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<blockquote data-quote="Barastrondo" data-source="post: 5465148" data-attributes="member: 3820">Well, the skill challenge mechanic is pretty much like a block of combat stats: it's a tool that you can use to resolve some sort of question or conflict. If you decide that the only way for the players to tackle a situation is through a particular scripted skill challenge, that's not too unlike setting up a riddle that unlocks the only known entrance into the dwarven mines on this side of the mountains, or placing a monster with the notes &quot;It attacks immediately, and will fight to the death.&quot; In all cases, it's an appropriate way to handle a situation so long as you don't overuse it. That said, a good skill challenge is often aiming to do exactly what you describe: letting the players decide how to tackle a situation, and then keeping a running tally of their various successes and failures (some of which might not be skill checks, technically) until some sort of resolution is clear. It simply adds some structure, which may or may not be what the players want; some may prefer to leave it up to the DM's judgment when they've done sufficient undermining of the tyrant's position that his troops are on the brink of rebellion, and others may prefer the clear target of &quot;15 successes, and the fire ignites.&quot; Just another way of defining win conditions, really.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Barastrondo, post: 5465148, member: 3820"] Well, the skill challenge mechanic is pretty much like a block of combat stats: it's a tool that you can use to resolve some sort of question or conflict. If you decide that the only way for the players to tackle a situation is through a particular scripted skill challenge, that's not too unlike setting up a riddle that unlocks the only known entrance into the dwarven mines on this side of the mountains, or placing a monster with the notes "It attacks immediately, and will fight to the death." In all cases, it's an appropriate way to handle a situation so long as you don't overuse it. That said, a good skill challenge is often aiming to do exactly what you describe: letting the players decide how to tackle a situation, and then keeping a running tally of their various successes and failures (some of which might not be skill checks, technically) until some sort of resolution is clear. It simply adds some structure, which may or may not be what the players want; some may prefer to leave it up to the DM's judgment when they've done sufficient undermining of the tyrant's position that his troops are on the brink of rebellion, and others may prefer the clear target of "15 successes, and the fire ignites." Just another way of defining win conditions, really. [/QUOTE]

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