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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Different way to run module riddles



hikite
2020-11-28, 11:25 AM
I have DM'd modules that use riddles, and this has always been odd for me. The PC fights, uses skills, makes saves, and uses abilities; then you get to a point that requires the person to solve something that uses none of the PCs talents. If it is just a balanced fight that happens then its no big deal, but if its solve this or you are dead and the adventure is over - that is not fair for the PCs effort to get there, or the DMs work to prepare it all. I run a module that does this, and modified it to keep the riddle element true to the dungeon but keeps it more D&D character based. Any thoughts are welcome. Thank You!

ECL 10-12 party

(Pandora's Test- 3 riddles(wisdom check DC 24 gives hint, any fail creates a sudden death challenge, failure of sudden death 3 results in losing the test. IF PCs fail the test Pandora disappears for a year and a day, and then will regive the test.)

(sudden death 1- Brain Teaser, Pandora presents a marigold painting and says,"Clearly you need a hand, find them in this painting" there are a pair of hands painted in the painting. The PCs need to find it to solve the brain teaser, Profession Art/or art related skill DC 30 to reveal a hint)

(sudden death 2- Picture Puzzle, Pandora waves her hand and the PCs are seemingly in Tarterus. She says,"Before you is a bog from the overflow of the River Styx between the mountains Othyrs. Identify what is in the setting before you that is not in the mirror. Handing me the solution will move you back up." Pandora then waves her hands, and a mirror appears reflecting the area opposite its face seemingly perfectly. The PCs must find the missing hands not in the mirror to complete the picture puzzle. Profession design/or related skill DC 30 to reveal a hint)

(sudden death 3- Blood Wall, Each PC enters a circular cave with no visible exits. The wall has a riddle engraved in it; "The key is found within you head, use the key to paint me red, be aware of what you spurn, for what you give shall be returned." The PC must use blood and smear it on the wall. A duplicate of what the blood came from emerges out of the wall. The PC must fight and defeat the duplicate to open the cave. If PC refuses to fight, the duplicate will stop fighting when PC is at 1 HP and the wall opens. If PC kills duplicate it fills the room with cloudkill for 14 minutes DC 18. If PC survives this this they pass the challenge, If PC dies then they fail but are returned to life via raise dead spell. At least 1 PC must succeed to beat this challenge.)

John Out West
2020-11-28, 09:42 PM
Yeah i've recently created a bunch of puzzles/riddles for new players to solve, but knew that if they couldn't solve them that it would ruin the game and slow it down. (Bad situation to have for a first ever quest)

What I made were what I like to call "Glass Locks." Every puzzle could be broken instead of solved, but generally at a cost. For example: "This ancient Library can only by left solving a puzzle, but a thin key to the door is known to the players to be somewhere in the thousands of books, so if you throw them all in the central pyre you'll find it really quick, at the cost of all this ancient knowledge of magic and alchemy." In another version, the library came alive and the players had to physically destroy the Book-Elemental to get the key. The players will sit and think on the puzzle as long as they can, but they will give up before they get frustrated and progress with the quest.

Pretty much everything the players do is already character based, save for Wisdom(Cleverness and puzzle solving) and charisma (roleplaying with another PC or NPC). I think its okay to let the player shine through, since all strength, dex, knowledge, and con checks can't be replicated in real life. Besides, at that point you might as well say "The puzzlemaster gives you a puzzle. Roll wisdom!" and just treat it as a general skillcheck.

I feel like keeping things "Character Based" for puzzles is really more of a role-playing opportunity than anything else. When playing my half-orc, i would always solve puzzles accidently by talking about something else at the time. "Where does a Vampire Sleep?" *Coughs* "Sorry i keep coffin..." *Ding Ding Ding!* "Hey look, the door opened by itself!"

That being said, i have no problem with a life or death riddle, as long as the players are aware of the consequences and choose to proceed anyway. I woudln't have a puzzle like that locking something that stops the game and ends the quest, but it could be locking something else that is important.

Hope that helps!

hikite
2020-11-29, 11:53 AM
It is helpful, It gives me different options for those situations. I am gonna definitely use this in my Whiteplume Mountain module. There is a riddle section that isn't get it right or lose, but is just boring. The glass lock idea will add some personality to it. Fun stuff.