I'm going to run a backrooms themed campaign but to keep it from just endless corridors I'm going to add randomized rooms but i have run out of room ideas so does anyone have any interesting puzzle / room ideas that I could use in it?
You're looking for unique rooms to use in somewhat of an endless maze/dungeon-type setting? Here is an idea. This is a trap-based room meant to lure the players in and then have them ambushed. You have a cradle, in which is the form of a small child. The players can here crying from within the cradle. Upon nearing the cradle, false panels fall from around them and some Kenku jump out, one of them from the cradle. Kenku can imitate sounds and are formidable foes to lower-level players. This will force them to think fast to defeat this small group who launched an ambush. Make sure to leave some reward, like a limited use item to heal them or cast a spell. This will make the players think fast, but reward them if they do.
I've been workshopping this idea for my players but it's still really rough. I'm running with a 4 man party so I'm imagining a "room" that separates the four players into 4 different versions of the same room. Players would have to compare descriptions of their rooms to work out what's different and use those differing elements to get out of the rooms. A quick example would be "Room 1 has a bookshelf packed to the brim with books." "Room Two has a bookshelf with only one book on it. DC 15 Investigation check - It looks like it was a switch but it doesn't seem to work." Room 2 Player would communicate what book was on the shelf so Room 1 player could pull the book activating the switch and moving the bookshelf in Rooms 1-4 to the side. Maybe only Rooms 3 and 4 have something behind the bookcase though. After that it just a series of steps before players can escape by eventually grouping up in one room and moving forward.
The DMG has random tables for dungeon rooms. You can also use this random generator based on those tables. You won't be getting full-fledged ideas, but it may inspire you. TCE actually has full-fledged puzzles. And if that's not enough for you, just borrow ideas from video games you play. For instance, The Legend of Zelda series is smack full of good dungeon rooms.
The door is a huge mouth (rather like the classic backrooms image) but is disguised as a door and the players find themselves crushed inside the stomach of a huge extra-dimensional monster, which they have to fight out of sarlac style.
I like the standard powerful magic item given to you, but in order to leave the room you have to destroy it. A potion of Cloud Giant strength and a door/boulder that you need to have a strength of 27 in order to move it is my favorite. Simple to understand, easy enough to figure out, but you can obfuscate it a lot. Do not label the potion, do not let them know the only door out requires exactly a strength of 27, put in some red herrings like tiny doors that lead to the potion but circle back, strange riddles that talk about how only the clouds can get out, etc.
Best of all the potion lasts for 1 hour so if they are smart, the party can make some use of the potion - if you give them an encounter within the next hour.
I'm going to run a backrooms themed campaign but to keep it from just endless corridors I'm going to add randomized rooms but i have run out of room ideas so does anyone have any interesting puzzle / room ideas that I could use in it?
You're looking for unique rooms to use in somewhat of an endless maze/dungeon-type setting? Here is an idea. This is a trap-based room meant to lure the players in and then have them ambushed. You have a cradle, in which is the form of a small child. The players can here crying from within the cradle. Upon nearing the cradle, false panels fall from around them and some Kenku jump out, one of them from the cradle. Kenku can imitate sounds and are formidable foes to lower-level players. This will force them to think fast to defeat this small group who launched an ambush. Make sure to leave some reward, like a limited use item to heal them or cast a spell. This will make the players think fast, but reward them if they do.
I've been workshopping this idea for my players but it's still really rough. I'm running with a 4 man party so I'm imagining a "room" that separates the four players into 4 different versions of the same room. Players would have to compare descriptions of their rooms to work out what's different and use those differing elements to get out of the rooms. A quick example would be "Room 1 has a bookshelf packed to the brim with books." "Room Two has a bookshelf with only one book on it. DC 15 Investigation check - It looks like it was a switch but it doesn't seem to work." Room 2 Player would communicate what book was on the shelf so Room 1 player could pull the book activating the switch and moving the bookshelf in Rooms 1-4 to the side. Maybe only Rooms 3 and 4 have something behind the bookcase though. After that it just a series of steps before players can escape by eventually grouping up in one room and moving forward.
The DMG has random tables for dungeon rooms. You can also use this random generator based on those tables. You won't be getting full-fledged ideas, but it may inspire you. TCE actually has full-fledged puzzles. And if that's not enough for you, just borrow ideas from video games you play. For instance, The Legend of Zelda series is smack full of good dungeon rooms.
Age: 33 | Sex: Male | Languages: French and English | Roles: DM and Player
The door is a huge mouth (rather like the classic backrooms image) but is disguised as a door and the players find themselves crushed inside the stomach of a huge extra-dimensional monster, which they have to fight out of sarlac style.
Be Excellent to one another. Rock on dude.
I like the standard powerful magic item given to you, but in order to leave the room you have to destroy it. A potion of Cloud Giant strength and a door/boulder that you need to have a strength of 27 in order to move it is my favorite. Simple to understand, easy enough to figure out, but you can obfuscate it a lot. Do not label the potion, do not let them know the only door out requires exactly a strength of 27, put in some red herrings like tiny doors that lead to the potion but circle back, strange riddles that talk about how only the clouds can get out, etc.
Best of all the potion lasts for 1 hour so if they are smart, the party can make some use of the potion - if you give them an encounter within the next hour.