D&D Puzzles #68 - The Shadowy Pillar - Wally DM Puzzle Ideas

[@quban234]

I like the idea for bonus loot if they try the same trick with the door they came from. Casting shadow onto it could give them an access to a secret room with a fun magical item.

[@WallyDM]

Totally down for that. Great idea!

[@joandudley4847]

Love this! I’ve been looking for a puzzle during combat encounter for a while, and this is perfect. Thank you, O puzzle wizard! 👏🤘

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

Nice puzzle Thanks for sharing

[@WallyDM]

Thank you for watching Rivers!

[@mitchellmaxwell5068]

I am going to use this, great idea. I am going to change it up a bit though as follows: Pushing it clockwise is easy with no strength requirement, when doing so a ratchet sound is heard. Rotating clockwise rotates the pillar but not the darkness. However rotating anti-clockwise with a strength score to match engages the ratchet and rotates the entire floor you are standing on. Moving the lantern to the opposite side of the pillar, casting the shadow on the door.

[@WallyDM]

Oh hey there Mitchell, sorry I missed your comment! Might I say I really like these extra features you plan on including for this puzzle. Clockwise/Counter-clockwise is always a fun interaction. Totally dig the ratchet sounds. If you do this, please be sure to let me know how it goes. Cheers!

[@THINKMACHINE]

My first instinct was actually take a couple of mirrors or other mirror-like surface and reflect the light of that bolted down lamp around to the other side of the pillar, redirecting it towards the door through the pillar.

[@HowtoRPG]

A puzzle I could figure out. Great video, mate.

[@WallyDM]

Thank you my friend! A fun little puzzle that could fit into any game, for sure. Cheers. :)

[@mattnerdy7236]

Hello Wally, love it when I see a evil trap. A trap within a trap. A black pudding should keep the adventuring party on their toes or eat them off. Thanks Wally & have a great day.

[@WallyDM]

Haha, nice. Glad you liked it Matt. Thank you for watching. Cheers!

[@gameon_ct]

Thank you Wally for sending me the link. Now I'm subbed!

[@WallyDM]

Right on, Game on! Welcome to the channel. :)

[@ryansandwich1086]

Very cool puzzle! I could definitely see removing the red herring lamp to make it easier, and just have the light come from the entranceway. Another idea would be to put this on a ship where a Captain's wheel rotates a mast, maybe totally below deck so the wheel is more suspicious.

[@ryansandwich1086]

You know, I might be worried if I had an all black monster in the shadow. The party might get hung up on bringing the black monster to the door, though maybe I would accept that solution.

[@WallyDM]

@@ryansandwich1086 If my players tried to force a "Shadow" monster towards the door, or lure the Black Pudding in that direction... yes. Most definitely, that would be an amazing alternative solution, lol. Now I want to see this happen!

[@WallyDM]

OMG yes, I love the captain's wheel idea. And yeah, removing the lamp, might be a good idea to make it a bit easier. For sure. Thank you for the great ideas, cheers! :-)

[@jordantiburcio4541]

Cool! I'm going to mix this with your door of shadows puzzle. Im also going to make the magical darkness emit silence too

[@WallyDM]

Fantastic! I like the idea of adding the silence... makes this one more of an evil DM trap.... mwahaha! Thanx Jordan!

[@jordantiburcio4541]

@@kamdenjosiah2105 spam

[@jordantiburcio4541]

@@nolanshepard6258 spam

[@robbechristiaens6384]

Awesome! I would let the black pudding slither along with the shadow and make the sound as they turn the pillar. Then I would let the acid of the black pudding dissolve the door for them. What does the metal box do?

[@mmardh799]

interesting one! thank you

[@WallyDM]

You bet! This was a puzzle by someone on my Discord. I love being able to present puzzles created by other folks. :-)

[@jwraper1498]

Love it. Will use it!

[@WallyDM]

Fantastic! This is definitely a fun one. Be sure to let us know how it goes. Good luck Jason!

[@TheAceman1100]

Very interesting puzzle. As some people said magical darkness doesnt prevent sound. Maybe the same things that's producing the magical darkness is producing a silence in the same shape which would make it interesting and a little scary

[@WallyDM]

Yesss... at first I regretted mentioning sound, but now, its a mistake that was a blessing in disguise. If it can have a magically projected darkness, then, it could also have a magically projected cone of silence. Next level awesome, right there. THank you my friend!

[@SuculantWarrior]

Really cool idea! Rather than the latern be the red herring, what I would do is make the entire room move and the pillar and the lantern stay in place. This would also block the way they came in, forcing them to go into whatever darkness lies ahead without the safety of a swift retreat.

