Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="FrozenNorth" data-source="post: 8567291" data-attributes="member: 7020832">There are a number of different ways to do this:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">puzzle with limited solutions with each wrong solution hurting the party;</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">third party that can solve the puzzle (or give hints) at a cost;</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">alternate ways to solve</li>
</ul>Aaaaand my favorite, hints based on what the characters actually try, rather than on their Intelligence.Story time:&nbsp; the party was confronted by a door with multiple locks.&nbsp; There were 4 clasps that held the door in place.&nbsp; They had the two keys to the door, which had a simple puzzle to find the correct lock, but the party was having difficulty with it.&nbsp; Just opening all the locks wasn’t an option, because the locks were connected among them: unlocking an incorrect lock would relock a different one.Of the party I think only one of them had a decent Int score (the rogue, with a 14).&nbsp; The others all had an 8 or 10. (Maybe I should have only let the Rogue solve the puzzle?)They were stumped.&nbsp; Then the telekinetic GOO warlock suggests using telekinesis to work backward from the clasps (mechanism being on the other side of the door so not easily visible).&nbsp; Not trigger them remotely, but use telekinesis the feel them to identify the appropriate lock.&nbsp; A bit outside the realm of the telekinesis feat, but I allow him to give it a try.&nbsp; Roll Cha (with prof) against set DC.&nbsp; Average.&nbsp; He burns inspiration to reroll (houserule in my games).&nbsp; Success!And all this from a character who would not have been allowed to participate in the puzzle because the character does not have high Int.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="FrozenNorth, post: 8567291, member: 7020832"] There are a number of different ways to do this: [LIST] [*]puzzle with limited solutions with each wrong solution hurting the party; [*]third party that can solve the puzzle (or give hints) at a cost; [*]alternate ways to solve [/LIST] Aaaaand my favorite, hints based on [I]what the characters actually try[/I], rather than on their Intelligence. Story time: the party was confronted by a door with multiple locks. There were 4 clasps that held the door in place. They had the two keys to the door, which had a simple puzzle to find the correct lock, but the party was having difficulty with it. Just opening all the locks wasn’t an option, because the locks were connected among them: unlocking an incorrect lock would relock a different one. Of the party I think only one of them had a decent Int score (the rogue, with a 14). The others all had an 8 or 10. (Maybe I should have only let the Rogue solve the puzzle?) They were stumped. Then the telekinetic GOO warlock suggests using telekinesis to work backward from the clasps (mechanism being on the other side of the door so not easily visible). Not trigger them remotely, but use telekinesis the feel them to identify the appropriate lock. A bit outside the realm of the telekinesis feat, but I allow him to give it a try. Roll Cha (with prof) against set DC. Average. He burns inspiration to reroll (houserule in my games). Success! And all this from a character who would not have been allowed to participate in the puzzle because the character does not have high Int. [/QUOTE]

Verification