A skill challenge is an action scene: an adrenaline-fueled dash to the finish line. Whether that’s fleeing a T-Rex, escaping a whirlpool, or finding shelter from zealous guards, skill challenges are opportunities for excitement, tension, and quick thinking.
As the name suggests, skill challenges are trials that the characters can overcome through the judicious use of skills—from Athletics to Survival, carpenter’s tools, vehicle expertise, and more. By using class features, special equipment, racial attributes, or spells, the characters can boost their chances of overcoming dangerous complications that obstruct their path forward—or else fall into failure.
PC describes what they will do to address the complication. If the DM accepts this proposal as feasible and reasonable, the Active PC’s turn begins.
As in combat, the Active PC can use an action, a bonus action, and an environmental interaction. Each measure taken can help the Active PC overcome the complication (see “The Skill Check” below). For example, they might cast a spell, shove a creature, throw an object, or use a tool. Each skill or ability can only be used by the group one time, so if someone makes a survive check for example, that is the group's best attempt at using that skill in the situation, even if it fails.
We need to get five successes before we reach three failures to complete the scene, and after each check, pass or fail, the scene will change a bit.
) (edited)
1
1