If anyone remembers 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons, I have to say I honestly like the direction that skill challenges were implemented in the older edition. While they were regulated to mostly include everything under the sun for specific only skills such as athletics and acrobatics, I'm in need of ways to challenge my players with more than monster encounters. I'd like to challenge them with traps albeit magical or non, as a way to drive a little more into the game then a slog fest. These could be more than just traps such as chase scenes, falling bridges, or anything else you may have used in your game to spark similar intentions.
I love skill challenges, they're faster than combat and much easier to control the pacing of. Here's a few I've used:
Piloting some sort of vehicle is always good, like trying to sail a ship in stormy weather
Bad weather in general. Trying to hunker down in the middle of a sandstorm or cross a river during a flood can get pretty tense
Mine cart segments are cool with the party hurtling through rickety tracks and the always fun "jump the gap" moment
Trying to escape from a crumbling building/temple
Obstacle courses in some sort of gladiator context
Heists can be good, with some players acting as distractions while the rest sneak in and open up vaults
Escaping from a horde of enemies while trying to destroy bridges and collapse tunnels behind them (think the goblin cave sequence in the Hobbit movie)
Trying to capture a large beast without hurting it
Those are just some of the one's off the top of my head that I've used. If you want me to go into further detail or give more info on how I ran them I'd be happy to.
I had an encounter where the PCs had to cross a bridge that spanned two mountains while a dragon basically did strafing runs with its breath weapon. There were also enemies on the bridge who attempted to stop them from crossing (the dragon didn't care about roasting them either).
Instead of the traditional succeed x times before y number of failures occur, they simply lost healing surges (remember it was 4e) whenever they failed that round (or took damage if they were out of healing surges). You could essentially do the same, but with hit dice instead of healing surges.
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
I was also a huge fan of skill challenges in 4e and have been using them in the SKT campaign I'm running. My players recently ventured into a part of a town overrun by Orcs. We ran a skill challenge where the players explained possible obstacles they would encounter on their way to their destination and what skill they would use to try and overcome that obstacle. It gave the players a chance to create and explain their surroundings while also letting them overcome obstacle.
My only struggle has been figuring out how many successes are needed before however many failures. I like the idea of PCs losing hit dice, though!
I'm writing an adventure in which the PC's will have to complete a skill challenge to navigate through a swamp to a lizardfolk village, using exhaustion as a consequence for failure (just one level, if they fail three times before completing it).
Skill challenges were a great idea that had horrible execution which is why it was left out of 5E. The primary flaw in skill challenges was they locked down a limited number of skills that were applicable, which inhibits those PCs who are not proficient in those skills or have low abilities tied to the skill. This is an inherit flaw with linking skills with abilities but that is another argument for another time. So what ended up happening was a couple of PCs with high stats and proficiency in the applicable skills tackled the skill encounter while the rest stood back for fear of causing a failure. So what is the solution? Well you could spend hours crafting a system to handle skill challenges or you could just build better scenes. Because from my stand point most people looking to spice up their adventures with encounters other than combat have put them self in that situation through poor scene building. So, if you really want to spend the time trying to build a new set of rules to handle "skill challenges" then go ahead, I wish you luck and if you succeed I will be one of the first people to steal your system and use it in my game. However, if the problem actually exist in how you are building and presenting your scenes then adding an additional layer of complexity won't make things any better and will more than likely make things worse.
Just my two cents
J
P.S. If you want help in building better scenes then I am always willing to help, just drop me a line.
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As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!
There's a great video from Matt Colville on skill challenges. The key point I remember is - have multiple options for the party to choose from when using their skills during the challenge. His example was escaping from underneath a tower that was about to collapse (super cool).
On specific ideas for a skill challenge, I would like to write a 'Cliffhanger' style one where the party is trying to scale a rock face to reach a beast in its eyrie - as they ascend there are a variety of obstacles (overhangs, gullies, beasties attacking them from caves, ropes starting to split) they need to overcome to reach the top. Perhaps with the option to retreat into a cave system inside the rock face if it gets too difficult (don't want a TPK if they as they fall 200ft to their deaths...)
I use skill challenges in 5e. What I do is rather than saying "use these three skills" is I define the scenario and each player takes a turn (in any order the party wants) contributing however they want. But they have to narrate a way the skill they choose is relevant, and people can't duplicate a skill chosen normally. Some questionable skill choices I let give a modifier to other players or allow another skill to be used again rather than be a full success. This way everyone gets to participate.
