True Apocalypse (Minimalist Version)

Ohh I like your approach as well! I think that changing the impact of the roll is an interesting solution! 

For me, a regular challenge is something a hero is roughly equally matched with (two equally skilled warriors fighting),

A  tough challenge means they are a little outmatched (a human warrior competes with an elven archer at target practice)

An epic challenge means the hero is not favored at all, but it is still  possible ( a warrior trying to arm wrestle an ogre) 

Thanks for writing this out and sharing. I often find myself faced with similar issues, and making challenges appropriately difficult. 

I’m sure that PbtA “traditionalists” would say that the difficulty should follow the fiction. While a fighter could simply walk up and slay a lowly minion with a simple Hack and Slash roll, they would suggest that a Boss Encounter requires overcoming various obstacles just to get close enough to threaten the enemy. There’s also the obligatory reference to the 16HP Dragon example. 

My solution has been to leave the numbers as they are and adjust the outcomes based on the situation. Sometimes a 10+ is a full success and sometimes it grants an extra boon; sometimes a 7-9 is a full success or a success with a complication. 

Do you have any thoughts on how to define “epic challenges” etc?