So I've seen mention of skill challenges in the books, and Chris Perkins even explained them during one of his podcasts where the group was in some sort of ice cave, but none of my DMs have ever used a skill challenge in our games. Do people just mostly find them unnecessary? Anyone have examples of good ones or bad ones that you've used or been through?

I found DMG2 useful in thinking skill challenges through. I haven't been a player in one though.

ETA: I liked skill challenges once I was able to wrap my head around them.

I think it really depends on the DM and the situation. DS recently used one in the Iron Skies PBP and things went well enough. People didnt "know" it was a skill challenge which tends to make things go smoother, but on top of that it wasnt forced.

I've seen other PBP games where suddenly the DM decided the next conversation should be a skill challenge and so they stick vehemently to the passes / fails numbers rather than seeing that the whole situation is degrading quickly.

If one only reads DM1, that is definitely how skill challenges come off. Very awkward, it says to have people roll initiative, etc. DM2 is much more sophisticated and delves into how skill challenges can be developed and integrated into a game. Their example of the skill challenge as a model to create a system of sneaking around an oppressive, highly policed city is really great.

Copy paste the rules here?

Well I guess I could find that hard drive and post em myself....but lazy.

A common opinion seems to be never tell people that it is a skill challenge haha.

Edit : Yeah I think we've only used the rules from DM1 I didnt know there was mroe in DM2

Never tell the group that they're entering a skill challenge!

Its like saying "Theres some sort of trap in this room, start rolling your skills to see if you find it"

I can see letting them know, so they are more aware of the consequences.

Letting them know its a challenge but not know the number of passes and fails right? Otherwise its like knowing monster stats

The number of fails allowed is always three anyway; they changed it from DM1 because increasing the number of fails actually makes skill challenges easier as you go up in level. And if the players are familiar with the level standards, they know about how many successful rolls they need to pass anyway. I obviously am on the fence right now since I did not tell my players they were doing a skill challenge, but I think it is less like knowing monsters' stats and more like knowing the monsters exist and whether or not they are bloodied.

I think the actual relevant information to keep hidden (metaphorically, the monsters' stats) is like what skills work and in what way. Like you wouldn't say, Intimidate won't work here but Arcana can give a bonus on your Endurance roll!

I get so mad at my LFR players sometimes, because they expect me to tell them every detail before they start rolling. I have finally relented and started telling them "You're in a skill challenge. You're trying to X before Y, so that you can Z." They always want to know what skills they can use. I respond "What are you good at?" That always gets a "But what do they doooooo?" I treat the skills listed as guidelines, they like to treat them as Religious Doctrine. It's very annoying.

And it's not exclusive to 4th edition. Pathfinder Chase Scenes get the same reaction.