For example, a journey over the mountains survival gets used fast and history is usually really hard to make relevant during a blizzard. But one player said "hey does this mountain range have a Donner Party equivalent event? And is there a relevant lesson I can pass to (the druid) so he can use survival again?" And I felt that was a good enough choice that yes I let survival get rolled again.
I also use some where surges or hit dice get consumed. And I've done failures causing combat encounters. I also did multi-day challenges where players battled exhaustion. So there's lots of ways to use them that aren't just x successes before y fails.
Wisdom (Survival) check to set a trap. I used DC 10 to set a snare; critical success turns it into a noose, critical failure means you get caught in it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
That Matthew Colville video is what inspired me to extensively explore Skill Challenges for my team. I wound up writing some rules that my players seemed to love, which wound up being a whole article on Skill Checks of every kind and how they can be incorporated into the game. Here's are excerpts from the solo and group skill challenge sections.
Skill Challenges
Skill Challenges are multiple skill checks needed to succeed in a very complex task. Most of the time DM’s can ignore using these, but they are useful from time to time to test the player’s luck and to show how challenging some things are.
Chazari discovers a Hard complex magical trap (DC20, 5 wins before 3 losses) and wants to see if she can learn anything about the magic runes before trying to disable it. She makes a successful Arcana check (18+6=24), so the DM gives her Advantage (2 rolls) on each of her disable trap attempts. If she succeeds (DC20) 5x before she fails 3x, she will disable the trap.
Cromwell is trying to Persuade a shopkeeper to buy a 200gp diamond he stole for a higher price. DMs always set the default buying price at ½ original value (i.e. 100gp). Cromwell must roll against the Shopkeeper to haggle up the price. He rolls a total of 17, and the Shopkeeper rolls a 12. Cromwell get’s +25% more gold from the Shopkeeper (125gp). If he wants more, the DM can have him keep rolling multiple successes vs failures. For example:
25% from 4 successes before 3 failures
50% from 6 successes before 3 failures.
75% from 8 successes before 3 failures.
100% from 10 successes before 3 failures.
125% from 12 success before 3 failures totaling 225gp!
Group Challenges
These are mini-games (within the game), a lot like “scenes” from a movie, such as chasing a thief through a busy market, slowing a giant monster from reaching a town, trying to escape a flooding room before time runs out, climbing over a dangerous mountain, and even working together to convincing an NPC to join your cause. Generally speaking, Group Challenges should be written down and planned ahead of time, but good DM’s can throw one together on the fly.
A Group Skill Challenge is different because the DM is keeping score of wins and failures. The scene ends when the PCs have accumulated a certain number of successes toward their goal, or suffered 3 failures. As the scene goes on, the DM narrates events based on how well the PCs are doing. If they just scored their second failure, the DM should narrate how things are getting desperate. If they are one success from victory, the DM should narrate how success is within their grasp.
The basics
Set the Challenge: Let players know when a Skill Challenge begins and how many successes they’ll need before 3 failures (for example, Moderate challenge is 6 wins before 3 failures).
Set the DC: This can be a secret or share what they’ll have to roll for success. The DC doesn’t have to match the challenge level (e.g. DC15, 8 wins / before 3 losses).
Pick 3 skills: Share what skills will help succeed the Challenge and explain why? What the consequences of failure are (e.g. 2d6 falling rock damage, another enemy joins the fight, the room fills another foot of water, one of the three thieves escape, etc).
Proficiency required: In order to participate, the player MUST have proficiency in the skill they’re using.
Once per challenge: A player attempting a skill check cannot use the same skill again in that challenge. However, another player can try that skill if they are also Proficient.
Let players get creative: Players can suggest using other proficiencies, abilities, or spells to succeed, but they must explain how it would work and roleplay. The DM should be open minded and say if he approves or disapproves of their ideas and why.
Players can help each other: Players can help each other succeed skill checks per usual.
The players disturb the tome of a powerful Lich King. Shortly after a fight breaks out, the companions realize they are being overrun by endless hordes of undead, and retreat is the only option. In order to succeed, they must find their way out of the tomb, through the forest, and cross the black lake to safety. The DM states this will be a Easy Group Skill Challenge (4 wins before 3 losses), with a Moderate difficulty (DC15) skill checks. Each group failure means that undead have reached the party and players will take 3d6 damage as they fend off their attackers. Useful skills include Survival to find your way through the forests; Insight to keep an eye out for shortcuts and make obstacles; and Athletics to run as fast as you can. Then says, what do you guys want to do?
