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Message: <blockquote data-quote="surfarcher" data-source="post: 5473122" data-attributes="member: 84774">Interesting.My group once decided they wanted to scale a cliff, get around anticipated enemies and attack them from behind.  This became a little adhoc (complexity 1) skill challenge.Group: Bugbear Ranger, Dwarf Paladin, Eladrin Sorcerer and Human ClericSo who had all the cool skillz for this SC?  Well from memory there were only a couple of skills used!The Sorcerer was key to their whole strategy.  They come up with a plan planned based on using Sorcerous Sirocco (mainly chosen for RP and out-of-combat applications).DM: But it's too high for SiroccoSorc: I'll really concentrate, it's outside of comabt, right?DM: OK make an Arcana checkSorc (rolls 17): 25?DM: OK you falter a bit on the way up, but you make it to the top.(2 successes)Sorc: OK I'll tie off my rope and throw it down.Ranger: And I'll climb it.DM: Athletics check please.Ranger (rolls): OK plus bonus is... 17?DM: Well it's a fair climb but with the rope you make it to the to easily enough.(3 successes)Cleric: I tie the rope off around my waist and hold one.Ranger: We start pulling her up.DM: OK given her weight that isn't going to be a problem.  Shemakes it to the top easily enough.Cleric: I untie myself and we lower the rope down for the Paladin.DM: You are going to haul a Dwarf Paladin in full Plate, with all his gear, to the top?  He's heavy and he's not very good at climbing!Paladin: We'll give it a shot!  I tie it off around my waist, hold on and close my eyes!DM: Hhmmm... OK group strength check for everyone except the Paladin.(3 successes, one failure as the Dwarf drops 20 feet = 2d10 = 11 damage.)Dwarf: I call up "I'm ok! Try again!"This time they pass the group strength check, accumulating 4 successes and succeed.So this little problem-solving event was interesting and fun to RP.  The player's enjoyed it and their success ultimately gave them a surprise round with monsters arrayed for defence against approach from the opposite direction.It was pretty small so yes two players broke the back of it.  But it was group planning, group effort and group creativity that solved it.  There was no boring "two players making 24 rolls to succeed".I reckon I could do something similar, of higher complexity, with a mountain climb challenge that would be similarly interesting.  But it would be more a matter of deciding how several obstacles and problems intrlock in regards to success and failure.  More the tree approach.  I like to present situations and see how the players resolve those situations.  The mechanic is useful for tracking and planning but if it's used as an accounting tool I think that's when it's most useful.That's not to say that an "out there, fully visible mechanic, mini-game skill challenge" can't work or will be boring.  But it will take a lot of thought and planning to ensure that it's engaging, interesting... Captivating.Anyway just my 2cp and I'm aware I've probably rambled a bit.  But hopefully it's of some us to folk.</blockquote>

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