puzzle help
- Thread starter sammy
- Start date
Leif
Adventurer
Sorry, I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Puzzle-Locks is an obvious one, sure, but you know that already.
Ok here's another tried-and-true staple of many fantasy stories/movies, as well as, I think, a few Star Trek episodes and what not: The Life Sized Chessboard, where the characters have to move across the board in the way that the chess piece they represent (depending upon where they enter the board) could move. Possibly each character could be required to defeat opposing "pieces" in single combat? That's pretty weak.
The old puzzle box is a good one. It looks like a block of wood, but by sliding pices here, turning a piece there, and holding your mouth just right you open the hidden compartment that holds a small, valuable item. Might I suggest a ring? The ring could convey some advantage for getting across the chessboard, too....
A staff/scepter that can both 1) fit into a specially designed socket on the throne to cause the throne to slide to one side, revealing the stairs to the king's treasure room below; and/or 2) be fitted into a carved door (the carving is of a woodland scene or something, so the "socket" for the scepter is not obvious, say, Spot DC 16) which can then be opened to reveal the secret passageway that the king uses to surreptitiously consult with his Court Wizard or something.
Ok here's another tried-and-true staple of many fantasy stories/movies, as well as, I think, a few Star Trek episodes and what not: The Life Sized Chessboard, where the characters have to move across the board in the way that the chess piece they represent (depending upon where they enter the board) could move. Possibly each character could be required to defeat opposing "pieces" in single combat? That's pretty weak.
The old puzzle box is a good one. It looks like a block of wood, but by sliding pices here, turning a piece there, and holding your mouth just right you open the hidden compartment that holds a small, valuable item. Might I suggest a ring? The ring could convey some advantage for getting across the chessboard, too....
A staff/scepter that can both 1) fit into a specially designed socket on the throne to cause the throne to slide to one side, revealing the stairs to the king's treasure room below; and/or 2) be fitted into a carved door (the carving is of a woodland scene or something, so the "socket" for the scepter is not obvious, say, Spot DC 16) which can then be opened to reveal the secret passageway that the king uses to surreptitiously consult with his Court Wizard or something.
Rugult
On Call GM
It might be interesting to use a box akin to the 'Lament Configuration' from Hellraiser. It's something I have always seen a Necromancer keeping about.
Maybe have them enter some room that is trapped, with the doors sealed. Then use a rubics cube and time them as they go through it...
But of course I am a mean DM....
Maybe have them enter some room that is trapped, with the doors sealed. Then use a rubics cube and time them as they go through it...
But of course I am a mean DM....
Leif
Adventurer
A Riddle, and I ask forgiveness in advance....
This thread has been a burr under my saddle all day! Thanks!
Anyway, I thought I might as well try to write a riddle of my own, and I know this isn't terribly good, but here goes nothing:
"Look Dear One and you can see,
Reflections in my faces three.
For buying your way into heaven,
Faces four, five, six, and seven.
I embody wealth again,
Faces eight, nine, and ten.
My beauty you could never shelve,
Face Eleven and Face Twelve.
But, 'tis true, do not you see,
My faces are but a part of me.
As a whole my worth surpasses
Many others of fewer facets."
[sblock=Answer]The Answer is, of course, a Cut Diamond.[/sblock]
This thread has been a burr under my saddle all day! Thanks!
Anyway, I thought I might as well try to write a riddle of my own, and I know this isn't terribly good, but here goes nothing:
"Look Dear One and you can see,
Reflections in my faces three.
For buying your way into heaven,
Faces four, five, six, and seven.
I embody wealth again,
Faces eight, nine, and ten.
My beauty you could never shelve,
Face Eleven and Face Twelve.
But, 'tis true, do not you see,
My faces are but a part of me.
As a whole my worth surpasses
Many others of fewer facets."
[sblock=Answer]The Answer is, of course, a Cut Diamond.[/sblock]
Last edited:
sammy said:
What sorts of puzzles do you reasonably expect your players to be able to solve?
Do you want puzzles that can be "brute forced" if your players don't know how (or want to) solve them or do you want them stopped dead at a wall if they can't solve?
One puzzle we had in a game a while back was a huge tiled ballroom with sigils on several tiles and of course we needed to reach the door on the other side. The ballroom was essentially a large Minesweeper grid, stepping on mines slapped the stepper with an Inflict Wounds spell.
Scotley
Hero
Here's one for a necromancer. A door locked with magic that is keyed to a certain giant. Said giant has been slain long ago in a nearby room. Arrange the room so they get to the bones before they come to the door. The skeleton lies in pieces in a nearby room. The players have to make a DC 15 heal check or DC 20 knowledge nature check to properly assemble the skeleton. Once this is done, the skeleton animates strides to the door, opens it, bows, returns to his resting place and promptly falls apart. If they miss the check by more than 5 nothing happens, if they miss by less than five the skeleton animates and fights rather than opening the door. Once the slay it the process starts over. If they make the check by more than 5 perhaps the skeleton gives them some additional reward.
Make the door over-sized and put some suitable carving on it. "This is Giant George's door, old George doesn't walk anymore, he's lost his legs, his head and more. Put him together wrong and he'll make war. Put him together right and you can go fore." Pretty lame, clue, but maybe you can polish it up a bit. If you think they might not get it, you can make it more obvious by leaving something with the giant's name on it near the body.
Make the door over-sized and put some suitable carving on it. "This is Giant George's door, old George doesn't walk anymore, he's lost his legs, his head and more. Put him together wrong and he'll make war. Put him together right and you can go fore." Pretty lame, clue, but maybe you can polish it up a bit. If you think they might not get it, you can make it more obvious by leaving something with the giant's name on it near the body.
Scotley
Hero
Here's one that is a little more counter-intuitive. At least it involves players doing something they would normally avoid.
The find a small room with a big fountain. There is a massive strangely carved log in the room. Closer observation reveals a hole in the ceiling that looks suspeciously like a keyhole. Could the log be a key? The trick here is to plug up the drain on the fountain, seal the doors to the room and let it fill up with water to float the key up where they can guide it into the hole. You can vary the danger here by requiring lots of swim and str. checks to get the key into the hole and turn it before they drown. Or you can make it fairly easy once they figure it out. Either way, rooms that fill with water are something players naturally avoid rather than create. Should be fun to watch them do this one.
The find a small room with a big fountain. There is a massive strangely carved log in the room. Closer observation reveals a hole in the ceiling that looks suspeciously like a keyhole. Could the log be a key? The trick here is to plug up the drain on the fountain, seal the doors to the room and let it fill up with water to float the key up where they can guide it into the hole. You can vary the danger here by requiring lots of swim and str. checks to get the key into the hole and turn it before they drown. Or you can make it fairly easy once they figure it out. Either way, rooms that fill with water are something players naturally avoid rather than create. Should be fun to watch them do this one.
Similar Threads
