Real-Time Puzzles

[drowjoe]

The guys I game with are very smart and resourceful. The seem to come up with ways to get around everything I throw there way. They are definite gaming veterans...

They range from 11th-13th level currently and are coming to the end of a campaign. I want to put some puzzles/traps that are real-time near the end to make them think.

I found one on here and modifed it slightly.
12 gems, same color, same size, and same weight from what they can tell
A scale sits on a table near the gems.
They have 3 tries at weighing the gems to find which one is the lighter or heavier out of the 12.
The must have a minimum of 2 stones per side on the scale while weighing.
How much time should I allow for this? I was considering 1 1/2 - 2 minutes total

Plus any other ideas on some real-time puzzles...

Joe

 

[Geoff Watson]

These sort of puzzles may not work very well, especially with a short time limit.
Either the players will know the trick to solving it, or not. A couple of minutes isn't long enough to think up a solution if they don't already know it.

Geoff.

 

[kramis]

hard puzzle

I'm the one who posted that puzzle and should warn you that it is quite difficult if you haven't seen it before. I wouldn't put a time limit on that one, and certainly not 2 minutes.

Time limits are hard in general in this way. The best to have them not forced to be "stopped" at a puzzle ... so they can go off and do other things while maybe one who is interested or has an idea continues to work on it, or they let their subconcious minds rumble around on it a bit.

Also posting clues around other areas can be useful.

 

[drowjoe]

Well this puzzle is near the end of the campaign and these characters are very smart. I mean within a few minutes they thought of a way to by-pass my whole mountain passages to arrive at this section. I thought of everything to stop them but couldn't.

They will be going up a group called the "Order of the Mind", or as they call them "Order of the Shattered Mind". A cult run by 6 brothers, 5 now, each is a Psionist. One respectively in each ability. This group is in cahoots with a group of mindflayers. So a puzzle this tough that makes them think wouldn't be out of the order to gain entrance to the underground liar.

Plus, I would seal off the room once everyone was in to make sure it was a group effort. One way in, one way out.

Joe

 

[trix]

Feeblemind

For things like hold person, feeblemind, and other character dibilitating spells, I like throwing some easy puzzles at the individuals to solve while the others do-what-they've-got-to-do... usually combat/etc.

That way the player can join the combat once the spell duration is over or once s/he solves the puzzle.

In addition, for larger puzzles, tell them that there is a timelimit, but dont tell them the timelimit. Then you decide when they're hopelessly lost and cut the timelimit at that point. This way you gauge the difficulty as they proceed.

-Tim

 

[Telor]

One of my favorites:
At a dinner table with some kind of court:
In order to prove that they are smart enough to solve a problem for the kingdom the group was given a wine glass (must be a wine glass - the kind that have a wide base above the stem and narrow at the top) and an olive. A tumbler is placed before them and they are not allowed to touch the tumbler with anything.
They must use the wine glass to place the olive in the tumbler.

Do you guys know the solution to this puzzle? I won't post it right away to give people some time to figure it out on their own.

While I was waiting for my table at an Olive Garden, the bartender gave me this puzzle and said no one (that he has given the puzzle) has ever solved it without help. I solved it in 5min and he gave me a few drinks on the house.

-Telor