I love puzzles and love to add them into my campaign. Though, I do have to ask, you could really do any puzzle on there that you can come across on google, but based on your question, are you wanting it to sort of go along with the nautical theme, or something that involves the warship itself?
Why is the puzzle important to the players? Stop the ship from sinking, get the ship ready to sail, find a secret hold with a stash of riches?
What is the failure condition? The ship sinks, the pirates invade the harbor before they can set sail, the local authority seizes the ship and reclaims the treasure instead of the players.
How constrained are you going to make the players? Your plans will fail and the players will try something you don't expect.
I love to build puzzles for my players, so starting with these questions a puzzle can be born! *insert evil laughter*
Why is the puzzle important to the players? Stop the ship from sinking, get the ship ready to sail, find a secret hold with a stash of riches?
You could definitely go with the ship sinking. It's a classic. A pipe has busted (or destroyed by a villain) and they have to repair it by finding pieces and placing them in the correct spot; maybe there are even extra pieces to throw them off! The puzzle can also be a trapped room (with whatever puzzle you want) and they have to resolve it to get out. Maybe an old wizard/captain ghost has laid traps to stop people from finding something on the ship.
What is the failure condition? The ship sinks, the pirates invade the harbor before they can set sail, the local authority seizes the ship and reclaims the treasure instead of the players.
I would say if it's plot relevant they would need to solve it lol maybe add in some hints that if they seem stumped you can reveal without solving it for them. If the ship sinks, then they're on the bottom of the ocean and that may change the plot, which is okay. If it's treasure, then they don't get it.
How constrained are you going to make the players? Your plans will fail and the players will try something you don't expect.
Having players try something unexpected is one of my favorite parts of a puzzle. Sometimes, not every time, but I will make a puzzle/or bad situation and not even have a solution in mind. Trust me, your players will think of something or some way to get out of there, I promise. Just go with what seems or feels right.
If I pick one way, and only one way, that a puzzle can be solved, then sometimes the players will come up with something ingenious, but not correct. They can get disheartened, but if you are set on the one way to solve the puzzle, then give them inspiration if they come up with something clever that didn't quite work.
I love to build puzzles for my players, so starting with these questions a puzzle can be born! *insert evil laughter*
There are tons of puzzles out there to find. I hope I was able to help in at least some way! Also, there are tons of puzzles you can find on youtube. Some of them start with the puzzle as its presented to the player, which can help you see it how your players will see it and then you can visualize what you come up with, then be presented with the actual solution and make your own mind up. Good luck!
On the lowest level there will be 2 large cages ... knee high water will fill this entire deck... each cage will be roughly 15x15 and go from floor to ceiling. The first cage will be filled with slaves screaming for help ... the cage will be wrapped in 5 chains with 5 locks. The second cage will be filled with chests and wrapped in 3 chains with 3 locks. At the far end of the room a blue arcane glyph is carved into the floor ... it glows slightly through the water ... This glyph will be an Anti-Magic Ward (No spells of any kind can penetrate it) Hanging on the wall will be 26 keys each marked with a letter. Each key will be chained to what looks like cork stoppers. Above the keys will be some kind of cryptic saying ... similar to "the truth will set you free." If a player takes a key ... they pull the cork out of the side of ship and water will begin to fill the deck...
They will then need to determine will they run ... leaving the slaves to drown and the treasure lost ... try to figure out the code to open the treasure cage (causing the slaves to drown) .... try to figure out the code to free the slaves (causing the treasure to be lost) .... try to figure out both codes in time ...
On the lowest level there will be 2 large cages ... knee high water will fill this entire deck... each cage will be roughly 15x15 and go from floor to ceiling. The first cage will be filled with slaves screaming for help ... the cage will be wrapped in 5 chains with 5 locks. The second cage will be filled with chests and wrapped in 3 chains with 3 locks. At the far end of the room a blue arcane glyph is carved into the floor ... it glows slightly through the water ... This glyph will be an Anti-Magic Ward (No spells of any kind can penetrate it) Hanging on the wall will be 26 keys each marked with a letter. Each key will be chained to what looks like cork stoppers. Above the keys will be some kind of cryptic saying ... similar to "the truth will set you free." If a player takes a key ... they pull the cork out of the side of ship and water will begin to fill the deck...
They will then need to determine will they run ... leaving the slaves to drown and the treasure lost ... try to figure out the code to open the treasure cage (causing the slaves to drown) .... try to figure out the code to free the slaves (causing the treasure to be lost) .... try to figure out both codes in time ...
Thoughts?
