So in last night's 3.5 edition D&D game, my players had a chance to do some ice fishing and one player called out for one of my ad hoc mini-games (I do this a lot haha). I wanted something simple, a combo of character skill and some luck, and so in short order ended up with this very quick mini-game you can easily employ.
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Quick Disclaimer: These fishing mini-game mechanics may not be entirely original and could resemble systems from other games I just can't recall. For my part, I'm posting this FOR sharing. Feel free to use, adapt, or modify them in your own games as you see fit. No ownership or exclusivity is claimed over this idea—enjoy and share as you wish!
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Fishing Mini-Game (D&D 3.5 Edition)
Step 1: Build the Fishing Pool
The player rolls a number of d6 equal to their relevant skill modifier (Survival or Profession (Fisher)).
Example: A character with a +10 in Survival rolls 10d6 and sets these dice aside as their "Fishing Pool".
Fishing Pool Example Roll: 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6.
Step 2: Perform the Fishing Check
The player then rolls 5d6 as their "Fishing Check" for one hour of fishing.
Example Roll: 1, 2, 4, 4, 6.
Step 3: Match for Combos
The player now attempts to match the dice results from their Fishing Pool with their Fishing Check results to form combos. The number of dice used in the combo determines the size of the fish:
Small Fish: Match 2 dice from the Fishing Pool with the Fishing Check.
Medium Fish: Match 3 dice from the Fishing Pool with the Fishing Check.
Large Fish: Match 5 dice from the Fishing Pool with the Fishing Check.
Example Combo:
If the player's Fishing Pool has dice showing 1, 2, 4, 4, and 6, they could match all 5 dice with their Fishing Check, catching a Large Fish.
Step 4: Fish Weight and Rations
Once the fish is caught, the total weight of the edible parts of the fish is determined by summing the values of the dice used in the combo.
Example: For a Large Fish (1, 2, 4, 4, 6), the total weight is 1+2+4+4+6 = 17 kg.
To calculate the number of rations provided by the fish:
1 kg = 2,000 calories (or half a ration).
Rations Formula: Divide the total weight of the fish by 2.
Example: 17 kg / 2 = 8.5 kg or 8 rations (we round down).
Step 5: Continue or Stop
After catching a fish, remove the dice used from the Fishing Pool.
If the player still has at least 2 dice left in their Fishing Pool, they can attempt to catch another fish using the same Fishing Check results. Otherwise, they are done for that hour.
That's all that we did and they loved it!
But since then we've considered how future games or others might expand on it with special roll combos, items, locations, setting conditions, Aid Other, etc. So here are some...
Optional Add-Ons and Considerations
Multiple Attempts Per Hour:
If the player rolls exceptionally well on their Fishing Pool, they may be able to attempt fishing multiple times in an hour. To keep this simple, I'd say if they are able to clear the first Pool entirely, they get a brand new roll, a whole new Pool as if starting fishing over, but they keep their previous catches.
Modifiers and Conditions:
You could introduce conditions that affect the Fishing Pool or Fishing Check rolls:
Good Fishing Spot: +1d6 to the Fishing Pool.
Bad Weather/Overfished Area: -1d6 (or more) to the Fishing Pool or disadvantage (see 5e, we use this idea quite a bit even in our 3.5e games) on Fishing Check rolls.
Magic/Luck Items: Grant rerolls or bonus dice to the Fishing Pool or allow rerolls of the Fishing Check.
Special Fish Combos:
Occasionally, you could allow rare or magical fish (or larger species) that provide bonuses or other effects; perhaps these are possible if the combos use specific die results:
Giant Fish: Requires a match of dice with identical values, but double the weight result (ex: a medium fish that used 5,5,5 would be a Giant of its type, and grant 15x2 or 30 kg of edible parts!).
Magical Fish: Grants temporary bonuses, like extra HP or special buffs, when consumed. (ex. A combo of sequential rising values, like 1,2,3,4,5, would grant a Magical Large fish)
Fishing Tools and Bait:
Fishing equipment or bait could modify the rolls:
Better Rods/Lines: Allow rerolls or add extra dice to the Fishing Pool.
Special Bait/Lures: Increases chances of catching better or more fish (ex. set any one die result to 6; or allow player to select the value of any one die, etc.).