Varjo starts by saying he wants to use Survival to find their way back out of the tomb. Chazari says she is going to help him search by checking to see if she can smell fresh air or find a breeze (Nature check). She rolls a 14+6=20, succeeds and helps Varjo’s tracking efforts, and giving him Advantage! Varjo first rolls a 2, and then a 9+7=16 Survival, and the players get one success!
DM says - You currently have 1 success!
DM says - you make your way through the tomb and come upon a 20’ wide spiked pit blocking the way. What do you guys want to do?
Randor suggests using Athletics for the group to scale the walls and climb to the other side. But Pavo takes a moment to think and remembers he has the Jump spell. If he casts it on Randor, he can jump across and help everyone over with his rope. The DM rules that casting Jump spell (x3 distance) will lower the challenge from moderate (DC15) to very easy (DC5) but because the players would still need to shimmy across the rope, he moves it back up to DC10. Randor rolls a 2+5=7 Athletics check, and still fails.
DM says - everyone stands ready at the edge of the pit. Randor prepares to jump and suddenly out of the darkness comes the sound of screeching horrors. The party slashing with their weapons and burns the undead with torches until they are dispatched. Everyone roll 3d6 from battle damage from the vicious ghoul claws and biting zombies. You currently have 1 success and 1 failure.
DM says - you finally cross the pit and begin to run for the exit. Chazari interrupts, can I cast an illusion over the pit and use Stealth to slow the undead? The DM says, great idea! What do you want to do? She says, I cast Major Image and make the pit look like it’s stone floor, then hide in the Shadows as far away as possible. The DM says, roll Stealth at Advantage because you’re 60’ away. She rolls a 8 and 13+7=20 Stealth.
DM - great job! As you watch from a distance, you see countless zombies and skeletons fall through the illusionary floor and into the spiked pit. You stealthily head toward your companions at the exit. Because you created an obstacle, I’m removing one Failure from your total. You currently have 1 success and zero failures.
DM - the party finds it’s way to the entrance and leaves the tomb. The forest is dark and foggy. The unnerving shadows of gnarled trees feel like watchful evil beings. You get lost in the excitement of the moment, and are not sure what direction the lake is.
Varjo says - I use Survival to find the correct direction. DM says - you already used that skill during this challenge, only someone else proficient in Survival can do that.
Pavo says - can I use History to see if I remember this region? DM says - nice idea! Make a history check at disadvantage because the fog is obscuring your vision.
Thorus adds - I’d like to use my Religion and pray to my god for guidance. I say goddess Torm, king of nobility and truth, please guide me and my allies toward the light. The DM says - you can make a normal DC15 Religion check to see if he guides you. Thorus says - can I expend a Channel Divinity to get Advantage? And the DM agrees and lowers the check to DC12. Thorus rolls a 5 and an 11+6=17 Religion. Success!
DM says - nice job Thorus, the fog magically begins to clear from the area and you can all see a mysterious sparkle to the South. Pavo, you can now see the area quite a bit better. The light of the moon reflects off the various surfaces of the land and the sparkle feels like a positive omen. Time to roll a History check with Advantage.
Varjo interrupts, can I help him using Survival? DM says - sure, because it’s not the main check, in what way do you want to help? Varjo says, I’d like to look for tracks heading in any direction. Animal noises like lake frogs. Or broken branches. DM says - Roll Survival. Varjo gets a 12+7=17, success! DM says - Pavo you now can roll with Advantage and I’ll give you a +2 to your roll because of Varjo’s success.
Pavo rolls a Natural 20! DM says - fantastic, you can pretty much recall everything about this area and all those bonuses don’t even matter. You guide the group to the South and gain 2 more Successes from rolling a natural 20! The group is currently at 3 Successes and 0 failures.
DM - Pavo takes a moment, thinks to himself, and points south. I’m sure that’s the way he says. The party runs toward the lake as quickly as possible, but Randor (because of his high Perception) notices that a swarm of undead is lurking just outside the boathouse. What do you want to do to get past them?
Chazari suggests stealth. Randor wants to create a distraction. Pavo is thinking But Rodak says screw this, I’m charging through. The party frantically tries to come up with ideas before Rodak’s overrun attempt. Suddenly Pavo suggests, what if we distract the undead?