[@WallyDM]

Oooh, that would be a really interesting way to run this. Nice twist on this puzzle, I dig it. Cheers!

[@xBucket13x]

Big fan of puzzle room. having seen most of you video's, I am trying to work out a Cube style Prison with old timey traps. please keep them coming.

[@MrRJPE]

I would have had two lanterns, one on each side of the pillar. The one that is uncovered is the one near the door and casting the shadow on the other side. Within that darkness would be another fixed lantern but it is already covered, hence why it isn't creating light. The players could venture into the shadows and be attacked by an ooze or whatever, but also discover the other lantern, uncover it, and us the cover on the lantern by the door to now cast the shadow in the other direction. I wouldn't even bother with the riddle.

[@WallyDM]

Sounds like you have made some plausible changes, for sure. I can get behind that. Thank you for watching. Cheers!

[@YelloDuzzit]

Thisbis an amazing puzzle/trap

[@WallyDM]

A lot of fun, for sure. Cheers!

[@Dominic_hello]

Could the party use their own light source and a players body to cast a shadow on the door ? Or are we assuming it has to be the magical shadow ?

[@WallyDM]

Hmmm.... the script says "the pillar's shadow upon the door", but you could definitely homebrew it however you like. If you go this route, you could take away the "cover" for the lantern and see what your party comes up with in regards to dimming the lantern first. Honestly, given the idea of using their own shadow, I'd almost make a separate, yet similar puzzle that would include a riddle and the players casting their shadows on the wall. Hmmm... that would be fun.

[@BLynn]

What about Devil's Sight and that magical darkness area?

[@BLynn]

With that question I have always wondered can a creature with Devil's Sight even be aware that an area of magical darkness exists? For them, they see in darkness & magical darkness as though it is "normal" light for 120'.

[@WallyDM]

@@BLynn Great point! Philosophically, I dunno if they would be able to ascertain the difference or not. Perhaps they would conclude it to be magical darkness if their allies mention they can't see through it with darkvision... As a DM, we could also allow for a perception or Arcana check to give them that tidbit of info up front. You really have me thinking here. Thank you!

[@WallyDM]

Yeah, Devil's sight would most definitely be able to see through the darkness and the Black Pudding that awaits!

[@steyndk]

THE PILLAR'S THE DOOR WILL SHADOW UPON LIGHT THE WAY

[@WallyDM]

This is the way.

[@ErickSixto]

What was the point of the magic lantern in the middle of the room?

[@WallyDM]

Ah, yes, I did forget to mention... it is simply a Red Herring. Trying to get the characters to assume the lantern is what is making the shadow behind the pillar. However, if they investigate, I'd allow an INT (Invest) check so they could figure out that the lantern is NOT what is producing the darkness behind the pillar. Hope this helps! Thoughts?

[@mason5115]

@@WallyDM I would replace the lantern with a campfire. This would allow the adventures to use charcoal from the fire to draw the shadow on the door and provide an alternate solution.

[@WallyDM]

@@mason5115 Oh, neat-o. I dig the campfire idea. Well done!

[@robbechristiaens6384]

@@mason5115 or a continual flame spell in a jar like in the first Harry Potter movie

[@robbechristiaens6384]

I'm actually making a puzzle dungeon (a former Netherese base that is now occupied by cultists) with 2 of your puzzles in it: *Summoning Circles *Shadowy Pillar *Material Components (Tasha's) *Four Elements (Tasha's)

[@WallyDM]

Oh nice! Be sure to let me know how this works for you Robbe! I'm also interested in the Tasha's puzzles too. In particular if they were fair or too hard for your players. I plan on doing videos for all of the puzzles in Tasha's, although it may take a while to complete the series, lol. Cheers!

[@robbechristiaens6384]

@@WallyDM they did both! the summoning puzzle worked as intended (and conjured an Ice Devil) the shadow pillar didnt, they dispelled the shadow and killed the ooze. they then used the acidic sludge to eat through the door

[@robbechristiaens6384]

@@WallyDM for the Tashas puzzles: the four elements tile puzzle was quite easy so they found that one fast but they were kinda scared that it was "too" simple and they would summon too many strong opponents. the spell reagents combine puzzle was a lot harder/took some arcana checks but they managed it

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

I want to use the skeleton bones to put in the pillar's holes 💀

[@WallyDM]

Are you watching my old videos? lol. Cheers Cadence!

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

@@WallyDM maaaybe 😏

[@WallyDM]

@@cadenceclearwater4340 Hopefully you will see a vast improvement in my videos over the years, lol.

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

@@WallyDM or a refinement of style 😅

[@WallyDM]

@@cadenceclearwater4340 Haha, nice. Yes. I like that way of looking at it better. 🙂