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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FrozenNorth" data-source="post: 9288202" data-attributes="member: 7020832">I would run it as a skill challenge: 3 successes before 3 failures.  I have consolidated several skills (Persuasion, Insight, Deception and Intimidation are all Manipulation, for instance) and skills are not tied to attributes.  Because of the consolidation, characters get fewer skills.My players know that the DC increases if they use the same approach multiple times.I would only run a skill challenge if I could easily think up 4 skill/attribute combos that could apply.  In this case:1. Manipulation(Charisma) - the party plays on the services they have rendered the duke to justify being awarded the castle;2. Manipulation(Wisdom) - the party tries to read the duke’s body language to identify an argument he would be susceptible to;3. Society(Intelligence) - the party uses their knowledge of traditions and customs to justify their right to the castle;4. Society(Charisma) - the party’s grasp of court gossip allows them to suggest that the heirs might be unworthy or disloyal.Here’s the important bit: I don’t share the above options with the players.  They come up with their own approaches and justify their choices.  If the approach seems weak, I’ll increase the DC (alerting the player). I’m not wedded to the written approaches.Maybe the gnome uses Investigation(Intelligence) to get a read of how wealthy the heirs are to outbid them?  Maybe the rogue uses Thievery(Dexterity) to pick the heirs’ pockets to see if they have any incriminating documents the heroes can use.Automatic successes are also possible.  Maybe the heroes propose a compromise where the heir is named lord of the keep by the character is named seneschal and the party can use the keep as their base of operations?  Seems everyone would be happy with that.  Maybe that successful Society(Charisma) check revealed gossip that the duke’s son has been kidnapped by drow and the party can close negotiations by offering to return the duke’s son alive and well.</blockquote>

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