DM says - in what way? Pavo responds - can I cast a fire bolt toward the side of the enemies? The DM says, yes you can. But you don’t have Deception? Chazari says, I have a wand of Frost and Deception, will that work? The DM decides, yes that actually works great. Roll a Deception check (11+5=16 success).
The DM then says, Rodak make an Athletics check and get Advantage from Chazari’s distraction. Rodak rolls a 14 and 16+5=21 and succeeds in his Athletics check. DM says, - that’s 4 successes before 3 failures! You WIN!
DM says - Chazari you take your wand, aim for a barrel to the side of the boathouse, and blast it. The barrel freezes and shatters causing quite a bit of noise. The undead rush in that direction, some faster than others, and Rodak begins his charge. He runs through the remaining walking corpses, easily pushing them aside and the rest of the party follows close behind. Everyone hops into the boat, and quickly shoves off just as the undead horde surrounds the docks and shore...
I just did a skill challenge in a bit of a weird way:
The players spurned the captain of a ship offering them a substantial work opportunity after they essentially had all of their gear and loot stolen en route to a new location. In an attempt to sway the leaving captain, one of the players mentioned how phenomenal of a cook they were, the captain, intrigued allowed them the opportunity to battle it out with two chefs in a luxury tavern of the city they resided in (where the meeting took place). Without giving too much away, I had the players read the room and judge the backgrounds and likes/dislikes of various NPCs who would be tasting their food and succeed on a collective history check. The player who had the cooking proficiency acted as the head chef with the other players contributing as assistants and receiving direction.
They then designed a three course meal roughly (simply by naming what they'd like to produce, turned out mostly french dishes ironically.), with the ominous threat that if they lost they'd have to pay for their ingredients. This added a little extra spice because they had to vaguely research the cost of some of the ingredients they'd be using and kind of got everyone involved in the strategizing process.
Following this, they proceeded to make several checks according to who felt they could contribute the most. Our rogue had high dex, so he did chopping, the warlock had a high wisdom so he gauged when the food was properly cooked. Our bard had a high cha and so arrayed the food onto plates. Each dish I recorded who participated and rated their total participation based on diversification of the tasks and called it their "time efficiency score," if one player did way more tasks than the others they were "doing it all on their own" and wouldn't be able to participate in the next dish or else the food would get cold (a risk they assumed when they moved to the entree).
The warlock rolled a natural 1 during one point and wanted to use a bardic inspiration to add to the roll (they didn't know the results yet). I offered that since it was a natural 1 it was going to be bad regardless, but I had planned on adding a "burned" taste modifier to the dish as a result. However, in the spirit of letting the players use their skills and abilities, I decided to keep the natural 1 as a score, but remove the burned modifier from the dish as a result of the bardic inspiration.
After everything, I tallied the results of each check based on a 5 point likert-type scale, with scores below 5 being way worse than average, 6-8 worse than average, 9-11 average, etc.. Each check contributed to the total scoring which used this intermediate rating system with their bulk or average score being the total result of the dish. Even with the natural 1 during one of their dishes, they still scored an above average for each of the dishes and succeeded in winning the captain over after their kerfuffle originally.
I don't think this is a particularly novel idea, but I think the value I discovered in using this system is that by convoluting the outcome with several variables the players experienced multiple gut-checks and had to really think inside the world and as their characters during the challenge. When they did succeed, everyone was both relieved and ecstatic. I haven't had such a positive engagement in any other skill check before and these relatively new players had that look on their eyes like the first time you really find yourself living in the game as the character.
------------------------
The takeaway here is the construction of a system which at its basis can remove barriers to participating when necessary (you don't have the chef's proficiency, etc...) but still remain complex enough to be difficult to decipher (anti-power gamers), and also feel rewarding to those players who are really engaged and roleplaying.
If anyone remembers 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons, I have to say I honestly like the direction that skill challenges were implemented in the older edition. While they were regulated to mostly include everything under the sun for specific only skills such as athletics and acrobatics, I'm in need of ways to challenge my players with more than monster encounters. I'd like to challenge them with traps albeit magical or non, as a way to drive a little more into the game then a slog fest. These could be more than just traps such as chase scenes, falling bridges, or anything else you may have used in your game to spark similar intentions.
I love skill challenges, they're faster than combat and much easier to control the pacing of. Here's a few I've used:
Those are just some of the one's off the top of my head that I've used. If you want me to go into further detail or give more info on how I ran them I'd be happy to.
