I need a better idea to work a magic. One dm I played with had a door which open with a 1st level spell after you read the riddle which was in draconic. How do I design something like that with hindering the players for not having that exact spell?
Whats always fun is to tell them a door is locked. Then just let them figure out how to open it and when they come up with an interesting idea the door opens/unlocks. This is something I have done several times without having an actual solution planed out for the door. Heh, I do this with all sorts of things in the game. Its just something that helps out when the players go way off of what you had set up for the session. Just let them write the story without them knowing it.
Spellcasters were rare in the last campaign I ran (which was never finished), so I didn't use magic often, even when they were inside a dungeon. Instead, I just gave them puzzles. Oftentimes ciphers are pretty good for that because they're well known. I might do that.
A cool idea though: maybe you could have them make an Arcana throw to use their personal store of energy without being specific to a spell. It'd be a homebrew sort of mechanic, since I don't know of any rule addressing it, but it seems simple enough. You could even take away a spell slot. It would make more sense if it was for a sorcerer, but a warlock could work, since they wouldn't have to really learn anything for casting it like a wizard would.
One of the doors I had cold up with was similar. The door was magical but people before the party blasted it with fireballs. Disabling it completely. To fix the door they had to cure it's wounds so to speak. Players could use a spell slot or simply use a healing potion and it would rejuvenate and I open for them.
So in your case the players would need a certain heading spell but if no one does then they are stuck until someone simply pours a healing potion on it.
Whats always fun is to tell them a door is locked. Then just let them figure out how to open it and when they come up with an interesting idea the door opens/unlocks. This is something I have done several times without having an actual solution planed out for the door. Heh, I do this with all sorts of things in the game. Its just something that helps out when the players go way off of what you had set up for the session. Just let them write the story without them knowing it.
I was going to suggest something like this and you put it into words well. The DM is looking at an opportunity, not a problem. Make a magically locked door. Leave it at that and let the players figure out how to open it. If they try a solution the DM doesn't think is good enough, the door stays locked. If they try something clever, reward them by unlocking the door. The details don't really matter. All the players know is that there's a weird door and they are going to have to get creative to open it.
I need a better idea to work a magic. One dm I played with had a door which open with a 1st level spell after you read the riddle which was in draconic. How do I design something like that with hindering the players for not having that exact spell?
Have them make an Intelligence (Arcana) check to substitute the spell.
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Whats always fun is to tell them a door is locked. Then just let them figure out how to open it and when they come up with an interesting idea the door opens/unlocks. This is something I have done several times without having an actual solution planed out for the door. Heh, I do this with all sorts of things in the game. Its just something that helps out when the players go way off of what you had set up for the session. Just let them write the story without them knowing it.
Spellcasters were rare in the last campaign I ran (which was never finished), so I didn't use magic often, even when they were inside a dungeon. Instead, I just gave them puzzles. Oftentimes ciphers are pretty good for that because they're well known. I might do that.
A cool idea though: maybe you could have them make an Arcana throw to use their personal store of energy without being specific to a spell. It'd be a homebrew sort of mechanic, since I don't know of any rule addressing it, but it seems simple enough. You could even take away a spell slot. It would make more sense if it was for a sorcerer, but a warlock could work, since they wouldn't have to really learn anything for casting it like a wizard would.
One of the doors I had cold up with was similar. The door was magical but people before the party blasted it with fireballs. Disabling it completely. To fix the door they had to cure it's wounds so to speak. Players could use a spell slot or simply use a healing potion and it would rejuvenate and I open for them.
So in your case the players would need a certain heading spell but if no one does then they are stuck until someone simply pours a healing potion on it.
I was going to suggest something like this and you put it into words well. The DM is looking at an opportunity, not a problem. Make a magically locked door. Leave it at that and let the players figure out how to open it. If they try a solution the DM doesn't think is good enough, the door stays locked. If they try something clever, reward them by unlocking the door. The details don't really matter. All the players know is that there's a weird door and they are going to have to get creative to open it.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Make the spell one you know they have?