The rich want it, the poor have it, and both will perish if they eat it. (Answer: Nothing) What falls but never breaks, and what breaks but never falls? (Answer: Night and day) Time existed before me, but history can only begin after my creation. (Answer: Writing) I am the beginning of the end and the end of before. (Answer: E) If the PCs successfully answer your riddles, let them pass. If they fail, let them face the consequences—like fighting whatever asked the riddles or escaping a trap that triggers.
To add a little urgency to the scenario, have a difficult foe close in on the PCs while they work out the solution. Alternatively, have the room they’re in start to crumble or fill with acid. This kind of puzzle can add a little levity to your dungeon and give your players the chance to act out funny dance moves instead of fighting monsters the whole time.
Try tailoring the word to the type of place your PCs are currently exploring. For example, if they’re in a ruined temple of Tharizdun, create a path of tiles that spell out “Tharizdun. ” If a PC steps on the wrong tile, they might fall through the floor or get hit with a nasty magical effect, like a Glyph of Warding or a random Symbol spell.
The easiest solution is to have the PCs find whatever object is missing and put it in its place. For a more complex solution, create invisible obstacles (like traps, warding spells, or a hidden monster) that PCs can only see in the mirror. Once they use the mirror to overcome those obstacles, they’ll beat the puzzle.
For example, you could create a rune shaped like fire. When the PCs cast a fire spell on it, the rune lights up and is solved (though all runes must be solved to finish the puzzle. ) Not every solution needs to be a spell! Customize the runes to fit each PC’s skills. A rogue PC might have to craft a particular poison and splash it across the rune, while a bard might need to play a specific instrument.
Scatter clues throughout the area. For example, if the PCs are exploring a mansion and need to find a large ruby, describe a painting in the entrance hall with the mansion’s owner holding a ruby. The statue’s hands could also have an indentation shaped like whatever object it needs, and a successful investigation check from a player could give them an idea of the object they’re looking for.
For example, if the word is “dead,” then add a pressure plate with a skull symbol for PCs to press. Alternatively, instead of sheet music and pressure plates, give PCs an instrument and an inscription on the door that says, “Play dead to pass beyond. ” The door will open when they play the notes D E A D.
The PCs might have to find a series of hidden objects within the maze to get out, after which the maze’s exit will show itself. Otherwise, they could follow a noise or apparition using skill checks to escape. Keep a complete map of the maze to yourself, so you don’t lose track of where the PCs are—even if they do!
If you want to introduce a timed challenge to the puzzle, leave a note from the killer saying the PCs have a certain amount of time to learn their identity before they strike again. Intensify the experience by framing the PCs for the murder! Then they’ll have to solve the puzzle while evading the town guards. To simplify the puzzle, present the PCs with 2 or 3 suspects and let them determine which is the killer. Let players get creative and use skills like insight, persuasion, and intimidation to find a solution.
Give players a chance to spot some subtle clues; an insight check might reveal a mannerism that the original PC has but the clone doesn’t, or a nervous tic in the clone’s voice. There’s also an added emotional component to this puzzle because the PC and clone will be insisting they’re the real person while the party tries to decide. Be sure you have a player who is on board and can play both their character and the clone. You don’t want a player to be upset if the PCs choose wrong and attack their character!
The source of the time loop might be a spell from an angry archmage, a cursed artifact that’s taken hold of the city, or anything else you can think of. Challenge the players, so it takes multiple loops to solve the puzzle. If an archmage is causing the time loop and paying the thieves’ guild to poison people, players might take several days to track down each guilty party. You could even create a whole world stuck in a time loop and have the PCs tackle multiple problems before ending the loop.
There are lots of ways to solve this. The PCs might need to walk backward down a hall or close their eyes to find the exit. They could locate hidden markings that show them the way out or follow a noise in the distance. Put a spooky spin on this by making the looping path progressively darker and more monstrous. You might have candles blow out, fog roll in, or have spirits start haunting the PCs as they walk.
For example, the ghost might be staring in a particular direction, and if players explore there, they’ll find an heirloom the ghost has been waiting for. Alternatively, the ghost’s human remains might have a clue, like a picture of their family who they want to be reunited with. When it moves on, the ghost can also leave a reward for the PCs—like a key or magical item they’ll need later in the adventure.
To make it a challenge, ask the PCs for a group perception check to try and spot the trapdoor. For every round that they fail the check, the water rises. If you have a PC that can breathe underwater, you could replace the water with acid or some sort of poisonous liquid that will damage them if they try to breathe it.
If the PCs are fighting a lich, for example, you might have the lich regenerate its hit points every round until 3 hidden phylacteries are destroyed. If you’re in the mood to be a devious DM, make it so players can’t defeat the monster in 1 encounter. Once they identify a weakness, they must go find something that allows them to exploit it, then return to defeat their foe. This requires players to work strategically together and potentially sacrifice attacks in combat to search for the solution to the puzzle. It also makes run-of-the-mill combat feel more exciting and urgent!
Say the PCs are sailing when a pirate ship starts to chase them. To make an escape, one PC might do a strength check to keep hold of the wheel and steer the ship, while another might inspire the crew with a performance check. Set the DC for the PC’s skill checks beforehand, based on the party’s level and how challenging you want the encounter to be. Each player can only make 1 skill check, but multiple players can make the same type of check. Have players describe exactly how their character performs the skill check and what they’re trying to do.
A simple (yet classic) example is a collapsing hallway. As the PCs explore some deadly dungeon, seal them in a hallway and have the ceiling start to drop. The PCs will have limited time to unseal the door and escape. To make the timed component more literal, you could create a scenario with an hourglass where the sand is running out. The PCs have until the hourglass empties to escape, solve a riddle, or complete the quest.
