CharlesRyan
Adventurer
Hi, all--
I love the concept of the skill challenge, but not a single iteration of the execution--either WotC's revisions or alternatives like Obsidian--have worked for me. None capture the tension, drama, and uncertainty of outcome you get from a combat encounter. None challenge the players to adopt a strategy, rethink on their feet, and make difficult--or even meaningful--decisions about what course to take or how to expend resources. I've had a few really good results, enough to make me really want to love the concept, but most have been pretty lackluster.
To make matters worse, my main campaign is OGL, in which there’s a much larger disparity between skill-oriented and non-skill-oriented characters than there is in 4E. Under the WotC system and most alternatives, characters with few (or inappropriate) skills actually penalize the party. That’s not fun for anyone. (Especially not for my wife, who plays a combat type who kicks ass in the fights but has come to actively hate anything skill related. And when she's not happy, I'm not happy.)
So I did what I do: I designed yet another alternate skill challenge system. It seems to work, pretty well if I say so myself, in engaging all the players and turning skill challenges into the sorts of encounters that have tension and drama--like a good fight. Of course, my own experience, and that of my players, makes for a pretty limited playtest.
So I've posted it to my web site (The Fascinating World of Charles Ryan). Please have a look. I'd love to get your feedback, so maybe I can improve it even further.
Thanks!
I love the concept of the skill challenge, but not a single iteration of the execution--either WotC's revisions or alternatives like Obsidian--have worked for me. None capture the tension, drama, and uncertainty of outcome you get from a combat encounter. None challenge the players to adopt a strategy, rethink on their feet, and make difficult--or even meaningful--decisions about what course to take or how to expend resources. I've had a few really good results, enough to make me really want to love the concept, but most have been pretty lackluster.
To make matters worse, my main campaign is OGL, in which there’s a much larger disparity between skill-oriented and non-skill-oriented characters than there is in 4E. Under the WotC system and most alternatives, characters with few (or inappropriate) skills actually penalize the party. That’s not fun for anyone. (Especially not for my wife, who plays a combat type who kicks ass in the fights but has come to actively hate anything skill related. And when she's not happy, I'm not happy.)
So I did what I do: I designed yet another alternate skill challenge system. It seems to work, pretty well if I say so myself, in engaging all the players and turning skill challenges into the sorts of encounters that have tension and drama--like a good fight. Of course, my own experience, and that of my players, makes for a pretty limited playtest.
So I've posted it to my web site (The Fascinating World of Charles Ryan). Please have a look. I'd love to get your feedback, so maybe I can improve it even further.
Thanks!
