Watch this clip starting at around 3:00.
Don't get me wrong. I love Wil Wheaton and there are parts of the scenario that I enjoyed. I just don't like the part where Chris tells the players that they'll be rolling Streetwise. Get 2 successes. Good? Done. Now roll Intimidate or Diplomacy. Get 2 successes. Good? Done.
I like the creative part with the Arcana skill. I'd probably do the same, but when is it that the players get to come up with ideas?
How do they want to find poor Aeofel? How did they know that they should go beat up some NPCs if the DM didn't tell them? What about being in character? What about actually asking the NPCs questions? What about dead ends? Wrong questions? Lies and half-truths? What about actually acting out the intimidation?
The whole "rollplaying" part seems like a railroad to me...
Then there's the part about making an Arcana check to figure out how the portal works (cop out!), and don't get me started about 1 hp minions... It took poor Wil five minutes to describe a freaking zombie... Ugh.
1 comment:
Having completed our first "skill challenges" last game session, I can agree easily with this. I think skill challenges are for the imaginationally challenged (except for me, who had to come with with rationalizations for each die result) who need some other avenue aside from role-playing and thinking through things. This is because D&D now has to appeal to VIDEO GAMERS instead of Role Players.
Video games give you no opportunities to think creatively, act "outside the box" or anything like it. You are glued to the programmed script, and have to muddle through.
So anyway, next skill challenges will be different....I have some good ideas... :)
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