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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7161766" data-attributes="member: 20323">In part of the high-level (15th-16th) dungeon I'm working on, there's a multi-tiered garden that is enchanted with a "powerful dweomer making its winding path act like a maze spell." (quote from a Dragon magazine article I used for a bit of inspiration)I'm trying to devise an interesting and playable way to evoke the feel of a magical maze without using the maze spell's mechanics (which aren't that conducive to exploring). Would love to hear your thoughts, experiences, or ideas <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I thought about using the complex trap layout from <a href="https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/0227_UATraps.pdf" target="_blank">Unearthed Arcana Traps Revisited</a>, but that didn't really fit what I was doing here. Yet it's a bit too complex to fit neatly into the flow of regular text. I'm thinking I need to devise my own format for presenting this puzzle/trick.The area layout is very roughly like this (with 16 areas I've devised in the garden)...[SBLOCK=rough layout]<img src="http://i.imgur.com/jj4GI5M.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/SBLOCK]The red line indicates a stone-and-metal lattice (something like the picture of jalis below) with razorvine climbing over it. There are passageways into the gardens through the lattice. However, once a creature enters the gardens proper it suffers from this powerful dweomer preventing it from finding the exits out. The dweomer is a mix of enchantment & illusion... lattices appear completely covered in razorvine... affected creatures wander by potential exits without even realizing, gradually losing interest in escaping.[SBLOCK=Jalis lattice]<img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/10/e5/f8/10e5f87d324b81aa8402feb20ee831dc--chain-mail-indian-curry.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/SBLOCK]There will be countermeasures. For starters, creatures immune to being charmed and immune to maze spells are unaffected. Similarly, creatures speaking the command word before entering are unaffected. Spells like find the path or transport via plants may allow creatures to escape. Searching for an exit is possible given 10 minutes and an Intelligence saving throw; on a success a creature finds a way out for itself, but on a failure it wanders in a dream-like trance to a random area of the gardens.-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-I read <a href="http://theangrygm.com/ask-angry-unsucking-mazes/" target="_blank">Angry GM's article about mazes</a> which I'll summarize: [SECTION]Mazes generally suck in D&D. But you *can* do an interesting maze if you include some of the following...Tension arises when there is an element of danger to remaining in the maze.Uncertain solution arises when the PCs need to solve an actual puzzle to find the exit. Meaningful choice arises when there are clues at intersections allowing PCs to exit faster & avoid dangers.Mapping challenge to discover secret rooms or reveal teleporter tricks.[/SECTION]</blockquote>

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