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Thrawn4
2013-06-03, 06:01 AM
Greetings.
This thread is meant to provide insights on how to challenge players in an interesting way. (It is NOT about discussing the need for challenges. Everyone has different playstyles, but many people like a good challenge.) Feel free to discuss :-)

A) Kinds of challenges
There are 5 different ways to overcome challenges.

The most common three are skill challenges that rely on the characters stats:
- fighting (weapons, magic, etc...)
- stealth (sneaking, hiding, pick-pocketing etc...)
- persuasion (smooth talking, magic etc...)

Another way is riddles. This can be the classic "solve this riddle or you may not pass" as well as memorizing some important information, but basically the players have to use their own intellect to solve it.

Last but not least, players occasionally improvise and think out of the box. Although this may entail elements mentionded above, it is still a different way of solving a problem that sometimes does not even require a skill check.


B) Making challenges motivating and fair
Most of these ideas can be used for more than one kind of challenge.

foreshadowing: Usually, players should have a fair chance to estimate the potential threat that an enemy or an obstacle poses. It is no fun if the unremarkable farmer that you happen to meet suddenly turns into a level 20 mage. That does not mean that a DM should always announce a threat level, but the players should have at least a chance to find out about the strange farmer whose farm prospers despite the lack of animals. This is also true for every other kind of challenge. It is very demotivating if the PCs suddenly die without any anticipation.

environment: Quite often, a challenge can be more interesting by involving the environment. Everybody knows that it is usually better to have the high ground, but most things can usually be used to some advantage, as they have different properties in regard to provided cover, protection, sound muffling texture, improvised tool, improvised trap and so on. A seemingly impossible challenge can be made quite easy if you have the right idea. Some of the best environments are even changeable or change on their own. Imagine some hostages that have to be rescued. Players could use any skill to get them out and the NPCs would have to react. But if you add, for example, some chemicals, it could turn into a quite volatile situation (pun intended). The losing group (PCs or NPCs) could threaten to set the chemicals on fire. Is it a bluff? Are the chemicals even volatile? Or will they just cause a huge fire, thereby providing enough time to get out?
Other ideas might be changing weather conditions (e. g. upcoming fog), a moving means of transport or a huge group of people (e. g. if they panick, roll a die to determine their behaviour for this round).

backup plan: Sometimes, players can't overcome a challenge or just don't want to because it's too risky, which is when you should have a backup plan.
Maybe you can provide some more insights if they pass an intelligence skill test. Maybe they can choose a different approach that is less risky but also less rewarding or just more risky. Maybe waiting will make the situation easier but also entail downsides like a lesser reward or bad longterm consequences.

combining PC skills and player skills:
"You want to persuade him? Roll on persuasion." If you just address the numbers, you can roll on your own while the players check facebook. Players should be allowed to change the odds in their favour, but the results should also be predictable. Even the best roll should not make an alchemist to give away his potions with a 90% discount, but the players should be allowed to use their cunning to further their cause. Maybe the table is covered in dust - if players point out that this does not indicate a good quality, they may get a +2 to their persuasion check. Good ideas should improve the chances.

battle strategies: I know that most people already apply these, as battle is the most common challenge, and I would just like to point out that some encounters could have an obvious weak point that players can exploit (e.g. sneak attack the enemy mage, burn the enemy ships sails)

more than win or lose situations: A huge problem in many challenges is the fact that the PC's actions mean either defeat or victory. But that does not have to be the case. The outcomes of several challenges can add up to one big result much later. Think of it like Formula One: You don't have to be always first, it's enough if you are good enough in the long run. For example, if there is upcoming war, there are several ways to influence the outcome. If you have to raise funds for the army, you can ask different barons. You need a general, but who is good enough? Sabotage actions might also be a good idea. And who takes out the enemy scouts?

outside the box: I lost count on how many times my players drove me crazy because they ruined a good challenge by overcoming it with a good and simple idea. All the preparations for naught. But then, they always found it more rewarding, and it is the trademark of a good DM to improvise if the players go off the rails again. Do it!