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4 years ago ::
Oct 23, 2009 - 12:51PM
#1
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I'm working on a skill challenge where the party is going to be magicaly shiprecked. A storm will spring up from an abviously calm day. I am looking for sugjestions for skills to use for a level 3 complexcity. In my mind I would need at least 11 skill checks. I am looking for things that could be going on to make the challenge exciting. The outcome is going to be total reck or ship damge that must be repaired. Anyone willing to help?
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4 years ago ::
Oct 23, 2009 - 6:51PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jun 10, 2009
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What are the trained skills (and bonuses) for each of your characters? That will help me better assess the difficulty level
Through the ages, many would wonder "Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?"
I wonder "Does the art of discourse on the internet imitate the art of discourse in life or does the art of discourse in life imitate the art of discourse on the internet?"
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4 years ago ::
Oct 23, 2009 - 8:12PM
#3
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What are the trained skills (and bonuses) for each of your characters?
That will help me better assess the difficulty level
This is the opening scene of a brand new campaign. I anticipate having 6 PC's. So far a Paladin,ranger,rouge,fighter wizard and a undetermined leader class. Since it is a complexity 3 I will need 8 passes before 3 fails so 8+3=11 total skill checks. I am going to split the DC's into 3 easy, 3 hard and 5 moderate( 3 DC5, 3 DC 15, 5 DC 10). I would like to make use of Athletics, Perception,Acrobatics,Arcana,Religion,Diplomacy,Endurance and maybe History and intimidate as secondary to perhaps controlling the other passengers or figuring out what is going on. As I come up with this i was thinking also having the ship have some sort of trap mechanic going on with swinging beams, the ship tossing to and fro or stuff flying around. I just trying to design an opening scene that "throws" the group together besides the old "so you walk into a bar" opening.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 23, 2009 - 8:12PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jul 21, 2004
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What should be the results if the PCs succeed? What should be the results if the PCs fail? What results, if any, should occur either way?
[N]o difference is less easily overcome than the difference of opinion about semi-abstract questions. - L. Tolstoy
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4 years ago ::
Oct 23, 2009 - 8:28PM
#5
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What should be the results if the PCs succeed?
What should be the results if the PCs fail?
What results, if any, should occur either way?
I was thinking success would mean the ship takes damage that would require a few days of repair and some supplies needed to be acquired. fail i was thinking total ship wreck wash up on shore, loss of some healing surges and loss of most if not all passengers save the PCs so that when they do get to the bottom of the still raging storm and make it to their destination there would be no one but them to tell of their story. Having survivors would grant some sort of boon I was contemplating at stories end.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 24, 2009 - 5:37AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jun 10, 2009
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Some starting thoughts... (I'll ask others to help make it all make sense) First, some background: Sailing info The primary skills in this, I feel, should be endurance, acrobatics, athletics and perception
secondary skills would be nature and perhaps arcana (if the storm is "magical").
Also - I would flesh out the captain, first mate and helmsman, as they will play a role in this. This challenge will, by its very nature be quite physical, so you MAY wish to allow characters the option of going "belowdecks" if they would rather not participate. Also, for better effect you may wish to roleplay the interaction of those crewmembers with the party. The storm is (sort of) treated as a monster, with each major event (waves breaking topside) much like an attack. The captain and first mate have the knowledge needed to weather the storm if they survive. To get you the complexity 3, I've broken the encounter down into 4 "rounds". Each "round" represents a breaking wave, and an item that needs to be attended to. With each round you'll need to make a group survival check, success or failure based on group results, however ONLY those that pass the check can attend to the Item. Survival check: A wave crashes over the deck, endurance (to "tough it out") or acrobatics (to maintain balance). Group check 1 success/1 failure (4 max), for EACH individual failure character is knocked prone and loses 2 healing surges. If a character runs out of healing surges, (s)he loses hp equal to his/her surge value. On individual success, may attend to the ship.
Attend to the ship: the 4 items to be attended to will be dropping the sails, attaching the drogue (port and starboard) and setting the drogue.
Athletics: 1 success/1 failure - you manage to help accomplish the task. note: I would make the first item the sails, this way, on failure, the next wave can take out the mast (killing the captain)
perception: You clearly perceive the captain's/mate's instructions +2 to athletics check
Nature: You can guage the nature of the storm and aid the helmsman in maintiaining a course with the wind, +2 to next round of survival checks
arcana (if magical storm): You recognize the magical nature of the storm and aid the helmsman in maintianing a course with the wind, +2 to next round of survival checks.
thievery? (your choice): 1 success/1 failurecan use skill with ropes/traps/etc in place of athletics check On success: everything set, ship weathers the storm (see below)
1 failure: mast broken (add to journey, possible starvation/thirst effects based on length of journey), captain dead (overboard)
2 failures: first mate dead (overboard)
3 failures: capsize - ride the hull to shore, no other survivors (possible starvation/thirst effects) It needs quite a bit of work - but it's a frame at least.
Through the ages, many would wonder "Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?"
I wonder "Does the art of discourse on the internet imitate the art of discourse in life or does the art of discourse in life imitate the art of discourse on the internet?"
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4 years ago ::
Oct 24, 2009 - 12:51PM
#7
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PBN this is exactly what I was looking for. I know nothing about sailing but for some reason this came to my mind. thanks for introducing me to this group. I am not new to DMing but I am new to skill challenges. Thanks for the help.
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4 years ago ::
Oct 24, 2009 - 3:12PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jul 21, 2004
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I've found there's no better way to understand a skill challenge (or skill challenges in general) than to run them or play them. If you start up a Danger Room thread (read the one currently on this site for an idea of what I mean) I think you'll have at least two interested participants.
[N]o difference is less easily overcome than the difference of opinion about semi-abstract questions. - L. Tolstoy
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4 years ago ::
Oct 24, 2009 - 3:51PM
#9
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I've found there's no better way to understand a skill challenge (or skill challenges in general) than to run them or play them. If you start up a Danger Room thread (read the one currently on this site for an idea of what I mean) I think you'll have at least two interested participants.
Will do.
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