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<blockquote data-quote="Grandpa" data-source="post: 5976435" data-attributes="member: 560">In my experience, skill challenges too often led to an exercise in reading the DM's mind or fearful player participation, despite the awesome goal of enabling drama and connecting dots between character sheets and character fantasy. My solution was turning skill challenges into a rule of thumb:When the player's want something and failure is possible, I...<ol>
<li data-xf-list-type="ol">Choose an interesting worst-case scenario and two steps of degradation (three failures)</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ol">Announce a &quot;shared story&quot; moment where players play by describing cinematic actions that match the fantasy of their character</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ol">Listen to their descriptions and assign a roll, doing everything within reason to realize their fantasy (the DC can still be whatever fits, and the last 'success' happens when it feels right)</li>
</ol>It makes me a partner in enabling success but maintains fun with dice and potential failure(s). But it's my responsibility to make it happen through their abilities, by tying it to one of their better skills (even if a stretch) or adjusting the narrative so a team mate helps (multiple players roll) or by using combat powers with some tie to their description. If they keep going to a skill they don't have, I bring it up after a session and suggest ways they can juggle their character sheet to help achieve their fantasy.It's helped me, anyway.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Grandpa, post: 5976435, member: 560"] In my experience, skill challenges too often led to an exercise in reading the DM's mind or fearful player participation, despite the awesome goal of enabling drama and connecting dots between character sheets and character fantasy. My solution was turning skill challenges into a rule of thumb: When the player's want something and failure is possible, I... [LIST=1] [*]Choose an interesting worst-case scenario and two steps of degradation (three failures) [*]Announce a "shared story" moment where players play by describing cinematic actions that match the fantasy of their character [*]Listen to their descriptions and assign a roll, doing everything within reason to realize their fantasy (the DC can still be whatever fits, and the last 'success' happens when it feels right) [/LIST]It makes me a partner in enabling success but maintains fun with dice and potential failure(s). But it's my responsibility to make it happen through their abilities, by tying it to one of their better skills (even if a stretch) or adjusting the narrative so a team mate helps (multiple players roll) or by using combat powers with some tie to their description. If they keep going to a skill they don't have, I bring it up after a session and suggest ways they can juggle their character sheet to help achieve their fantasy. It's helped me, anyway. [/QUOTE]

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