How to run a Skill Challenge in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition! | Dungeon Master Tips

Skill challenges are a mechanic from 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons that work extremely well in 5th edition. They allow dungeon masters to create exciting and engaging scenarios out of what would otherwise be a single boring roll of the die.

Skill challenges require players to overcome three or more obstacles by using their skills (athletics, acrobatics, etc.), and get through all of those obstacles before they fail their skill checks three times. The more obstacles, the harder the challenge.

I use a challenge from my current Curse of Strahd campaign as an example/tutorial, so that you can get a concrete idea of how a skill challenge works.

#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #rpg

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Be sure to watch: "Do NOT run Curse of Strahd without watching this guide!"
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[LunchBreakHeroes]

Have you run a skill challenge before? Do you plan on doing one in the future? Tell us all about it!

[johntheherbalistg]

I like skill challenges, and this is pretty on point with how I run them. It's of the few mechanics my group liked from 4e, so we kept them as we moved back to 3.5 and into 5th. Each of us who DMs runs then differently, but we kept the core idea. One of the best decisions my group ever made. It helps us to avoid getting caught in combat ruts, besides being really easy to improvise. Another tip: let your spellcasters cook on these. If they have a spell that is an action or less, could be useful, and they are willing to blow a slot, let them do it for a success.

[pure]

THANK YOU for being able to effectively break this down into a 6 minute video, versus all the other 18-30 minute videos out there. I also showed to my players at the table and they picked up on it easily as well.

[JustinRigdon]

Just found this video after watching your death house... ahem.. Durst Manor video. I attempted my first skill challenge when my players were escaping from the flooding Wave Echo Cave. Granted, I (as the DM) felt I did horrible at it, but afterward my players were amped up and told me it was the most exciting part of the whole adventure. I will attempt my second one when my players are escaping Durst Manor next week as we begin our own way through Curse of Strahd. Subscribed!!

[WilliamSlayer]

Skill challenges are an excellent holdover from the 4th edition. It can really speed up an especially intense action scene and maintain that intensity! I recommend using this method to any Dungeon Master who Feels like they're table is at a slow pace.

[smirk-in-progress]

Instant subscriber, just from how eloquent and articulate you were in the first couple lines. I hope your channel grows fast!

[DocDoesGamingTV]

I'm DMing for the first time in 5 years next month, so I'm nervously searching for all the DM advice I can get. Great video!

[StevanLombard]

I don't know why but your explanation was the easiest to follow and also had a wealth of practical application. Thank you for your video.

[ghenrique]

Fantastic way to run a RP, loved it and will surely use on my adventures. Thanks!!

[carold.]

I love skill challenges and am currently prepping one for my players. They have to chase some bandits through a small town in Middle Earth. It'll add a lot to the chase and not just be running and shooting arrows back and forth! Maybe a herd of sheep... wagons and townspeople, rooftops, fences, ditches and thorn bushes... or something scarier! :)

[robertmcginty]

Wow. This is way better than the one roll the manual suggests. I've been through this campaign twice now, if I do it again I'll use this. I did do a skills challenge for a blizzard in Tsolenka Pass once.

In my second go around I used some of your ideas for Van Richtens tower, Amber Temple, the Brides, and they completed Vampyr ritual three weeks ago.

[ericsmith]

You're very articulate and intelligent and your advice is tremendously valuable and appreciated! :-)

[theperses]

Thank you for this video! I will be running a hiest adventure this weekend, and this will be perfect for the theft and escape. This is the perfect tool for chase scenes and theft which usually include a diversion.

[BestgirlJordanfish]

4th edition is COVERED in genius engineered mechanics for good feel (and many flaws too, yeah, yeah). If you're looking to enhance your experience GMing 5th ed, imho the best things you can read are Fate RPG and D&D 4th edition.

[rault]

super informative! thank you so much:)

[Crozierization]

Would you have allowed a Druid to auto-pass the first 1-2 checks — getting to the middle of the lake and finding the lady — if they turn into a fish or some other thing with a swim speed?

[echo]

I haven't ran a skill challenge before but I am considering it for escaping the death house. How do you explain to your players what is happening/rules and about the rolls? Do you also tell them the checks/options or do they determine what they want to do and you tell them what to rule? If the latter, how do you explain they can't do that because they can't roll for the same check twice?
Thanks to anyone who explains <3 It sound pretty simple otherwise, I am just confused on that part.

[perkinsdearborn]

I am planning a Skill Challenge chase in an upcoming game session. I will comment back about how it goes.

[MattSpeaksWords]

Skills challenges worked pretty well in 4th edition, but there are a lot more utility spells in 5th, so I've found many players want to rely on their spells to get them through situations like this, how do you factor these in to the success/failure? They've expended a resource, sure, but just dumping all your spellslots to teleport in, grab the kid and teleport out kind've breaks the fun of a sequence like this.

[Pelusteriano]

I like how everything is so succinctly put but... Why are you using Nature for something that is clearly Perception?