Aid Other
Another player can choose to assist Player A if they are proficient in the same associated skill (Survival or Profession (Fisher), etc based on your setting):
Player B (helper) rolls for the associated skill.
If the result of their skill check (rolled like any other skill check) is 10-19, Player A gains 1 extra die in their fishing Pool.
If the result of their skill check is 20 or higher, Player A gains 2 extra dice in their fishing Pool.
Player A can then use these extra dice to help form better combos when matching against their Fishing Check.
Let me know if you use this mini-game in your D&D sessions, or revamp it for the tabletop rpg/edition you play!
I'd love to hear your stories of the biggest catch, or lamenting that one LEGENDARY CATCH that got away!
And check out Tabletop Gaming Resources for more art, tips, and tools for your game!
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Listening to Critical Hit back in the 4e days was one of the formative parts of my ttrpg experiences. I currently run a 1e Pathfinder game and I like incorporating your kind of skill encounters to my games. (My players all enjoy them too!) Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out how to set the number they have to hit for a success though. Do you have a general rule of thumb for setting the DC for Rodrigo Skill Encounters™?
Yes, the players need a number of successes equal to [number of players]+3.
And of course, 3 failures to lose.
full rules here
Why these numbers? If they roll like demons then everyone at least gets to go once, with a couple players going twice. But if they succeed and fail within the usual statistics then chances are everyone will get a chance to go twice and still win OR lose.
The Fire Temple battle map is available to non-Patrons as of today. You can find the high-res print and VTT files at the bottom of my article – link below!
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An audience with the duke, a mysterious set of sigils in a hidden chamber, finding your way through the Forest of Neverlight—all of these present challenges that test both the characters and the people who play them. The difference between a combat challenge and a skill challenge isn’t the presence or absence of physical risk, nor the presence or absence of attack rolls and damage rolls and power use. The difference is in how the encounter treats PC actions.
Skill challenges can account for all the action in a particular encounter, or they can be used as part of a combat encounter to add variety and a sense of urgency to the proceedings.
- Bill Slavicsek
The Basics: What is a Skill Challenge?
To deal with a skill challenge, the player characters make skill checks to accumulate a number of successful skill uses before they rack up too many failures and end the encounter.
Example: The PCs seek a temple in dense jungle. Achieving six successes means they find their way. Accruing three failures before achieving the successes, however, indicates that they get themselves hopelessly lost in a wilderness full of disease, bugs, and deadly predators...
When should I use a Skill Challenge?
It’s not a skill challenge every time you call for a skill check. When an obstacle takes only one roll to resolve, it’s not a challenge.
One Persuasion check to haggle with the Merchant, one Athletics check to climb out of the pit trap, one Arcana check to figure out what magical tome contains the information you need — none of these constitutes a skill challenge...
The Consequences...
Skill challenges have consequences, positive and negative, just as combat encounters do.
When the characters overcome a skill challenge, they earn the same rewards as when they slay monsters in combat — experience and maybe some treasure.
The consequences of total defeat are often obvious: no XP, no treasure you get it...
Success or failure in a skill challenge also influences the course of the adventure — the characters locate the temple and begin infiltrating it, or they get lost and must seek help.
In either case, however, the adventure continues...
With success, this is no problem, but don’t fall into the trap of making progress dependent on success in a skill challenge.
Failure introduces complications rather than just ending the adventure. If the characters get lost in the jungle, that leads to further challenges, not the end of the adventure.
My Thoughts...
Skill Challenges, or Extended Tests as I think they were called, was a Mechanic from 4th Edition, probably one of the very few that some DMs still use in 5th Edition as a sort of House Rule.
I myself use it many times, such as when the Players had to bargain with a Devil and try not to get tricked, using Persuasion, Performance, Deception, Insight and even Intimidation, the Barbarian trying to intimidate the Devil into agreeing to their terms.
At one point the Bard even used Legend Lore and made a History Check, making a remark to the Devil about its past.
And this test was a “Moderately Hard”, needing a lot of successes to not be tricked into a deal they don’t want with a Devil they don’t like.
Failure in the Skill Challenge could’ve meant many things: Maybe they did complete the deal, but they didn’t read the fine print. Or maybe the deal was off and they gained the anger of a Devil.
But luckily, they managed to just barely succeed, gaining some reasonable assistance and managing to save a few hundred gold pieces on the deal...
Overall, I think Skill Challenges can be fun, but don’t overuse them...
