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<blockquote data-quote="hbarsquared" data-source="post: 4203731" data-attributes="member: 4550">Granted, imaginative players, an inventive DM, and a group willing to house rule likely had no problem with so-called &quot;skill challenges&quot; in 3.x.&nbsp; Fine.First, by the core rules, you could not run a skill challenge.&nbsp; Diplomacy was one roll, by the rules, period.&nbsp; Disable Device was one roll, period.&nbsp; Sure, if you wanted to house rule it, fine.&nbsp; But then it's not 3.X.&nbsp; It's &quot;house ruled 3.x.&quot;Second, the skill challenge system provides a balanced framework, a basis for all DMs to start from.&nbsp; Target number of successes before failures and easy/moderate/hard DCs provide a framework for a challenge that 3.x never did. Again, 3.x never provided such a thing.&nbsp; Again, a good group could play out skills for hours on end all they wanted, and the DM could hand out as much XP as a reward, but that was a house rule experience.&nbsp; NOT 3.x.With the Skill Challenge system (as a part of 4E), I, as DM, have several advantages over pulling off the same thing in 3.x:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Skills with comparable modifiers.&nbsp; I don't have to worry about one character with +53 with the others averaging +12.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Broader skills.&nbsp; Much easier to invest in, and to use, skills that match character concept or creative idea.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Target successes before failures.&nbsp; A built-in duration mechanic and way to judge completion of an encounter.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul"> DCs determined by level.&nbsp; Knowing that DCs will be an appropriate challenge for the party.</li>
</ul>Again, a heavy RP group with little focus on dice does not need the system.&nbsp; But for those of use who like the tension of dice-rolling as well as a balanced encounter where all players can participate - the Skill Challenge system is an elegant mechanic.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="hbarsquared, post: 4203731, member: 4550"] Granted, imaginative players, an inventive DM, and a group willing to house rule likely had no problem with so-called "skill challenges" in 3.x. Fine. First, by the core rules, [i]you could not run a skill challenge.[/i] Diplomacy was [i]one roll[/i], by the rules, period. Disable Device was [i]one roll[/i], period. Sure, if you wanted to house rule it, fine. But then it's not 3.X. It's "house ruled 3.x." Second, the skill challenge system provides a [i]balanced framework[/i], a basis for all DMs to start from. Target number of successes before failures and easy/moderate/hard DCs provide a framework for a challenge that 3.x never did. Again, 3.x never provided such a thing. Again, a good group could play out skills for hours on end all they wanted, and the DM could hand out as much XP as a reward, but that was a house rule experience. NOT 3.x. With the Skill Challenge system (as a part of 4E), I, as DM, have several advantages over pulling off the same thing in 3.x: [list][*] Skills with comparable modifiers. I don't have to worry about one character with +53 with the others averaging +12. [*] Broader skills. Much easier to invest in, and to use, skills that match character concept or creative idea. [*] Target successes before failures. A built-in duration mechanic and way to judge completion of an encounter. [*] DCs determined by level. Knowing that DCs will be an appropriate challenge for the party.[/list] Again, a heavy RP group with little focus on dice does not need the system. But for those of use who like the tension of dice-rolling as well as a balanced encounter where all players can participate - the Skill Challenge system is an elegant mechanic. [/QUOTE]

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