For many DMs, skill challenges feel too mechanical to blend seamlessly into the game. They break the sense of immersion that a good DM creates, the feeling around the table that absorbs the players in the action. If you’ve ever read a really good book, you know that feeling. The words on the page come to life and for a time you’re transported somewhere else, be it the streets of ancient Athens, the dustbowl of 1930s America, or a strange land of magic, dragons, and orcs.

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About the Author

Mike Mearls is Lead Designer for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. His recent credits include H1: Keep on the Shadowfell and Player’s Handbook 2.