Pathfinder 1E Puzzle needed for opening door

[DMBrendon]

In an adventure I'm creating, I want to have a door that can only be opened by solving a puzzle, probably something to do with aligning symbols or moving blocks around. Does anyone know of a good place to get such a puzzle, a published adventure, or something else?

 

[Haladir]

Are you looking for an abstract description of a puzzle that the PCs will solve by making skill checks, or are you looking for an actual puzzle that the players need to solve?

 

[Quickleaf]

Is this for your home game or for publication?

I ask because I have 2 such puzzles I worked up, but wouldn't want them being published (as I may want to do that at some point): one for an ancient "treaty of four races" keep & the other for a thieves guild.

However.

Be careful when you say "only way past is via puzzle". Practically, that means that whatever lies behind the door is optional...because if the PCs *had* to open the door to move the game forward but couldn't solve the puzzle then you've got a railroad chokepoint.

 

[DMBrendon]

Are you looking for an abstract description of a puzzle that the PCs will solve by making skill checks, or are you looking for an actual puzzle that the players need to solve?

I really don't see the point of puzzles solved with skill checks. About half of my players like solving puzzles, so I'm just putting in a puzzle to amp up the fun for them.

 

[DMBrendon]

Is this for your home game or for publication?

Just for my home game.

Be careful when you say "only way past is via puzzle". Practically, that means that whatever lies behind the door is optional...because if the PCs *had* to open the door to move the game forward but couldn't solve the puzzle then you've got a railroad chokepoint.

That's a great point.

 

[Grogg of the North]

If you have access to The Book of Challenges (D&D 3.0) there is a door puzzle that you have to push the right block.

I used this once:

puzzle!

It was written above a door. The party had to figure out how many times to knock. I told the party at the beginning of the session there was a puzzle for them that was probably a little difficult. Since I knew the answer, having read the solution, I told the group that I would offer hints every 10 minutes or so.

Solution!

 

[Quickleaf]

Just for my home game.


That's a great point.

Which of the two I mentioned interest you?

 

[Dandu]

A Zen master once asked his students how they would open a locked door.

The first said that he would break it down.

The second said that he would pick the lock.

The third said that he would disassemble the hinges.

The fourth said that he would knock.

 

[Hautamaki]

If you have access to The Book of Challenges (D&D 3.0) there is a door puzzle that you have to push the right block.

I used this once:

puzzle!

It was written above a door. The party had to figure out how many times to knock. I told the party at the beginning of the session there was a puzzle for them that was probably a little difficult. Since I knew the answer, having read the solution, I told the group that I would offer hints every 10 minutes or so.

Solution!

That puzzle is labelled 'easy' but I thought it was ridiculously hard. If put into the context that it's a clue for the players to know how many times to knock, it's easier but still very difficult. If the players are allowed multiple incorrect guesses they're more likely to get it just by luck eventually I'd think. A liberal sprinkling of clues spread around the dungeon would make it a fantastic puzzle though. Maybe bits of diary entries from a previous explorer, or overheard snippets of conversation from guards, something like that could really make it into a door puzzle to remember.

 

[Grogg of the North]

That puzzle is labelled 'easy' but I thought it was ridiculously hard. If put into the context that it's a clue for the players to know how many times to knock, it's easier but still very difficult. If the players are allowed multiple incorrect guesses they're more likely to get it just by luck eventually I'd think. A liberal sprinkling of clues spread around the dungeon would make it a fantastic puzzle though. Maybe bits of diary entries from a previous explorer, or overheard snippets of conversation from guards, something like that could really make it into a door puzzle to remember.

Yea, I thought it was hard, until I read some of the hints and the solution. Then all I could think was "Oh, its so obvious!" You should check that site for the ones labeled difficult.

My party really liked puzzles and word games and everyone had a blast trying to figure it out. I did have to drop a few clues for them, which helped keep the ball rolling and so they wouldn't get hung up.

They were allowed multiple guesses, but each incorrect guess had a penalty to it. If they knocked incorrectly, they were hit by a blast of magical energy that repelled them backwards and possibly into a pit.

As an alternative, you could go the Earthbound route. "Belch man say 'Say password' then stand still for three minutes!"