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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 5897944" data-attributes="member: 20323">[MENTION=6678017]Trit One-Ear[/MENTION]Another idea: The door is covered with a series of magic tiles each with some depiction on it (for example 3 x 3 tiles with scenes of hell, or the lords of nine, or the dark eight + cantrum). A plaque nearby - or perhaps a scroll acquired elsewhere in the dungeon - has a cryptic riddle, each line of which describes one of the tiles, as well as the overall shape the "answer" tiles form (e.g X or I or H or T or C or +). If possible, all of the lines taken together should allude to some overarching principle which shares the same name as the shape created. For example, when I ran this puzzle for my group it was to enter a thieves' secret lair...[sblock=Gate of 9 Thieves]"I am the finder of hidden treasure,Yet I am also the assassin's gold.I am the product when twins couple,Yet I am also the lover left behind.Who am I?"There are 3 x 3 tiles with engraved images arranged thus:Old Hand (recruiter)......Rum Diver (pickpocket)......HitmanBox Man (safe cracker)......Guild Master......Scapegallows (escape artist)Dice Runner (gambler)........Fence........Sharper (con artist)[/sblock][sblock=The Answer]X. Specifically, in this order: Old Hand, Hitman, Gambler, Sharper, and Guild Master.[/sblock]What makes the puzzle interesting is that it can respond however you need for your game. When the PCs try 5 tile combinations (or however many is the "right" amount), the magic door mechanism checks if the answer is correct if not... Well then it's up to you how nasty it is. In mine each tile picked wrong had a unique effect, as it was an elite trap.Since your group is already in the dungeon it might be interesting to have an alarm go off the first time the puzzle is solved wrong, thus creating a time pressure for the PCs to open the door (and some kooks for antsy players to kill while the "smart ones" figure out the puzzle).Oh, and here are my 3 very important rules to DMing puzzles....1. Make the puzzle optional (e.g there's another way in besides the puzzle trapped door)2. The puzzle shouldn't take more than 30 minutes game time. Have a backup plan to speed things along if the puzzle is eating up too much time (unless your players are hardcore puzzle fiends).3. Prepare balanced clues keyed to certain ability/skill checks.</blockquote>

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