Help with Maze Map

[beckyangelix]

Basic concept:

A black dragon has used its magic to protect its hiding spot within a maze. The maze is made of swamp-like materials and extremely tall hedges.

What I usually do is draw up a map, and then place one on the table for my players, and one for me.

However. I obviously don't want them to see the map in its full state or else they'd know exactly where to go. How do I direct them through the maze without giving them the maze map in its entirety?

Should I photocopy sections and give it to them in sections? I feel like it would be hard for them to keep track of where they're going, or to visualize their path.

[Lisselys]

My 2 cents:
Let them draw the map, having someone outside the lair tell them that it is very easy to loose inside the maze. If they draw it wrong simply adjust their drawing, but only as much as to don't cheat them. If they make some little mistake it's not a problem. Having actually done this, I can assure you it's pretty fun for the group to actually understand the maze.

[DeusMortuusEst]

Give them a paper and a pen (there should be some available if you're doing this the traditional way) and describe the way. Let them map it themselves, that should increase the "mazey feeling"

[beckyangelix]

My 2 cents:
Let them draw the map, having someone outside the lair tell them that it is very easy to loose inside the maze. If they draw it wrong simply adjust their drawing, but only as much as to don't cheat them. If they make some little mistake it's not a problem. Having actually done this, I can assure you it's pretty fun for the group to actually understand the maze.

Great suggestion, this should work really well. Thanks!

[sdream]

Remember not to be too specific with dimensions and angles as you describe things. :)

[only1doug]

Thoughts on the dragons maze:

One of the David Eddings books featured a maze within a temple, the entire maze was really just a deathtrap, the path through the maze was there for visitors who needed to be guided (and the maze could be altered between their visits / while they were there) the actual route was to use a secret door to go above the maze.

So, how can we adapt this?
The maze should feature traps, for economy's sake it would be nice if we can re-use the traps, so various false routes should lead to the same trap.

The dragons path should be overhead but not obvious to flying PCs.

What defenses does the maze have against wallbusting techniques? What if the players decide to cut a new path to the center using axes or magic?

[Darrin]

Should I photocopy sections and give it to them in sections? I feel like it would be hard for them to keep track of where they're going, or to visualize their path.

That's one method. You can also cut out each corridor/room and lay them down (plus tape/post-it-notes) as they explore.

Another method would be to lay the map down, then lay sheets of paper over it. As they explore each section, remove each sheet of paper.

A variation on that... and could be expensive if you don't have a source for cheap post-it-notes is to cover the entire map with post-it-notes. This gives you a little more control over how much of each room/corridor you reveal.

You can also use a dry-erase board or dry-erase map to draw the maze on the fly... takes more time, but gives the most control over what you reveal to the players.

[Invader]

If you can I'd suggest finding some way to create a living maze that moves around (shouldn't be to hard with walls made of plant life and what not, because a smart PC will know the easiest way to the end of a maze is just keeping his left hand on the wall and walking till he gets there.

[Chess435]

Do any of your players have initiator levels? Because Mountain Hammer.

[Invader]

Do any of your players have initiator levels? Because Mountain Hammer.

Mountain hammer would be particularly unuseful give the tools an average D&D group has at their disposal.

[Laserlight]

smart PC will know the easiest way to the end of a maze is just keeping his left hand on the wall and walking till he gets there.

It's possible to design a maze where that doesn't apply.

[Invader]

It's possible to design a maze where that doesn't apply.

Can you give an example?

[Fitz10019]

... a smart PC will know the easiest way to the end of a maze is just keeping his left hand on the wall and walking till he gets there.
It's possible to design a maze where that doesn't apply.

Can you give an example?
Imagine a maze that has a big open area in the middle. Now put a smaller maze in that open area that doesn't touch any of the bigger maze's walls. Left-handing the bigger maze will never get you to the smaller maze. You would miss any 'island' of walls that don't connect to the outer wall.

What defenses does the maze have against wallbusting techniques? What if the players decide to cut a new path to the center using axes or magic?
These are a very important questions. I suggest that cutting through walls should be costly to the PCs' resources. Perhaps these hedges are acidic and the PCs' weapons show obvious wear and damage, or the hedges have blossoms that hiss poisonous gas when the stems are attacked, or even touched (to discourage climbing).

[only1doug]

Imagine a maze that has a big open area in the middle. Now put a smaller maze in that open area that doesn't touch any of the bigger maze's walls. Left-handing the bigger maze will never get you to the smaller maze. You would miss any 'island' of walls that don't connect to the outer wall.

Also, if the maze has multiple levels then all bets are off, the route to the center could be accessed through an oherwise dead end.


These are a very important questions. I suggest that cutting through walls should be costly to the PCs' resources. Perhaps these hedges are acidic and the PCs' weapons show obvious wear and damage, or the hedges have blossoms that hiss poisonous gas when the stems are attacked, or even touched (to discourage climbing).

Good suggestions, alternatively (or additionally) the walls could be fast growing, soon after being chopped down (1d4 rounds) they re-grow to full size, indistinguishable from the other maze walls.