Hey all! So I'm here again, asking for some advice from experienced GMs or players who have played through the AP. In the past year or so, my play-by-post has gone through a (somewhat shortened) version of The Wormwood Mutiny, and we are now entering the main story of Raiders of the Fever Sea. The PCs are about to depart from Rickety's Squibs and out into the wider world of the Shackles. I'm really excited for the sandboxy content of the AP, and quite a few of the shipboard combats look entertaining. However, looking ahead, I'm concerned my players are going to get bored with numerous repetitive fights against humanoid enemies on ships throughout the Fever Sea.
So I thought to myself: why not take a page out of 4E's book (gross, I know) and introduce a few skill challenges into the mix. For those of you who have never played a skill challenge, here is a link that I think does a pretty good job of breaking down the principles behind it. Basically, it's taking opportunities to find creative ways to solve problems without resorting to combat encounters, while giving everyone a chance to share the spotlight.
A couple of places I think adding skill challenges in this module might be fun would be:
- Sabotaging the Rudder of the Chelish Pirate Hunter
- Smooth-Talking your Way into Tidewater Rock
- Exploring Mancatcher Cove
That last one in particular would require some overhauling of the AP a bit, probably adding a few traps to Wolfe's lair in the skull cave formation (skull challenge? Too soon?) and expanding it a bit over the endless underwater caverns of the sahaguin below. I'd rather halve the amount of fights like those in favor of a skill challenge like going through a puzzle or trying to escape a collapsing tunnel leading to the rumoured resting place of a forgotten treasure. It just seems more cinematic and pulpy to me, in keeping with the pirate tone of the adventure.
Has anyone else tried using skill challenges in this AP? Did it go over well? What places would you (or wouldn't you) recommend to add in some skill challenges to mix things up?
Sorry, I forgot to actually include a link! Here is what I hope is a good overview of skill challenges, and how to use them effectively.