Tag: Skill Challenges

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Skill Focus: Assisting (Part 1)

As I’ve said numerous times before, the addition of skill challenges to 4e D&D was a stroke of genius. It has provided us with the means to develop our characters in ways beyond excellence with a sword. We finally have a mechanism for using Acrobatics, Diplomacy and Thievery in a meaningful way that will yield XP.

Not all characters are strong in a variety of skills (Fighters, we’re looking at you), but thanks to the assist even the most unskilled PC can participate in a meaningful way during the skill challenge. My concern is that the assist mechanism is broken. So I’m going to share with you my ideas on how to fix it.

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DM Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: Rightful Heir

The lord of the land is ill and dying. The man next in the line of succession is a tyrant. There are rumours that the lord has an illegitimate son who could challenge for the throne.

Setup

  • The reputation of the PCs honesty and fairness has reached the ear of the lord’s loyal aide. Since the PCs are neutral and have no stake in the outcome, he hires them to find the rightful heir if he exists.
  • The PCs have had run-ins with the tyrant before. His rise to power would be the beginning of huge long-term problems for the PCs. A different heir would make their lives easier.
  • A letter from a close friend or family member arrives explaining the situation, pleading for the PCs to help in any way they can.
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DM Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: The Missing Ingredient

This skill challenge can be run in both urban and rural settings. They are similar, but in some circumstances make use of different skills. Both variations are presented below.

The Missing Ingredient (Urban)

This Skill Challenge can easily be adapted for any scenario where the PCs need to find an item or object that is rare, dangerous, hard to find, illegal, etc.

Setup

The PCs need to find a rare or illicit ingredient needed to complete a ritual.

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Player Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Focus: Perception

In previous editions of D&D Perception was broken out into separate skills for spot and listen. In 4e, Perception is just one skill, essentially a catch-all for five senses. I think this is a huge improvement and opens the door to possibilities. With that in mind, I’ve come up with some alternate uses for Perception.

This skill is not, and should not, be limited to just what you can see and hear. You may not have as many opportunities to use Perception to determine smells, tastes or tactile sensation, but it shouldn’t be ruled out if you come up with a creative use for the skill.

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DM Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: Information Gamble

Yesterday on At Will Gamefiend wrote about Branching in skill challenges. This is a way to add to the complexity of skill challenges to make them fresh and interesting. At the end of his article he mentioned Nesting as the next in the series.

The skill challenge below entitled Information Gamble is one we’ve been working on for some time. It incorporates some of what Gamefiend mentions about branching and so its release today ties in nicely with the discussion about skill challenges. The sub-challenge contained within the main challenge may also be what Gamefiend refers to as Nesting. I’m looking forward to his next article as I feel that there is a lot of room for skill challenges to grow and evolve.

Information Gamble

The PCs are attempting to learn some information from an NPC. During the conversation they learn the NPC has a weakness for gambling.

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Player Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Training

Let’s face it some skills have more in-game applications than others. On any given night at my gaming table Perception checks are made at least once an hour. Stealth is also a very commonly used skill. And when it’s time for a skill challenge the skills most often relied on are tend to be Diplomacy, Insight and Streetwise.

So what if you’re a Fighter and your best skill is Endurance? How do you turn that skill training and that base roll of +10 into something useful and constructive to the story? More importantly how do you have fun as a player in the process? The answer is simple – use your imagination.

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DM Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: Ditch the Tail

This skill challenge can be run in both urban and rural settings. They are similar but in some circumstances make use of different skills. Both variations are presented below.

Ditch the Tail (Urban)

Setup

The PCs are being chased through city streets and need to loose their pursuers. This can be accomplished by outrunning or outsmarting those giving chase.

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DM Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: Border Crossing

Hostility between two neighbouring countries is still fresh in everyone’s mind despite the conflict’s recent resolution. The border guards often take out their pent up frustration on foreigners with legitimate reasons for crossing the border.

Setup

The PCs need to move through the check-point without delay and without arousing any unwarranted attention. Each PC needs to identify himself to the border guard, show appropriate travel papers, and state his reason for crossing.

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Skill Challenge: “X” Marks the Spot

The PCs acquire an old treasure map. They are determined to find the lost treasure. However, the map is really old and it’s quit difficult to read.

Setup

Presented below are three possible reasons for the PCs to be engaged in this skill challenge.

  • A retired adventurer, unable to leave home due to age or injury, hires the PCs to recover a buried item depicted on his old treasure map.
  • The PCs find a treasure map and uncover enough information to believe it’s the real deal.
  • The PCs are competing with another group of adventures to locate a lost artifact. The PCs have acquired a treasure map which they believe will lead them to the item first.
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Skill Challenge: The Waiting Game

The PCs are to rendezvous with an escaped prisoner and get him safely across the boarder.

This Skill Challenge can easily be adapted for any scenario where the PCs need to wait in hostile territory for the delivery of any item, person, hostage, etc.

Setup

The lord’s nephew was arrested on trumped up charges and imprisoned while visiting the neighboring country. He is to be executed as a political statement. The PCs are part of a coordinated escape plan. Their job is to meet the prisoner in a remote location and transport him safely and secretly across the nearby boarder.

The prison break is supposed to happen at sundown. The PCs have been instructed to get back across the boarder undetected by sunrise with or without out the prisoner.

At sundown, the DM should roll 2d4 to determine how many hours the PCs wait before the prisoner shows up. If the result is 8 then the escape attempt was unsuccessful. Do not inform the PCs if this happens. Let them decide what course of action to take at sunrise.

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