I can dig this. I would ask though, is there only one cork tied to each of the keys, meaning any key would force the cork removed, or does each key have a different cork, meaning the more keys they pull, the faster the water fills and less time they effectively have.
As for "The truth will set you free" I'm not too big on cliches but that's just me lol this will work. I would maybe suggest throwing it up there in another language that one of the players understand. Mainly because I rarely use other languages and it would be another way to incorporate an extra piece of character.
I like the ticking clock (water) as well as the moral decision of saving the people in the cage or getting the treasure, or even doing nothing at all (but be prepared for them to abandon the puzzle if it begins to look grim.
As for the solution, I'm not sure where I would begin. There are only 1 key of each letter, and 5 locks, that would mean a 5 letter word with no repeating letters. The phrase "the truth will set you free" doesn't have anything springing to mind immediately. So maybe I'm just not in my player's mind right now, if an opening is more clear than I realize, it's okay.
Each key has its own cork so if you pulled all the keys .... the ship fills up fast .... pull just the right keys the ship fills up slow .... I will be happy to tell you the solution to the puzzle through pm but I know my players watch what I post so I gotta be careful what I say ... lol
Each key has its own cork so if you pulled all the keys .... the ship fills up fast .... pull just the right keys the ship fills up slow .... I will be happy to tell you the solution to the puzzle through pm but I know my players watch what I post so I gotta be careful what I say ... lol
Lol pm will work.
So by you saying "the right keys the ship fills up slow" I assume then you would describe the amount of pressure of water that comes out, meaning more/less pressure is important towards solving the puzzle? That's what my mind would go with. But all in all, I think this could be a pretty good encounter for your players and I may end up using it, or something close to it, in my own campaign!
The ship will sink no matter what .... it’s big and powerful of a ship for my players to have .... but if the players go straight for the keys and pull them all out the ship will fill up quickly and they will struggle to escape .... I don’t think anyone can breathe underwater ... if they figure out the riddle and just pull the correct keys the explorers will have to to rescue the slaves and get them off the warship into their ship before it sinks .... otherwise it might sink with them in it or on it ....
Alright, I'm with you now. I understand. Though some classes, and it might be from UA, but some may be able to pull out a Water Breathing spell. So be prepared for that just in case you have spell casters lol
I like the puzzle idea, it would be interesting to see how your party handles it, as such:
The first thoughts that came to mind when I look at this puzzle and use the characters I played in other campaigns:
Dwarven barbarian: I rage, and I start to hack away at the arcane mark so that the casters can do their thing!
Human Ranger/Rogue: Using any other form of metal object, like this here crowbar, to create a lever and in working with a partner break the locks/chains.
Drow Rogue: I pick the locks.
Drown Sorcerer: I don't care, let them drown, there's more important things to do...
The chains and locks will be magic .... unbreakable .... unpickable ... the party is free to not even attempt the puzzle but then they leave the slaves and loot and head for a boss fight lol
The chains and locks will be magic .... unbreakable .... unpickable ... the party is free to not even attempt the puzzle but then they leave the slaves and loot and head for a boss fight lol
While I understand why you would want to do these measures, however that is sort of a railroad type deal, at least in my opinion. If they're magical, there has to be a way for them to break through it, dispel magic for one. If you're going to make it impossible for them to break or pick, you need a REALLY good reason why.
as player: Well dang, if they're this well locked up then either they're very nasty folk that need to die, or they're super important people that need to be saved.
*inner voice* Plot point! No matter what; I need to break through these chains/locks/bars, even if I die trying, nothing will stop me!
As a DM: Why are they so well locked up, what reason do I have? Is it really worth that kind of money, to the ship owner, to put those kinds of wards up for simple slaves in a cell?
It is a little railroady... and I’m aware of if ... and if they wanted to attempt to dispel magic and then break or pick I would allow it but it would all have a very high difficulty roll but anything is possible in d&d
i also know it’s possible the hero’s will never even enter the room lol
So the idea sounds pretty good, but here are some ideas to make it even better. First drop the whole unbreakable, unpickable idea. Instead set a time limit that the boat will sink in say 30 minutes. Now make the lock complicated enough that it takes 5 minutes to attempt to pick it. Now that you've established that its a difficult lock set the DC to 20. I mean they might get 5 straight rolls of 20 or greater but I doubt it. Next I would have each key removed cause the boat to sink one minute faster. Easy math to remember and it gives your players a clear idea of risk vs. reward. If they want to break the chains that is fine, I mean a metal chain has a high AC and pretty good HP. That should eliminate most of the "railroady" bits.
P.S. One day we should discuss what railroading really is and why most people use it wrong.
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As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!
