Challenges for a wizard and a rogue

[ka_bna]

Dear all,

Soon I will continue dm'ing a campaign and for this, I ask your advice. I have two players (used to be more, but we'll manage): a rogue and a wizard. I have a story worked out for them, but how can I give both the rogue fun challenges?

I was thinking about for example a vault, where the rogue has to pick the lock while the wizard counters the vaults defenses.

Notes: 5-6th level, low-optimization, we use only Core. In the story they will have to travel across the country in search of an organisation who helps them against an other organisation who has wronged them.

Thanks in advance!

[Emperor Tippy]

Want a secure vault? You want the magic trap rules then.

Inside the vault you want a Dimensional Lock trap or Forbiddance effect to block teleportation.

You want to double layer the walls and leave a very small space in between the two layers along with a wall of force trap so that the walls block ethereal and incorporeal travel (along with stopping the players from just bashing through the walls to get in). The double layer is to make the use of disintegrate, rods of cancellation, etc. much more difficult to use as they lack LoE to the wall of force unless the user first blasts through the wall.

You want the door to have the same wall of force trap inside it. This means that to get through the door you need the Rogue to disable the trap. Then you want a regular trap to relock the door if it is unlocked, that stops Knock cold.

If you want to be a real pain then add AMF traps on the outer layer of the walls and doors.

Do all of that and the Rogue is necessary to get into the Vault.

[Malachei]

Toned down version of Tomb of Horrors.

[Chronos]

The wizard's strength comes from being able to prepare for anything, if he knows what's coming. The rogue is good at sneaking ahead and scouting. All you need to do to make the rogue important and valuable is to find some way to shut down the wizard's own methods of determining what's coming, so he has to ask the rogue.

[ka_bna]

Thanks Tippy! Question though, is the wizard needed in this vault? I will fit nicely into the campaign:smallsmile:
Malachei: I'm not trying to kill them;) Still, I'll look into it for ideas.
Chronos: I wouldn't count on the wizard on knowing a lot, it is a low-optimization character who knows just as much as the rogue. Any ideas for that situation?

[Emperor Tippy]

Thanks Tippy! Question though, is the wizard needed in this vault? I will fit nicely into the campaign:smallsmile:
He doesn't have to be, but he could be if you want him to be.

Throw in a permanent wall of fire (at lower levels) or prismatic wall (at higher levels) that the players have to get passed inside the vault. The Rogue can't disable those but the wizard can, especially if you give him some advance warning that he will need certain spells prepared.