You're doing a bang up job
I had an encounter where the PCs had to cross a bridge that spanned two mountains while a dragon basically did strafing runs with its breath weapon. There were also enemies on the bridge who attempted to stop them from crossing (the dragon didn't care about roasting them either).
Instead of the traditional succeed x times before y number of failures occur, they simply lost healing surges (remember it was 4e) whenever they failed that round (or took damage if they were out of healing surges). You could essentially do the same, but with hit dice instead of healing surges.
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“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
I was also a huge fan of skill challenges in 4e and have been using them in the SKT campaign I'm running. My players recently ventured into a part of a town overrun by Orcs. We ran a skill challenge where the players explained possible obstacles they would encounter on their way to their destination and what skill they would use to try and overcome that obstacle. It gave the players a chance to create and explain their surroundings while also letting them overcome obstacle.
My only struggle has been figuring out how many successes are needed before however many failures. I like the idea of PCs losing hit dice, though!
I'm writing an adventure in which the PC's will have to complete a skill challenge to navigate through a swamp to a lizardfolk village, using exhaustion as a consequence for failure (just one level, if they fail three times before completing it).
Skill challenges were a great idea that had horrible execution which is why it was left out of 5E. The primary flaw in skill challenges was they locked down a limited number of skills that were applicable, which inhibits those PCs who are not proficient in those skills or have low abilities tied to the skill. This is an inherit flaw with linking skills with abilities but that is another argument for another time. So what ended up happening was a couple of PCs with high stats and proficiency in the applicable skills tackled the skill encounter while the rest stood back for fear of causing a failure. So what is the solution? Well you could spend hours crafting a system to handle skill challenges or you could just build better scenes. Because from my stand point most people looking to spice up their adventures with encounters other than combat have put them self in that situation through poor scene building. So, if you really want to spend the time trying to build a new set of rules to handle "skill challenges" then go ahead, I wish you luck and if you succeed I will be one of the first people to steal your system and use it in my game. However, if the problem actually exist in how you are building and presenting your scenes then adding an additional layer of complexity won't make things any better and will more than likely make things worse.
Just my two cents
J
P.S. If you want help in building better scenes then I am always willing to help, just drop me a line.
As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!
There's a great video from Matt Colville on skill challenges. The key point I remember is - have multiple options for the party to choose from when using their skills during the challenge. His example was escaping from underneath a tower that was about to collapse (super cool).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvOeqDpkBm8
On specific ideas for a skill challenge, I would like to write a 'Cliffhanger' style one where the party is trying to scale a rock face to reach a beast in its eyrie - as they ascend there are a variety of obstacles (overhangs, gullies, beasties attacking them from caves, ropes starting to split) they need to overcome to reach the top. Perhaps with the option to retreat into a cave system inside the rock face if it gets too difficult (don't want a TPK if they as they fall 200ft to their deaths...)
I use skill challenges in 5e. What I do is rather than saying "use these three skills" is I define the scenario and each player takes a turn (in any order the party wants) contributing however they want. But they have to narrate a way the skill they choose is relevant, and people can't duplicate a skill chosen normally. Some questionable skill choices I let give a modifier to other players or allow another skill to be used again rather than be a full success. This way everyone gets to participate.
For example, a journey over the mountains survival gets used fast and history is usually really hard to make relevant during a blizzard. But one player said "hey does this mountain range have a Donner Party equivalent event? And is there a relevant lesson I can pass to (the druid) so he can use survival again?" And I felt that was a good enough choice that yes I let survival get rolled again.
I also use some where surges or hit dice get consumed. And I've done failures causing combat encounters. I also did multi-day challenges where players battled exhaustion. So there's lots of ways to use them that aren't just x successes before y fails.
Wisdom (Survival) check to set a trap. I used DC 10 to set a snare; critical success turns it into a noose, critical failure means you get caught in it.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
That Matthew Colville video is what inspired me to extensively explore Skill Challenges for my team. I wound up writing some rules that my players seemed to love, which wound up being a whole article on Skill Checks of every kind and how they can be incorporated into the game. Here's are excerpts from the solo and group skill challenge sections.
Skill Challenges
Skill Challenges are multiple skill checks needed to succeed in a very complex task. Most of the time DM’s can ignore using these, but they are useful from time to time to test the player’s luck and to show how challenging some things are.
