So I have an idea for an encounter where a group of players are sort of caught in a situation where they have to pick one of their own to duel a champion from an opposing side. The combat between the selected character and the champion could be settled as a normal combat, but I'd like some sort of system, similar to a skill challenge of sorts or some sort of morale builder mini-game for the other party members to partake in so that they don't feel left out each round.
Does anyone know if such a system exists, or have tried to implement such a system before?
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"The mongoose blew out its candle and was asleep in bed before the room went dark." —Llanowar fable
It'd be fairly easy to have your other players roll a performance or charisma check before each round to give bonuses to hit and damage by cheering on your champion - or of course, to try and distract the opponent's champion with barbed words or taunts for penalties to hit, etc. Rolls could be made against the opposing champion's supporters rolls. A sort of 'tug of war' of skill checks, giving more and more significant bonuses for successive successful rolls.
But why not get everyone involved in the fight? I had a party of 4, and there were 4 champions they had to face, one at a time, to continue. Each player could only face a champion once, so they had to carefully select which player should face which champion. It was made more interesting by the fact they didn't know anything about the next champion that would arrive.
The first was a straight up sword and board warrior. The party chose their own fighter to face them. Turned into a right old slugging match.
The second was dexterous rogue - or so they thought - halfling, crossbow, throwing knives on their belt. The party chose their wizard to pin them down and crush them. Unfortunately, the halfling turned out to be a sorcerer - and it was a very closely contested duel, that taught the players not to assume stereotypes.
So when the robed champion arrived, the players were expecting some sort of cloaked paladin, and chose their barbarian to go toe to toe with them. So when it turned out to be a battle of wits, where the barbarian had to solve riddles using clues and wisdom checks, hilarity ensued.
The players never saw the fourth champion, as the previous trial was failed, and they had to find an alternative way to proceed.
My advice, would be to keep the encounters short if other players don't actively participate in the battle. Make the true challenge 'choosing' which player to fight the champion. And perhaps don't just think about combat - there are a lot of other skill challenges they can compete in.
So I have an idea for an encounter where a group of players are sort of caught in a situation where they have to pick one of their own to duel a champion from an opposing side. The combat between the selected character and the champion could be settled as a normal combat, but I'd like some sort of system, similar to a skill challenge of sorts or some sort of morale builder mini-game for the other party members to partake in so that they don't feel left out each round.
Does anyone know if such a system exists, or have tried to implement such a system before?
It'd be fairly easy to have your other players roll a performance or charisma check before each round to give bonuses to hit and damage by cheering on your champion - or of course, to try and distract the opponent's champion with barbed words or taunts for penalties to hit, etc. Rolls could be made against the opposing champion's supporters rolls. A sort of 'tug of war' of skill checks, giving more and more significant bonuses for successive successful rolls.
But why not get everyone involved in the fight? I had a party of 4, and there were 4 champions they had to face, one at a time, to continue. Each player could only face a champion once, so they had to carefully select which player should face which champion. It was made more interesting by the fact they didn't know anything about the next champion that would arrive.
My advice, would be to keep the encounters short if other players don't actively participate in the battle. Make the true challenge 'choosing' which player to fight the champion. And perhaps don't just think about combat - there are a lot of other skill challenges they can compete in.