Ways to challenge player skill

Mythmere · Post by **Mythmere** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:57 pm

I am making a list of ways to challenge player skill. Thus far, I have the following:

Solving puzzle or riddle
Incomplete rumors
Deal with a character's incapacity or penalty (e.g., has become vulnerable to fire)
Offer clues to risks and rewards
Unusual Tactical situations

Can anyone offer other ideas for general ways to challenge the skill of the players (as opposed to the character sheet)? I realize that these categories are fairly broad, but I'm concerned that I've missed something major that doesn't fall into one of the categories.

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:07 pm

I suppose it falls under puzzle solving, but there's 'interacting with NPCs to solve a mystery', not sure how to word that succinctly.

dafrca · Post by **dafrca** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:17 pm

Have them manage something larger then the player group.

Example: I had one character find himself in charge of pulling together a merchant caravan and all that task includes. Another time I had a character responsible for the local bar/stable house for a time.

I did keep both as a set period of time so as not to overly side track their character.

Daniel

Mythmere · Post by **Mythmere** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:20 pm

dafrca wrote:Have them manage something larger then the player group.

Example: I had one character find himself in charge of pulling together a merchant caravan and all that task includes. Another time I had a character responsible for the local bar/stable house for a time.

I did keep both as a set period of time so as not to overly side track their character.

Daniel

Very good one! That's definitely a broad category I missed. Thanks!

TRP · Post by **TRP** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:22 pm

face an astonishingly superior force

Edit: On second thought, that likely comes under Unusual Tactical situation. I'll leave it up though.

blackprinceofmuncie · Post by **blackprinceofmuncie** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:33 pm

Provide a multitude of unrelated items which are, individually, not particularly helpful but when combined in certain ways may present solutions to a problem.

I'm not sure how to shorten that into a bullet point. Maybe "Provide opportunities for synthetic problem solving".

Daniel Proctor · Post by **Daniel Proctor** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:35 pm

Put the bowl of Doritos just out of their reach until they solve the puzzle?

Sorry, just thought the mood needed to lighten up on the boards in general.

dafrca · Post by **dafrca** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:38 pm

Daniel Proctor wrote:Put the bowl of Doritos just out of their reach until they solve the puzzle?

Tried that, found Cheese Pizza works better.

Daniel

dafrca · Post by **dafrca** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:44 pm

blackprinceofmuncie wrote:Provide a multitude of unrelated items which are, individually, not particularly helpful but when combined in certain ways may present solutions to a problem.

I'm not sure how to shorten that into a bullet point. Maybe "Provide opportunities for synthetic problem solving".

Sort of like a cross adventure puzzle or long term "scavenger hunt" kind of thing?

Daniel

Flambeaux · Post by **Flambeaux** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:57 pm

TheRedPriest wrote:face an astonishingly superior force

Edit: On second thought, that likely comes under Unusual Tactical situation. I'll leave it up though.

If it is a large enough force it may go beyond Tactical.

Stonegiant · Post by **Stonegiant** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:03 pm

Solving a mystery by finding and deciphering the clues (Jinkies its old man Mathers!)

Man vs. Nature= alone unarmed in the wilderness; whatcha going to do.

mazes

PapersAndPaychecks · Post by **PapersAndPaychecks** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:27 pm

Enforce logical consequences. (Exactly how are you going to fence the jewelled eyes you levered out of the spider god's idol? Who will you fence it to? Whose side are they on?)

Resolve challenges through narrative rather than dice rolls. (You're looking for traps? Where, how, what precautions are you taking? Oh, okay. There's a poison dart trap but it discharges harmlessly over your head.)

The_Lizard_of_Oz · Post by **The_Lizard_of_Oz** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:53 pm

Don't know what you would call them but, Delimas like...

A wizard through years of research and divination spells thinks he has found the artifact he has been seeking and contracts the players to retrieve it. Through the course of the adventure they find it and also find out how evil it is. Do they return it as contracted not knowing the wizard's intentions or hide/destroy it, risking bringing on the rage of a powerful wizard?

A powerful and rich merchant contracts the players to find his kidnapped wife. They find her only to find out he is evil and abusive in the extreme and wasn't kidnapped, but instead ran off with her true love. Do they turn her over or tell him her whereabouts, or help her and her lover hide from the merchant and the new band of adventurers hired to find her? Possibly coming into conflict with this band who is not evil but just trying to earn a living. Also bringing on the ire of a powerful oppponent.

Encountering someone who is wounded and helping them regain their health, they befriend the new character who really becomes their friend. After a time they run afoul of city guards dispatched to return this person for what crime/s they committed. Knowing this person is decent and a friend, do the players turn this person over to the guards or defend them? Possibly coming to blows over them and becoming outlaws themselves.

I guess, "moral delimas" maybe?

grodog · Post by **grodog** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:39 am

Mapping. Many folks just can't, so make them regret it if they don't

Secret door opening processes/mechanisms and other puzzles and riddles.

Limited resources management, such as going into an area needing to use a lot of spells, potions, etc. in order to reach the other side of a raging fire (need lots of fire resist potions, or resist heat/cold, etc.) or an extensive underwater area (can only explore as long as your water breathing/airy water, etc. lasts), huge hoard (what do you choose to carry out since you can't take most of it with you), time-bound exploration (a series of one-way doors open and close in a series/as a unit, and you have X time to do Y before you're a permanent exhibit), attrition environs (the area you're in causes damage, attracts WM/undead/demons, reduced ability to turn, is anti-magical, drains memorized spells/levels/stats/etc.). These may fall under Unusual Tacticals, but I thought I should mention it, in case.

AxeMental · Post by **AxeMental** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:25 am

Force PCs to keep track of all item locations. Whats in your backpack, top of or bottom of. Whats in your side pouch, where do you keep your gold, how do you want to secure those potions and oil flasks, where are you carrying each weapon?

Then in words describe thier load (your really waited down, or your moving about without difficulty, or you can't fit threw this small corridor because of your bulky sword and shield etc.) This gets the experianced character to slow down a bit and think about immersion, as well as prioritizing their stuff and forces them to be careful about things like potions and oil that can break. Then make it realistic when they need to get to something in the heat of battle.

BPoM yours reminded me of that episode of Star Trek when Kirk takes out the Gorn by piecing together a primitive bazuka/canon out of bamboo, gunpowder, and diamond projectiles.