. Just rolling dice is boring, something happening after you roll is fun.

Always think of what you see happening in the challenge and think to yourself, how could I make this fun? Combat is fun because you’re doing something…what can I do to make this challenge fun on the table? Think of how to make it visual and tactile. Imagination is all well and good, but we’re also playing a game and its more fun to do something with our hands. Give the players a way to strategize the challenge, show them the list of skills you thought of and what it means in the challenge.

I got some examples that played pretty well recently. I posted them on the 4e rules forum.