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WIR S1 Tomb of Horrors [SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!]
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<blockquote data-quote="Stoat" data-source="post: 5764715" data-attributes="member: 16786"><p>Back in June, I started this thread after the comments here: <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/306672-tomb-horrors-example-many-one-kind.html" target="_blank">http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/306672-tomb-horrors-example-many-one-kind.html</a> got me thinking about the Tomb of Horrors </p><p></p><p>As I noted then, this line of posts caught my attention:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I'd heard that about the Tomb before, and I really wanted it to be true. I want there to be an adventure that's full of clues and riddles that allow the players to succeed just by figuring things out. But the <em>Tomb of Horrors</em> ain't that module. As far as I can tell, most of the encounters, and almost all of the big set piece deathtraps, are not accompanied by clues, riddles, or hints that clever players can use to bypass them. </p><p></p><p>IMO, anyone advocating the "walkthrough" theory of the Tomb has to account (at least) for the following:</p><p></p><p>1. Area 14 can only be accessed via a secret door. Other than the fact that the door is in a dead-end crawlspace, there is no hint or clue of it's existence. According to the text of the module, there are two ways to find this secret door. Roll a 1 on a d6 or use the gem of seeing from Area 11. There's no flavor text or description that clever PC's can use to help them notice the door. They can use a naked die roll or a magic doo-dad. If the PC's fail to find the door, they cannot proceed.</p><p></p><p>2. Area 17, for similar reasons. It's a secret door that the PC's have to pass. It can only be found using magic, it can only be opened using magic. Getting through Area 17 is mandatory, and it cannot be done by solving riddles or figuring out clues.</p><p></p><p>3. Area 21. This is one of the few mandatory deathtraps in the Tomb. There is, as far as I can tell, no hint or clue that the PC's can use to figure out the risks it presents. Sure, there are strategies to avoid the dangers of Area 21, and I'd expect many groups to use them. For example, given the number of deadly pit traps in the Tomb, it makes sense for the PC's to fly as much as possible, and flying PC's won't set off Area 21. But casting <em>Fly</em> isn't following a walkthrough. </p><p></p><p>4. The juggernaut in Area 23. The PC's open a door. They fall asleep. The DM rolls some dice, and if the PC's are unlucky they get squashed. Again, there is no clue for "thinking persons" to use to avoid this hazard. </p><p></p><p>5. Area 29. How are the PC's supposed to know which end of the Scepter opens the Valves of Mithril? </p><p></p><p>6. Although not a deathtrap, the FIRST KEY and SECOND KEY are dangerous. Using the wrong one at the wrong time causes damage. How are the PC's supposed to know when to use which key?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Stoat, post: 5764715, member: 16786"] Back in June, I started this thread after the comments here: [url]http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/306672-tomb-horrors-example-many-one-kind.html[/url] got me thinking about the Tomb of Horrors As I noted then, this line of posts caught my attention: I'd heard that about the Tomb before, and I really wanted it to be true. I want there to be an adventure that's full of clues and riddles that allow the players to succeed just by figuring things out. But the [i]Tomb of Horrors[/i] ain't that module. As far as I can tell, most of the encounters, and almost all of the big set piece deathtraps, are not accompanied by clues, riddles, or hints that clever players can use to bypass them. IMO, anyone advocating the "walkthrough" theory of the Tomb has to account (at least) for the following: 1. Area 14 can only be accessed via a secret door. Other than the fact that the door is in a dead-end crawlspace, there is no hint or clue of it's existence. According to the text of the module, there are two ways to find this secret door. Roll a 1 on a d6 or use the gem of seeing from Area 11. There's no flavor text or description that clever PC's can use to help them notice the door. They can use a naked die roll or a magic doo-dad. If the PC's fail to find the door, they cannot proceed. 2. Area 17, for similar reasons. It's a secret door that the PC's have to pass. It can only be found using magic, it can only be opened using magic. Getting through Area 17 is mandatory, and it cannot be done by solving riddles or figuring out clues. 3. Area 21. This is one of the few mandatory deathtraps in the Tomb. There is, as far as I can tell, no hint or clue that the PC's can use to figure out the risks it presents. Sure, there are strategies to avoid the dangers of Area 21, and I'd expect many groups to use them. For example, given the number of deadly pit traps in the Tomb, it makes sense for the PC's to fly as much as possible, and flying PC's won't set off Area 21. But casting [i]Fly[/i] isn't following a walkthrough. 4. The juggernaut in Area 23. The PC's open a door. They fall asleep. The DM rolls some dice, and if the PC's are unlucky they get squashed. Again, there is no clue for "thinking persons" to use to avoid this hazard. 5. Area 29. How are the PC's supposed to know which end of the Scepter opens the Valves of Mithril? 6. Although not a deathtrap, the FIRST KEY and SECOND KEY are dangerous. Using the wrong one at the wrong time causes damage. How are the PC's supposed to know when to use which key? [/QUOTE]
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WIR S1 Tomb of Horrors [SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!]
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