D&D 5E Riddles and Puzzles in Gaming and Dungeons and Dragons in particular.

[Paul Farquhar]

Chances are your GM doesn't have a genius-level IQ either

I wouldn't count on that.

 

[Oofta]

The player's intelligence and ability at playing the game is always a major factor in their PC's success. And, honestly, it should be. There's nothing satisfying or fun about "solving" a puzzle or "beating" a challenge by making a die roll or even a few die rolls without engaging the player's intelligence, judgement, and skill. With that in mind, an intelligence check shouldn't solve a puzzle - just offer hints that will guide the players a bit.

So being a typical couch potato I can play Conan the Barbarian, but I can only play Sherlock Holmes if I'm as smart as my character?

The fact that puzzles and riddles by their nature cannot be resolved by the PC is the heart of the problem.

If you and your group enjoy it, fantastic. In my experience the majority of people by a fairly large margin do not.

 

[billd91]

So being a typical couch potato I can play Conan the Barbarian, but I can only play Sherlock Holmes if I'm as smart as my character?

The fact that puzzles and riddles by their nature cannot be resolved by the PC is the heart of the problem.

If you and your group enjoy it, fantastic. In my experience the majority of people by a fairly large margin do not.

If it's a problem, let's face it, it's a problem that will never be solved very well. If Sherlock Holmes's perceptiveness and subsequent deductions are modeled by skill or intelligence checks without the player thinking things through, what else is there for the player to do other than move the PC about the room, hire cabs, play the violin, and occasionally shoot at things? And you can do that with Lestrade and Watson (well, maybe not play the violin). What's the point of playing Holmes if not to figure the mystery out? Surely not to have the mystery told to you by the GM because you rolled well-enough.

 

[Oofta]

If it's a problem, let's face it, it's a problem that will never be solved very well. If Sherlock Holmes's perceptiveness and subsequent deductions are modeled by skill or intelligence checks without the player thinking things through, what else is there for the player to do other than move the PC about the room, hire cabs, play the violin, and occasionally shoot at things? And you can do that with Lestrade and Watson (well, maybe not play the violin). What's the point of playing Holmes if not to figure the mystery out? Surely not to have the mystery told to you by the GM because you rolled well-enough.

I could build a Sherlock Holmes type character with enough skill focus feats (i.e. observant). An inquisitive rogue would be a good start. Ignore stealth and traps while focusing your expertise on insight, perception, investigation, history, nature, arcana.

Much of what made Holmes a great detective was his memory of details and ability to pick up on things other people miss. To a certain degree you are still dependent on the DM to remind the player pieces of information they picked up along the way - so I'd take the keen mind feat as well.

 

[Satyrn]

I could build a Sherlock Holmes type character . . .

But you use point buy, don't you? You'd have to get special permission from your DM to assign the right Intelligence score.

 

[Oofta]

But you use point buy, don't you? You'd have to get special permission from your DM to assign the right Intelligence score.

I don't view the Sherlock Holmes from the book as being a 1st level detective. It would take a few levels to get there but I don't think it's impossible.

Now if you really wanted to mimic the detective (who was kind of a Marty Sue) you'd have to tweak some things. But even a 16 intelligence is a fair amount smarter than your average bloke.

 

[Satyrn]

I don't view the Sherlock Holmes from the book as being a 1st level detective. It would take a few levels to get there but I don't think it's impossible.

Now if you really wanted to mimic the detective (who was kind of a Marty Sue) you'd have to tweak some things. But even a 16 intelligence is a fair amount smarter than your average bloke.

Dang. You didn't catch the setup.

I was hoping you'd remember the 5 Intelligence Sherlock thread from back on WotC's forum.

 

[Oofta]

Dang. You didn't catch the setup.

I was hoping you'd remember the 5 Intelligence Sherlock thread from back on WotC's forum.

I barely remember what I had for breakfast, you expect me to remember something from WotC's forum?

 

[Satyrn]

I barely remember what I had for breakfast, you expect me to remember something from WotC's forum?

Well this explains why you want to use your character's Intelligence skills rather than your own

 

[billd91]

I could build a Sherlock Holmes type character with enough skill focus feats (i.e. observant). An inquisitive rogue would be a good start. Ignore stealth and traps while focusing your expertise on insight, perception, investigation, history, nature, arcana.

Much of what made Holmes a great detective was his memory of details and ability to pick up on things other people miss. To a certain degree you are still dependent on the DM to remind the player pieces of information they picked up along the way - so I'd take the keen mind feat as well.

Great - so you've got some stuff to buff your die rolls. But - what die roll is going to make your deductions for you?