Im working on a dungeon that is located on a warship ... I would like to include a puzzle but I’m a little stumped on what? Anybody got any ideas ?
I love puzzles and love to add them into my campaign. Though, I do have to ask, you could really do any puzzle on there that you can come across on google, but based on your question, are you wanting it to sort of go along with the nautical theme, or something that involves the warship itself?
Published Subclasses
Why is the puzzle important to the players? Stop the ship from sinking, get the ship ready to sail, find a secret hold with a stash of riches?
What is the failure condition? The ship sinks, the pirates invade the harbor before they can set sail, the local authority seizes the ship and reclaims the treasure instead of the players.
How constrained are you going to make the players? Your plans will fail and the players will try something you don't expect.
I love to build puzzles for my players, so starting with these questions a puzzle can be born! *insert evil laughter*
Published Subclasses
Okay here is my thoughts ...
On the lowest level there will be 2 large cages ... knee high water will fill this entire deck... each cage will be roughly 15x15 and go from floor to ceiling. The first cage will be filled with slaves screaming for help ... the cage will be wrapped in 5 chains with 5 locks. The second cage will be filled with chests and wrapped in 3 chains with 3 locks. At the far end of the room a blue arcane glyph is carved into the floor ... it glows slightly through the water ... This glyph will be an Anti-Magic Ward (No spells of any kind can penetrate it) Hanging on the wall will be 26 keys each marked with a letter. Each key will be chained to what looks like cork stoppers. Above the keys will be some kind of cryptic saying ... similar to "the truth will set you free." If a player takes a key ... they pull the cork out of the side of ship and water will begin to fill the deck...
They will then need to determine will they run ... leaving the slaves to drown and the treasure lost ... try to figure out the code to open the treasure cage (causing the slaves to drown) .... try to figure out the code to free the slaves (causing the treasure to be lost) .... try to figure out both codes in time ...
Thoughts?
Published Subclasses
Each key has its own cork so if you pulled all the keys .... the ship fills up fast .... pull just the right keys the ship fills up slow .... I will be happy to tell you the solution to the puzzle through pm but I know my players watch what I post so I gotta be careful what I say ... lol
Published Subclasses
The ship will sink no matter what .... it’s big and powerful of a ship for my players to have .... but if the players go straight for the keys and pull them all out the ship will fill up quickly and they will struggle to escape .... I don’t think anyone can breathe underwater ... if they figure out the riddle and just pull the correct keys the explorers will have to to rescue the slaves and get them off the warship into their ship before it sinks .... otherwise it might sink with them in it or on it ....
Alright, I'm with you now. I understand. Though some classes, and it might be from UA, but some may be able to pull out a Water Breathing spell. So be prepared for that just in case you have spell casters lol
Published Subclasses
I like the puzzle idea, it would be interesting to see how your party handles it, as such:
The first thoughts that came to mind when I look at this puzzle and use the characters I played in other campaigns:
The chains and locks will be magic .... unbreakable .... unpickable ... the party is free to not even attempt the puzzle but then they leave the slaves and loot and head for a boss fight lol
Published Subclasses
I was thinking the same thing:
as player: Well dang, if they're this well locked up then either they're very nasty folk that need to die, or they're super important people that need to be saved.
*inner voice* Plot point! No matter what; I need to break through these chains/locks/bars, even if I die trying, nothing will stop me!
As a DM: Why are they so well locked up, what reason do I have? Is it really worth that kind of money, to the ship owner, to put those kinds of wards up for simple slaves in a cell?
It is a little railroady... and I’m aware of if ... and if they wanted to attempt to dispel magic and then break or pick I would allow it but it would all have a very high difficulty roll but anything is possible in d&d
i also know it’s possible the hero’s will never even enter the room lol
Pirate slavers is a major thing of the plot ... and one these slaves isn’t what it appears ...
So the idea sounds pretty good, but here are some ideas to make it even better. First drop the whole unbreakable, unpickable idea. Instead set a time limit that the boat will sink in say 30 minutes. Now make the lock complicated enough that it takes 5 minutes to attempt to pick it. Now that you've established that its a difficult lock set the DC to 20. I mean they might get 5 straight rolls of 20 or greater but I doubt it. Next I would have each key removed cause the boat to sink one minute faster. Easy math to remember and it gives your players a clear idea of risk vs. reward. If they want to break the chains that is fine, I mean a metal chain has a high AC and pretty good HP. That should eliminate most of the "railroady" bits.
P.S. One day we should discuss what railroading really is and why most people use it wrong.
As for me, I choose to believe that an extinct thunder lizard is running a game of Dungeons & Dragons via Twitter!