Worst skill challenge ever.

[eriktheguy]

What is the worst excuse you have ever heard during your sessions for using a non-primary skill in a skill challenge?
One of my players, during an interrogation, tried using 'endurance' to ask the hostage the same question, again and again and again until they went crazy. I of course did not allow this, though the table laughed for about 2 minutes. Another player suggested that 'endurance' should be used to drag the hostage up and down the stairs repeatedly.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Sounds like a pretty creative reasoning there. I'd have let him do it.

 

[Sporemine]

Sounds like a pretty creative reasoning there. I'd have let him do it.

Same here.

How is this a fan creations thread?

 

[eriktheguy]

Same here.

How is this a fan creations thread?

The fans created interesting scenarios? I dunno, it didn't seem like a rules discussion. House rules could get involved...

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

What is the worst excuse you have ever heard during your sessions for using a non-primary skill in a skill challenge?
One of my players, during an interrogation, tried using 'endurance' to ask the hostage the same question, again and again and again until they went crazy. I of course did not allow this, though the table laughed for about 2 minutes. Another player suggested that 'endurance' should be used to drag the hostage up and down the stairs repeatedly.

Sounds like Sergeant Detritus's forms of interrogation:

"His lack of imagination results in an interesting interrogation technique; while he cannot think of any questions beyond 'It was you what done it, own up!', he never gets bored with asking it... Detritus has a big voice and can shout until the suspect confesses without knowing what it is that he is supposed to confess to."

Cheers!

 

[SlyFlourish]

Yeah, I like that excuse.

Once, during Thunderspire Labyrinth (spoiler ahead) the party's fighter tried to impress the three ghosts with a feat of strength by bench pressing Brodo the boar they rescued a few rooms previously. He failed and Brodo crushed him.

 

[Kurtomatic]

Austin: Who sent you?!
Mustafa: You'll have to kill me.
Austin: Who sent you?!
Mustafa: Kiss my ass, Powers!
Austin: Who sent you?!
Mustafa: Dr. Evil!
Felicity: That was easy.
Austin: That was easy.
Felicity: Why did you tell us?
Mustafa: I can't stand to be asked the same question 3 times. It just irritates me.
Austin: Where is Dr. Evil hiding?
Mustafa: Why would he tell me? I'm just one of his low-level functionaries.
Austin: Where is Dr. Evil hiding?
Mustafa: You'll have to torture me. I'll never tell you.
Austin: (quickly) Where's Dr. Evil hiding?!
Mustafa: Damn! 3 times! He's hiding in the secret volcano lair.
Austin: Where's Dr. Evil's secret volcano lair?
Mustafa: (spits) I spit at the question.
Austin: Do I really have to ask you 2 more times?
Mustafa: Go to hell, Powers.
Austin: Fine. (slowly) Where is Dr. Evil's secret... volcano... lair?
Mustafa: I will take it to the grave with me.
Felicity: Aha! You have to answer. He asked you 3 times.
Mustafa: No, no, no! No. The second question was: "Do I really have to ask you 2 more times?". So that would be the first question in a new line of questioning, and wouldn't count in the other line of questioning.
Austin: He's right. However, I'm just trying to get information from you, man. I don't need any consistency in the questions, do I?
Mustafa: No, no, you're preaching to the converted.
Austin: If I'm preaching to the converted, why are you being so slavish to the three question form, is my question. You're not even looking at me, man. Now you're just being rude.

 

[Pbartender]

What is the worst excuse you have ever heard during your sessions for using a non-primary skill in a skill challenge?
One of my players, during an interrogation, tried using 'endurance' to ask the hostage the same question, again and again and again until they went crazy.

That's an exceptional bit of creativity from a player... Not only would I have let him try it, but I likely would have awarded him a bonus Action Point for the idea.

That's the sort of thinking I like to encourage in my players.

 

[BobTheNob]

Yes and no.

It is important to encourage creative solutions in players, and indeed rewarding them for doing so is a good approach. Creative thinking is the core of this game.

The difficult line you have to walk as a DM here is to not invalidate challenge. One thing I have found is that players can find ways of justifying any old wacky skill use. The problem becomes that not having a skill that is appropriate is not an issue (if the DM is TOO generous about it) there is always a way to circumvent. In time, the entire skill system becomes irrelevent, as you can always solve the issue through enough negotiation with the DM.

My take is this is an Intimidate challenge. So how do I ensure that initimidate is the skill that is used, yet allow the players to creatively apply other skills (i.e. in this case endurance)?
Seperate the endurance check into a seperate skill challenge that, if successful, would reduce the difficulty on the Intimidate (i.e. Your iron will breaks his down a little). At the same time, say that to FAIL the endurance challenge results in the intimidate becoming harder (i.e. "He laughs at your attempt to break him and stiffens his resolve") emphasisng that these skill caveats can move you closer to a solution, or further way.

So you can use "indirect" skills to influence the situation, but at the end of the day, the utter absense of the appropriate skill within the party cant be pushed to one side.

In this way we reward players for creative skill application (use of endurance) at the same time as emphasising that the skill challenge is still based on the most appropriate skill (Intimidation).

I adopted this approach a couple of months ago and since then skill challenges have become a much larger part of the game, and my players have even commented off the bat how much more they are enjoying this aspect of the game. Hell, they have even started picking feats on the basis of skill advantage.

 

[Pbartender]

I adopted this approach a couple of months ago and since then skill challenges have become a much larger part of the game, and my players have even commented off the bat how much more they are enjoying this aspect of the game. Hell, they have even started picking feats on the basis of skill advantage.

Absolutely... one of the keys to keeping skill challenges interesting is to keep the rewards and penalties for success and failure varied.

I've often had situations where one player will roll the skill check, and everyone else in the party will automatically roll to aid another using the same skill. Boring.

Sometimes, I'll let them know that they can aid another, but no two people can use the same skill to aid and that they need the usual good explanation.

So, one person rolls the usual Intimidate to get information from the street thug. One rolls Diplomacy to sweet talk him and another Athletics to rough him up a bit (good cop/bad cop routine) to aid. A third character might roll Streetwise for a little name dropping.