I have a story where some of the gods are trapped inside an artifact, but the players are after it because they think it controls a group of Golems that protect the artifact. If anyone has ever seen Goonies, i want it to be a bit like the scene where she has to play the piano and if she plays a wrong note, a section of the ground falls beneath them. I want it to be simple enough that they could open it but also hard enough that not just anyone can set these gods free.
I'd suggest presenting some kind of riddle or other logic puzzle that the players can work through, possibly allowing for a few hints if they can roll high enough on skill checks. D&D doesn't really support elaborate mechanical puzzles in an engaging way since the default method of resolving those is simply making skill checks. Which is not to say you can't use such things as obstacles at all, but there's not really the same level of engagement as you see in a show, movie, or video game where the person involved really has their hands on the mechanism and is working it. Plus since your players haven't been given a copy of the script, relying on them connecting a separate piece of trivia to a given puzzle can be much spottier in such instances, especially if they didn't know ahead of time you'd be tossing stuff like that at them.
Make a grid - as large as you like, but let's say 5x5. Put random 'magical' symbols in each square. Let's say 10 symbols in total. You must trace a path from one side of the grid to the other. Every time you make a mistake, you summon a creature *POOF!* which will try to kill you. ROW = CR, or ORW+2 = CR, or ROW*2 = CR - whatever makes sense. I like the last one, because the players will be mistakenly encouraged when the first row summons a lowly goblin.
Do the path however you like. In my mind, it's infuriatingly simple: The final row, read right to left say, is the solution. Except, the last square is fake, so you can be almost certain you get the final summon. Unless your players are annoyingly clever =)
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
my players all follow a different god and the god they follow is trapped inside. The god of space and placement. The god of lies and undead. The god of animals. The goddess of raw magic.
.. what, mine? Wow. I'm happy, but also vaguely concerned - usually, no one ever seems to agree with me =D
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
sometimes it's just hard to put what you're trying to say into a sentence, and not confuse others. some people are just on here to make sure no one gives false info for others and mess them up, and others are being creative sometimes without knowing they are breaking the rules. Other peoples ideas are great, they are usually just misunderstood. Sometimes and OPINION is better than an all out fact. so thank you.
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I have a story where some of the gods are trapped inside an artifact, but the players are after it because they think it controls a group of Golems that protect the artifact. If anyone has ever seen Goonies, i want it to be a bit like the scene where she has to play the piano and if she plays a wrong note, a section of the ground falls beneath them. I want it to be simple enough that they could open it but also hard enough that not just anyone can set these gods free.
I'd suggest presenting some kind of riddle or other logic puzzle that the players can work through, possibly allowing for a few hints if they can roll high enough on skill checks. D&D doesn't really support elaborate mechanical puzzles in an engaging way since the default method of resolving those is simply making skill checks. Which is not to say you can't use such things as obstacles at all, but there's not really the same level of engagement as you see in a show, movie, or video game where the person involved really has their hands on the mechanism and is working it. Plus since your players haven't been given a copy of the script, relying on them connecting a separate piece of trivia to a given puzzle can be much spottier in such instances, especially if they didn't know ahead of time you'd be tossing stuff like that at them.
I agree with The Ace. Also, I would base it on the Gods themselves. Which gods are trapped?
Make a grid - as large as you like, but let's say 5x5. Put random 'magical' symbols in each square. Let's say 10 symbols in total. You must trace a path from one side of the grid to the other. Every time you make a mistake, you summon a creature *POOF!* which will try to kill you. ROW = CR, or ORW+2 = CR, or ROW*2 = CR - whatever makes sense. I like the last one, because the players will be mistakenly encouraged when the first row summons a lowly goblin.
Do the path however you like. In my mind, it's infuriatingly simple: The final row, read right to left say, is the solution. Except, the last square is fake, so you can be almost certain you get the final summon. Unless your players are annoyingly clever =)
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
thank you, I think I will do this.
my players all follow a different god and the god they follow is trapped inside. The god of space and placement. The god of lies and undead. The god of animals. The goddess of raw magic.
.. what, mine? Wow. I'm happy, but also vaguely concerned - usually, no one ever seems to agree with me =D
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
sometimes it's just hard to put what you're trying to say into a sentence, and not confuse others. some people are just on here to make sure no one gives false info for others and mess them up, and others are being creative sometimes without knowing they are breaking the rules. Other peoples ideas are great, they are usually just misunderstood. Sometimes and OPINION is better than an all out fact. so thank you.