I'm running the final dungeon of our campaign, where the players are going to have to rescue a handful of their NPC friends from precarious situations throughout the dungeon. I'm trying to think of some good examples of puzzles I could add that incorporate NPCs in danger if the players take too long, get it wrong, etc, where it still feels fair (they should still have a decent shot at rescuing them before something terrible happens). I'd like to do something more original than just "traditional dungeon puzzle but on a time limit" (but I'm not necessarily above that, I guess). I'm curious if anyone else has run a similar scenario and created/discovered puzzles that fit that MO.
You could do something like, the NPC is dangling over a pit of acid, and every time the players make a mistake in a puzzle, the NPC is lowered closer to the acid.
Just be careful with puzzles. They usually challenge the players, not the characters. Which can be really fun for some groups, but other times has people saying, my 20 int wizard should just know the answer to this.
It really depends on the nature of the dungeon as to what will fit but here are a couple
possession games. A demon/devil possessing a body may be willing to make a deal to release a body and or soul they are holding if the players defeat a challenge. Alternatively there may be some trick to exorcising them to get the same effect.
Tinkering with machines. Aliens or a mad wizard may do strange procedures to a target using odd tools and machinery. You may have to undo those processes in a specific sequence or get a bad result.This could be tinkering with magic circles or machines. A few different puzzles fit into this for example the futurama body swap problem, riddles, move / draw a line problems ect...
If your NPCs are warrior types, or spunky enough to fight for their own lives, you might consider a priorities dilemma type of puzzle.
NPC is in a shootout with some minions while the party is in hot water of their own. The party can choose to give the NPC backup (sacrificing time, resources, or splitting their group), or risk losing the NPC in the fight.
Similarly, hostage situation. NPC is being used as leverage by some minions. Attacking the baddies might mean hitting the ally, especially if the baddies are using something like Warding Bond or Vampiric Touch on the NPCs.
This becomes a puzzle of combat strategy and character-driven choices rather than "am I smart enough to figure out this trap in time?" If you want to avoid that kind of thing, that is.
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I'm running the final dungeon of our campaign, where the players are going to have to rescue a handful of their NPC friends from precarious situations throughout the dungeon. I'm trying to think of some good examples of puzzles I could add that incorporate NPCs in danger if the players take too long, get it wrong, etc, where it still feels fair (they should still have a decent shot at rescuing them before something terrible happens). I'd like to do something more original than just "traditional dungeon puzzle but on a time limit" (but I'm not necessarily above that, I guess). I'm curious if anyone else has run a similar scenario and created/discovered puzzles that fit that MO.
You could do something like, the NPC is dangling over a pit of acid, and every time the players make a mistake in a puzzle, the NPC is lowered closer to the acid.
Just be careful with puzzles. They usually challenge the players, not the characters. Which can be really fun for some groups, but other times has people saying, my 20 int wizard should just know the answer to this.
It really depends on the nature of the dungeon as to what will fit but here are a couple
If your NPCs are warrior types, or spunky enough to fight for their own lives, you might consider a priorities dilemma type of puzzle.
NPC is in a shootout with some minions while the party is in hot water of their own. The party can choose to give the NPC backup (sacrificing time, resources, or splitting their group), or risk losing the NPC in the fight.
Similarly, hostage situation. NPC is being used as leverage by some minions. Attacking the baddies might mean hitting the ally, especially if the baddies are using something like Warding Bond or Vampiric Touch on the NPCs.
This becomes a puzzle of combat strategy and character-driven choices rather than "am I smart enough to figure out this trap in time?" If you want to avoid that kind of thing, that is.