"Skill Challenges on a Battlefield #2" Article

I ran a variation of this challenge (after seeing the article) in my RL game. Second level party, so used 2nd level DCs. Party blew through it with only one failure. I didn't have the barracks squad mechanic, so that probably skewed things (though I did have the enemy squads, but the artillery never failed so it was moot).

After totaling up the XP for the challenge, it was less than a level 1 encounter. Might bump up the difficulty to make it more challenging.
 

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I think skill challenges are the coolest idea that never got off the ground in 4.0. Or maybe a better analogy: that exploded after takeoff. They botched up the DMG's (and subsequent errata's) presentation of skill challenges so badly that I've been very wary of them ever since, and I'm actually a veteran DM - I'd hate to think how a newbie would feel. Even now if someone demanded that I explain how a skill challenge works according to the RAW, I couldn't do it. Can anyone (outside of the WotC office building)?

I'm glad to see them trying so hard to recover what was obviously a good idea, but they flubbed it so badly in the beginning I'm not sure if it will ever really be what it should or could have been. Ah well, there's always 5.0... :)
I'll try:

A skill challenge is a combat-like set-up for noncombat situations, or unusual combat situations. Each "round" covers a variable timeframe (depends on the challenge), ranging from minutes to weeks.

In each round, each PC must roll a skill check, using skills from a list determined by the DM, based on the nature of the challenge, against a DC that is based on the challenge's level. Successes and failures are accrued, and each has its own outcome. A clever player might come up with a way to use a skill other than those listed by the DM, but these checks are usually at a high DC. The DM is encouraged to reward particularly clever ideas or good roleplaying with an automatic success.

The ammount of successes needed (or failures allowed) varies by the skill challenge's complexity (the easiest, 1, needs 4 successes before 3 failures).

Failure on a skill challenge should never stop the adventure, but rather allow the PCs to advance the story at a disadvantage. Success, otoh, should allow the PCs to advance with an advantage.
 

In most articles on skill challenges I've seen, a challenge equal to the party should be a breeze. If you're looking for that hairy situation, I'd suggest going up 1-3 levels.
 

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