Group Challenges
These are mini-games (within the game), a lot like “scenes” from a movie, such as chasing a thief through a busy market, slowing a giant monster from reaching a town, trying to escape a flooding room before time runs out, climbing over a dangerous mountain, and even working together to convincing an NPC to join your cause. Generally speaking, Group Challenges should be written down and planned ahead of time, but good DM’s can throw one together on the fly.
A Group Skill Challenge is different because the DM is keeping score of wins and failures. The scene ends when the PCs have accumulated a certain number of successes toward their goal, or suffered 3 failures. As the scene goes on, the DM narrates events based on how well the PCs are doing. If they just scored their second failure, the DM should narrate how things are getting desperate. If they are one success from victory, the DM should narrate how success is within their grasp.
The basics
Example Group Challenge
The players disturb the tome of a powerful Lich King. Shortly after a fight breaks out, the companions realize they are being overrun by endless hordes of undead, and retreat is the only option. In order to succeed, they must find their way out of the tomb, through the forest, and cross the black lake to safety. The DM states this will be a Easy Group Skill Challenge (4 wins before 3 losses), with a Moderate difficulty (DC15) skill checks. Each group failure means that undead have reached the party and players will take 3d6 damage as they fend off their attackers. Useful skills include Survival to find your way through the forests; Insight to keep an eye out for shortcuts and make obstacles; and Athletics to run as fast as you can. Then says, what do you guys want to do?
That was a fantastically instructive example, @Wheelercub!
I just did a skill challenge in a bit of a weird way:
The players spurned the captain of a ship offering them a substantial work opportunity after they essentially had all of their gear and loot stolen en route to a new location. In an attempt to sway the leaving captain, one of the players mentioned how phenomenal of a cook they were, the captain, intrigued allowed them the opportunity to battle it out with two chefs in a luxury tavern of the city they resided in (where the meeting took place). Without giving too much away, I had the players read the room and judge the backgrounds and likes/dislikes of various NPCs who would be tasting their food and succeed on a collective history check. The player who had the cooking proficiency acted as the head chef with the other players contributing as assistants and receiving direction.
They then designed a three course meal roughly (simply by naming what they'd like to produce, turned out mostly french dishes ironically.), with the ominous threat that if they lost they'd have to pay for their ingredients. This added a little extra spice because they had to vaguely research the cost of some of the ingredients they'd be using and kind of got everyone involved in the strategizing process.
Following this, they proceeded to make several checks according to who felt they could contribute the most. Our rogue had high dex, so he did chopping, the warlock had a high wisdom so he gauged when the food was properly cooked. Our bard had a high cha and so arrayed the food onto plates. Each dish I recorded who participated and rated their total participation based on diversification of the tasks and called it their "time efficiency score," if one player did way more tasks than the others they were "doing it all on their own" and wouldn't be able to participate in the next dish or else the food would get cold (a risk they assumed when they moved to the entree).
The warlock rolled a natural 1 during one point and wanted to use a bardic inspiration to add to the roll (they didn't know the results yet). I offered that since it was a natural 1 it was going to be bad regardless, but I had planned on adding a "burned" taste modifier to the dish as a result. However, in the spirit of letting the players use their skills and abilities, I decided to keep the natural 1 as a score, but remove the burned modifier from the dish as a result of the bardic inspiration.
After everything, I tallied the results of each check based on a 5 point likert-type scale, with scores below 5 being way worse than average, 6-8 worse than average, 9-11 average, etc..
Each check contributed to the total scoring which used this intermediate rating system with their bulk or average score being the total result of the dish. Even with the natural 1 during one of their dishes, they still scored an above average for each of the dishes and succeeded in winning the captain over after their kerfuffle originally.
I don't think this is a particularly novel idea, but I think the value I discovered in using this system is that by convoluting the outcome with several variables the players experienced multiple gut-checks and had to really think inside the world and as their characters during the challenge. When they did succeed, everyone was both relieved and ecstatic. I haven't had such a positive engagement in any other skill check before and these relatively new players had that look on their eyes like the first time you really find yourself living in the game as the character.
------------------------
The takeaway here is the construction of a system which at its basis can remove barriers to participating when necessary (you don't have the chef's proficiency, etc...) but still remain complex enough to be difficult to decipher (anti-power gamers), and also feel rewarding to those players who are really engaged and roleplaying.
Just my two cents, hope this helps