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Thrawn4
2019-10-30, 03:55 PM
Hello everyone.
So I'd like to add more riddles to my adventures, and I've been thinking about some generic ideas that can be re-used. You know, categories that outline possible riddles.

1. Combine items
You know this from video games. Certain items have certain characteristics, and you can combine them in new ways to solve something. A rope and a branch might serve as an improvised grappling hook, certain chemicals might be combined to create explosives...

2. Combine information
You find several pieces of information, maybe an address book and a picture with a name on it. Look up the name in the book and you find a telephone number.

3. Riddle
A classic in the dungeon to test your mettle, and I guess in a modern setting somebody might use it if they feel really superior (because they take you for a gimp).

4. Password
I love this one, because you people have thousands of different ways to remember, and you can use them all: they write down some hints, might refer to their favourite book, use their nickname, or use a very simple system. Basically, it opens up very creative ways.

5. Callback
Kind of easy, but still useful: You are given a certain information, maybe a prophecy or just a schedule, and have to remember it later on in order to fill in the gaps.

I'd love to hear your ideas :-)

Trandir
2019-10-30, 05:18 PM
Possible riddle:

Code.
A code is pretty funny in the concept, unlike riddles and puzzles the text itself is the reward and you need to solve how to read it. It is possible to solve one without knowing how it has been coded but there is usually a logic in the scheme and a "key" that coul be found by logic or a physical one that is somewhere in a dungeon/mansion/lair or what have you.




Edit: this is not what you asked for but I like the idea

Not a DM but if I will ever make a puzzle I'd definitely put your usual designated guardian asking a riddle to let the party enter a room or let go of whatever it's under his protection. But the trick is that the riddle is made without an answer. You just put togheter random arcaic sentences and then see your players go through possible answers until they find one that fit.

Spriteless
2019-10-30, 06:27 PM
I rather like fixing a broken prophesy: PC is important future king or something.
Player: sweet plot armor! *takes risks and gets killed*
Me GM: well how are you going to find a substitute?

Thrawn4
2019-10-31, 04:34 AM
Possible riddle:

Code.
A code is pretty funny in the concept, unlike riddles and puzzles the text itself is the reward and you need to solve how to read it. It is possible to solve one without knowing how it has been coded but there is usually a logic in the scheme and a "key" that coul be found by logic or a physical one that is somewhere in a dungeon/mansion/lair or what have you.




Edit: this is not what you asked for but I like the idea

Not a DM but if I will ever make a puzzle I'd definitely put your usual designated guardian asking a riddle to let the party enter a room or let go of whatever it's under his protection. But the trick is that the riddle is made without an answer. You just put togheter random arcaic sentences and then see your players go through possible answers until they find one that fit.
I really like the code idea. The second idea has some merit as well... I guess you could use it as a test for a characters ability to distinguish patterns and act rationally.

Pleh
2019-10-31, 09:20 AM
Kind of a special case that could fall under Callback or Combine Information:

The Historical Codeword.

Some riddles could be based on understanding the history of the culture it belongs to. A quick example might be an Elven lock hidden in a mural of Elvish history. By identifying the point in history where Corellon fought Gruumsh, the players may discover a button disguised as the eye that Corellon took from Gruumsh.

The key to doing this well is to foreshadow the key information so the players could reasonably guess the answer without knowledge checks (or based on knowledge checks they made several sessions ago).

Indiana Jones solving each puzzle with subsequent Knowledge checks makes a good movie, but not a great game (because it becomes a pass/fail roll that is uninteresting in either case). For TTRPGs, you want the players to learn each critical piece of information as they go (and mix in some red herrings to keep the solution from becoming too obvious).

El'the Ellie
2019-10-31, 01:13 PM
{U]Teaching[/U] players is a great way of making them feel smart or creative.

This is done all the time in video games oftentimes without us realizing: The first room has enemies standing near a bunch of barrels. The barrels explode when you shoot them, which is big and memorable! Cool way of dealing with the enemies.

A few rooms later, barrels are scattered near you when enemies show up. Wait, these barrels explode. Better not stand near them.

Last room has a big stone door with a riddle to go through. And it has some barrels. Now your players get a choice: solve the riddle, or connect the dots with the barrels and blow the door.

Exploding barrels is the big dumb obvious choice because everyone likes to blow something up in fantasy games, but crafting new gameplay mechanics and then teaching them to players is great. In a cave filled with constructs? Teach them that electricity damage excites them and makes them faster. Then the last room is blocked off by a big dead construct. Blast it with lighting to power it on and get it out of the way. (Bonus points if it becomes the final boss of the area.)

Here are some links I like about teaching new mechanics (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZoQ9a7oPvo) and what makes puzzles good (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsjC6fa_YBg).