Skill Challenges

Skill challenges are unique type of sequential narrative tension. In essence, you are trying to accomplish something, there is a series of improvised challenges hindering your progress, and the party must come up with creative solutions to the challenges using whatever resources the characters have. There are a pre-defined number of successes required, and failures will have consequences to the party. Based on the proposed solution to the given situation, I will ask for a skill check and set a DC. A good example is trying to escape a dungeon with a dying PC:

As you turn to run, the monsters you were fighting enter a frenzied bloodlust upon seeing the character drop unconscious. They begin to give chase with enhanced speed, and are closing the distance to you as you run away.

A character decides to throw some rations in order to distract the monsters. This is a costly action which uses resources, and is also a direct and well thought out solution to the challenge you are currently facing which I believe is likely to succeed. Based on this, I only set the DC at 10, and require either an acrobatics or athletics check to see if you can quickly pull out the food and throw while maintaining your speed.

If this skill check fails, the party suffers a consequence related to their goal and current narrative. In this instance, the monsters might catch up and be allowed to make an attack against the dying PC, possibly causing them to fail a death saving throw.