D&D 1E What are examples of "gotchya" encounters from Gary Gygax?

[GreyLord]

If I recall, the original guys who played ToH (Kuntz, Gygax) didn't actually beat it in the traditional manner that some think of with just a party forging it's way through.

Get a HORDE of Orcs or other slaves and drive them through the Tomb by force. Over-run all the traps, fill the halls with their dead (actually, I think someone said they only used 4 orcs, but I think the number would be higher), etc. Enough slaves run through the tomb should dismantle a great deal of it or at least show you where the traps lie.

Of course, doing such would probably be a VERY evil act, but it's one of a few ways through it. Add in shovels and picks and you get yourself a winner.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

If I recall, the original guys who played ToH (Kuntz, Gygax) didn't actually beat it in the traditional manner that some think of with just a party forging it's way through.

Get a HORDE of Orcs or other slaves and drive them through the Tomb by force. Over-run all the traps, fill the halls with their dead (actually, I think someone said they only used 4 orcs, but I think the number would be higher), etc. Enough slaves run through the tomb should dismantle a great deal of it or at least show you where the traps lie.

Of course, doing such would probably be a VERY evil act, but it's one of a few ways through it. Add in shovels and picks and you get yourself a winner.

I had great fun in a one-shot with an evil drow bard against it. Primary strategy was using "Conjure Animals" and bamboozling NPCs to trigger all the traps. Game dissolved before we finished, unfortunately.

 

[R_J_K75]

I always loved the mimic and mimic-adjacent monsters, the lurker, trapper, to some extent the Cloaker. Nothing induces paranoia better than the entire dungeon environment trying to actively kill you.

Executioners Hood too.

I always liked the Disenchanter...they posed absolutely no threat.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Did they manage to defeat Acererak? If I recall correctly, in demi-lich form he requires some pretty specific things to be destroyed or even harmed.

My players succeeded in the tomb of horrors because they were high enough level and smart enough to survive it.