D&D 5E Cryptex

[Plaguescarred]

More could help with a Wisdom (Perception) check and say one of the symbol character seems more worn or used and grant advantage to the next check, Simialrly, another could recall lore about the symbols with an intelligence (Arcana or History) check and help in deciphering attempts. As for the main attempt, more than one can give it a shot too. Especially if i limit the number of attemps by the different Skills between Dexterity and Intelligence.

 

[Plaguescarred]

Okay, so when you are putting together a combat challenge, you think of what kind of challenge you want it to be, right? Like - is it against one big boss, or a horde? Is it a challenge to kill off widely spaced ranged attackers, or melee opponents who get in the party's midst? And so on.

Same idea goes here - what kind of challenge do you want? What kinds of things do you want them to do? Is it a widget hunt for clues to the combination spread around town? Is it a social challenge to extract key information about the combination from the one person left alive who knew the previous owner? Is it a purely technical challenge of fiddling with a physical object? Is it a full-room challenge where the party must piece together the action of the mechanism by interacting with a large space (Fifth Element style)?

Thank you the idea gets more and more traction in my mind as i'm thinkering about it. The Cryptex will be found in a dungeon most likely, and opening it will be an open lock through deciphering. Rather than using a single Dexterity check, i'm looking at multiple ones and alternate checks as well. I will look into how 4E handled Skill Challenges and also this post on Critical Hit to inspire myself. I could also use some of your suggestions about previous owner knowledge. I am not sure to understand the last reference to Fifth Element what would piecing together the action of the mechanism by interacting with a large space be like?

Skill Challenges in 5th Edition D&D

Skill challenges were the best kept secret of 4e D&D. They were awesome, but they were so poorly explained that it caused a lot of confusion.

critical-hits.com

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The thing about a skill challenge is it abstracts the problem. It doesn't need to be a cryptex, it could be any security system.

If you are going to the trouble of including a real world device, it seems a bit of a waste to roll play opening it rather than role play opening it.

 

[Plaguescarred]

The thing about a skill challenge is it abstracts the problem. It doesn't need to be a cryptex, it could be any security system.

If you are going to the trouble of including a real world device, it seems a bit of a waste to roll play opening it rather than role play opening it.

I don't see why it would be a waste to have checks vs roleplay for overcoming a Cryptex since it's a vault with a combination lock, and while locks are real world device, we use checks to overcome them in D&D. I am toying with the idea of roleplay being involved to discuss with NPCs concerning it's origin, even may be obtain 1 success along this way.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

A cryptex is a bit more "special" than a standard combination lock, and cannot be cracked in the same way (by listening for tumblers falling into place).

If you want the document case to have a generic combination lock just say "it has a combination lock", don't bother calling it a cryptex, since you are not adding anything by doing so.

 

[Plaguescarred]

A Cryptex is adding something different to a generic locked vault, its combinasion is letters rather than numbers, both as flavor and mechanical purposes. Usually scroll case are not secured by elaborate lock system.

I'd allow a Dexterity check to listen for tumblers falling into place inside a Cryptex if the letter's position is part of the right combinasion. It could count toward 1-2 successes, but not all of them for exemple.

I envison this challenge to be overcomed using different skills rather than simply be a password entry that you know or not. May be it's wrong, but i feel it is a better way to be a multi-player challenge using their different attributes to the best of their capacities.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

its combinasion is letters rather than numbers

That's a meaningless distinction, unless the letter code is a word that can be deduced.

I'd allow a Dexterity check to listen for tumblers falling into place inside a Cryptex if the letter's position is part of the right combinasion. It could count toward 1-2 successes, but not all of them for exemple.

So, an bog standard lock that requires multiple rolls for no apparent reason.

I envison this challenge to be overcomed using different skills rather than simply be a password entry that you know or not. May be it's wrong, but i feel it is a better way to be a multi-player challenge using their different attributes to the best of their capacities.

So why is this lock so different from all the other locks the rogue cracks dozens of every adventure? The main thing about a cryptex is it's a very early example of a combination lock. Later locks - including many of those typically found in D&D - where more sophisticated.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I've come to a first draft what do you guys/gals think? Feedbacks and suggestions welcome

Skill Challenge: Cryptex
The party attempt to decipher the code and open the Cryptex
Complexity: Requires 6 successes before 3 failures.
Primary Skills DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, Wisdom (Perception) check or Dexterity (Thieve's Tools) check to deduce, inspect and carefully manipulate the Cryptex. Each skill can only be used to accomplish 2 attempts towards the overall skill challenge.
Secondary Skills DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check, Intelligence (History) check, Wisdom (Insight) check or Charisma (Persuasion) to assist Primary Skill checks to recall lore about symbols or history, obtain information from NPCs about the Cryptex's code and to anticipate or second-guess other character attempts. Skill checks denoted as assist do not count as a success or failure towards the overall skill challenge, they instead either grant advantage or disadvantage to a Primary Skill Check. Each skill can only be used to accomplish 2 attempts towards the overall skill challenge.
Success: The Cryptex unlocks and can be safely opened.
Failure: The Cryptex does not unlock and the vial of vinegar breaks, destroying the content.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Really a cryptex doesn't need any skill rolls at all. Entering an incorrect combination does not break the acid, so you can just work through all possible combinations until you get to the right one, just like opening a bicycle lock.

 

[Plaguescarred]

That's a meaningless distinction, unless the letter code is a word that can be deduced.

So, an bog standard lock that requires multiple rolls for no apparent reason.

So why is this lock so different from all the other locks the rogue cracks dozens of every adventure? The main thing about a cryptex is it's a very early example of a combination lock. Later locks - including many of those typically found in D&D - where more sophisticated.

A combinason lock wether letters or numbers, can be deduced. What makes a Cryptex different is that it uses letters that could be encrypted with a message along with it, (ex. Q: Equal time the sun crosses the celestial equator. A: Equinox) and where a failed attempt destroy the content it is protecting. If that clue is not present, i want it still be openable, but with a certain challenge for the party.