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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rhenny" data-source="post: 5892591" data-attributes="member: 18333">Personally, I liked the idea of skill challenges because they actually did make non-combat encounters become more substantial (game within a game) than just rolling one skill check.  They also encouraged DMs to make non-combat encounters that PCs could use creativity and roleplaying to overcome and gain XP to boot.  In addition, a failed skill challenge did not mean TPK.  It actually added interesting complications to the story that the PCs had to play through.In one of my games, the players could not convince a mayor of a town ravaged by disease that they could help the town. (A fun roleplaying encounter skill challenge that the PCs failed). The mayor sent them away so the players decided that they needed to prove themselves.  They overheard the guards talking about a band of orcs led by a nasty chieftan, so the party decided to track down the lair, kill the chieftan and bring his head back to the mayor.Another time, the PCs had to escape a crumbling mine by riding a mine car (like in Indiana Jones movie).  This was in a way an exploration skill challenge that gave me a chance to narrate an exciting ride down mine shafts, which could have ended badly.  The PCs took some knicks and cuts, but they were able to pilot the car down and out of the mine just before the whole place collapsed behind them.My players and I feel that these social and exploration encounters played well and were exciting.  They also made use of non-combat abilities each PC had.In the new edition, if there is a more clear baseline mechanic for skill challenges in both exploration and social interaction, I think it would work well.For example, make all skill challenges based on how many party members a group has.  For simple challenges each PC gets one chance to do something to either help or hurt (let everyone be creative and explain what they will do to assist the situation).   For more complex challenges each PC gets two chances...for a very complex challenge each PC gets three chances.  Encourage the players to roleplay or make decisions as their characters would and award +2 bonus to rolls for players who make it more interesting, etc.</blockquote>

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