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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gimby" data-source="post: 5035818" data-attributes="member: 49875">Ludicrious hyperbole isn't really making your point.The above is as reasonable as saying that a situation thats addressed by a skill challenge in 4e was covered by playing Mother-May-I in 1e.Lets take the example of avoiding bandits on the way back from Castle Greyhawk.  In both cases the party makes a plan.  Lets say they are going to avoid the bandits by travelling away from the roads near areas where bandit ambushes are expected.  What is now in question is *whether or not they can execute this plan*.  Different games approach this in different ways.  You can take the strategy game approach of plotting out the group's movement and the bandit's positions and see if they interact.  You can declare by fiat that the plan succeeds or fails. You can ask for a single roll.The skill challenge approach is to get the players to use their character's skills in an attempt to execute their plan.  The players must use their best judgement to determine which skills are appropriate.So an example of play might be:Players: We want to avoid the bandits on the road back to town.DM: Ok, how do you plan on doing that?Players: We'll travel away from the roads near ambush spots.DM: Ok, I'll run this as a skill challenge!<DM creates skill challenge with difficulties based on the abilities of the bandits, their dispositons and the quality of the plan - a plan to avoid bandits by say, dressing up as an undefended merchant caravan is going to fail whatever you do.  This is a decent plan as the DM knows the bandits are really only watching the road, so its an easy challenge>DM:You are on the road from Castle Greyhawk, the morning sun burning away the mists as you face the day's travel.  Player A, how are you helping perform your plan?Player A: I'm going to try to remember where the town's history say bandits lurk on this road, or where there were famous attacks.  Rolling History!DM: Ok, thats a success - you remember  that bandits used to ambush people in Dead Man's Valley and the Singing Wood, so be sure to avoid those.  Wracking your brain takes some time and keeps you a little distracted from the road.  Player B?Player B: I'm going to keep a sharp lookout for bandits! Perception.DM: Ok, success! You keep watch, wary for bandits. Player C?Player C:  I jump really high in the air looking for bandits, bouncing along! Acrobatics!DM: You sure? Thats pretty silly and doesn't really apply to your plan at all.Player C: Sure! its my best skill and must be applied at all times!DM: Sorry, thats a failure.  Kicking up lots of dust from the road and bouncing about is only going to attract the attention you are trying to avoid. Player D?Player D: I'm going to scry on the Dead Man's Valley, looking for bandit activity.  DM: Ok, you perform the short ritual and get a picture of the famous ambush spot.  Theres no sign of bandit activity there, so you can probably save some time and go down it. Thats a success.  Anyone else?Player B: I pray to Pelor to watch over us.  Religion.DM: Well, Pelor watches over you but thats not going to help you avoid bandits, so thats not relevant.Player D: I help Character A keep watch, Perception.DM: Success, with the two of you watching nothing shoud get past you.  Ok, challenge succeded- <proceeds to quickly narrate the days travel, passing down Dead Man's Valley but avoiding the Singing Wood where bandits are spotted - pausing to let the characters give C grief for being an idiot and for D and A to have a theological arguement over lunch>So, simple skill challenge there where the DM didn't tell the players the skills needed ahead of time and based entirely on what the players wanted to do.  Tell me, whats so awful about it?</blockquote>

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