5 Skill Challenges for Traveling on the River
While tubing over the weekend, I was focused on a particular patch of earth that had slid into the river after heavy rainfall. It got me thinking about the dangers of traveling on the river, and what adventurers might have to deal with on their travels.
To that end, I’ve created five skill challenges for your table of intrepid adventurers! I’ve previously talked about skill challenges, how they work, and why you should be using more of them in your games, so I won’t get too deep into the weeds, but the basic gist is that your adventures enter into an ‘encounter mode’ where they need to hit a number of successes before they hit a number of failures. If they do so, they win the skill challenge, if they fail to do so, a negative consequence happens that they will then have to solve.
The following river skill challenges are presented in order based on their difficulty, starting with Very Easy and ending with Very Hard.
River Skill Challenges
Fishing for Food
Food is running out on the boat, and unless the party can catch fish to feed enough of the crew, everyone will have to go without by the end of the day.
Difficulty: Very Easy (4 Successes before 2 Failures)
Skills: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, Survival, Weapon
Animal Handling (DC 10) to understand how to trick fish into swimming into your nets
Nature (DC 10) to know how fish school together and where they are most likely to be when fishing
Perception (DC 12) to spot food hiding in the water
Survival (DC 8) to know how to catch fish quickly and easily
Weapon (DC 12) Make an attack with a thrown weapon, like a spear, to hunt fish and other prey in the water
Success (0 Failures): You catch enough food to feed everyone for 1d4 days.
Success (1 Failure): You catch enough food, but only for today.
Failure: You are unable to catch enough food and suffer 1 Exhaustion Level. This Exhaustion Level can not be removed until you eat enough food to sustain yourself and finish a Long Rest.
Ambush at Night
Bandits have set up an ambush for traveling boats, charging a hefty fee for the privileges of using their river. With the darkness setting in, the party’s boat may not see the ambush in time.
Difficulty: Easy (6 Successes before 3 Failures)
Skills: Insight, Nature, Perception, Stealth, Survival, Vehicle (Water)
Insight (DC 13) to notice that something doesn’t feel right and trouble is brewing
Nature (DC 10) to realize that the sudden silence around you is the hush of bugs and birds, a signal that something is off
Perception (DC 13) to spot the glint of moonlight on drawn swords or the faint glows of embers from old cook fires
Stealth (DC 15) to realize the best places for an ambush and how to escape notice
Survival (DC 13) to know how the river bends up ahead and how to take advantage of it and avoid notice of others.
Vehicle (Water) (DC 10) to navigate the boat and move silently down the river
Success (0-1 Failures): You sneak past the bandits without your boat being noticed.
Success (2 Failures): You sneak past the bandits, but they notice your boat as soon as you sail past. They attempt to catch up and you must make another check to attempt to escape them.
Failure: You do not notice the bandits and they launch their ambush. The party is Surprised.
Stolen Ship
The party is attempting to get the ship moving, but they do not know how to pilot it. They only have a few short minutes before they are discovered.
Difficulty: Moderate (8 Successes before 4 Failures)
Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Nature, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Vehicle (Water)
Acrobatics (DC 15) to carefully balance along the masts without falling as you help prepare the sails (failure means you take too long to help or you fall and take damage, up to the GM’s discretion)
Athletics (DC 13) to pull up an anchor, raise the sails, or use the oars
Nature (DC 13) to judge how the wind is blowing and how you might use it to your advantage to set sail
Sleight of Hand (DC 15) to quickly untie knots securing the ship to the dock
Stealth (DC 15) to avoid notice while removing lines or prepping the sails
Water (Vehicle) (DC 10) to give guidance to others on how a boat is sailed, to navigate and steer the vehicle, or know the best way to prepare a boat to sail with limited crew
Success: You are able to pilot the ship and get it to sail before you are caught.
Failure: Before you can set off, others notice you struggling to take the ship and have amassed reinforcements. They are attempting to board the ship.
Landslide
As you’re traveling down the river on a riverboat, you see that immense rains have caused a cliff face to begin crumbling. You watch as the rocks start picking up other rocks, growing in size that threatens to collapse into the river just as you’re passing through it. You worry that if you don’t risk it, the river will become impassable until the river bursts through the earthen dam.
Difficulty: Hard (10 Successes before 5 Failures)
Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Survival, Water (Vehicle)
Acrobatics (DC 15) to quickly move across the riverboat, setting lines and moving around others rushing to their stations
Athletics (DC 15) to row hard and fast or help pull lines, toss non-essential weight off the ship to help speed it up
Intimidation (DC 18) you shout warnings about what will happen if the crew doesn’t move faster, describing in details how they will be crushed under earth and drowned by water
Nature (DC 15) to judge how fast the earthslide is moving, where it will land, and how it may affect the riverboat as it starts crumbling down
Perception (DC 20) to spot a clear path among the rocks in the river and any rocks that might be falling down onto the ship
Persuasion (DC 18) to shout encouragement to the crew to continue their hard work and keep dread from seizing their hearts
Sleight of Hand (DC 15) to quickly undo and tie off knots, pass along needed materials to the sailors
Survival (DC 15) to gauge the best path for the ship to take and how the earthslide will impact with the river
Water (Vehicle) (DC 13) to navigate the boat or shout orders to the crew
Success (0-2 Failures): Your boat escapes the earthslide with plenty of time and you’re able to escape any damage to the boat.
Success (3+ Failures): Your boat escapes the earthslide, but rock, debris, and a surge of water batter the vehicle. It takes 4d10 Bludgeoning damage, but otherwise survives the ordeal.
Failure: Your boat is swamped by the earthslide, taking 8d10 Bludgeoning damage and becomes Restrained by the earthslide. If the vehicle survives the damage, it will have to be dug out of the earthslide, which will likely take days.
Deadly Rapids
Just as you thought you would have a boring river journey, rapids suddenly appear in the river like magic, threatening to smash your boat to kindling. While you don’t know how these rapids appeared, you have little time to react.
Difficulty: Very Hard (12 Success before 6 Failures)
Skills: Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Water (Vehicle)
Acrobatics (DC 18) to avoid falling overboard as it slams into rapids
Arcana (DC 20) to realize that many of the rapids were magically conjured and you might be able to dispel a few that your boat could slam into
Athletics (DC 18) to hold on tight to the oars or keel as the rapids threaten to smash them to pieces
Intimidation (DC 20) you bellow above the noise of the rapids, shouting orders and forcing everyone to work hard
Investigation (DC 20) you carefully study the way the rapids are arranged and recognize a pattern in how they are laid out
Nature (DC 18) you recall how the river flows and the smoothest, deepest parts of the river
Perception (DC 22) you are keeping lookout for new rapids that appear as if by magic, shouting directions to the captain
Persuasion (DC 20) you give encouragement to the nearby crew, boasting of their superior navigational skills
Sleight of Hand (DC 20) your hands work quickly to spin the wheel, you use your quick hands to grab snapped lines that jump across the ship, or help others in their tasks by providing an extra set of hands
Water (Vehicle) (DC 15) with your experience with boats, you shout out orders and advice, helping others accomplish their tasks and keep the boat from slamming into the rapids
Success (0 Failures): Your riverboat makes it through the magical rapids and takes only superficial damage.
Success (1-3 Failures): Your riverboat makes it through the magical rapids, but takes 4d10 Bludgeoning damage from smashing into the rapids.
Success (4+ Failures): Your riverboat makes it through the magical rapids, but takes 6d10 Bludgeoning damage from smashing into the rapids.
Failure: Your riverboat is smashed into the rapids and becomes beached or destroyed. You will have to make extensive repairs if you hope to sail further down the river.
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