I often like to have skill challenges as part of an encounter as well – it spices things up. One time the group was against a magical tome that had gained sentience and was using the spells written in itself to raise undead from a tomb. The group had to switch between battling the undead and completing a skill challenge to destroy the book!

I’m a huge fan of Skill Challenges, both in combat and out. We have used them inside a combat to jury-rig a rockfall while the Fighters hold back a horde of gnolls. We’ve also made the outcome of a battle count as one success in a larger Skill Challenge – beat the Door Guardians and it counts as a success toward getting into the Wizard’s Tower.

Oh, and don’t forget using Skill Challenges to frame the whole adventure too.