Solve this DnD Door Puzzle? Maybe the Iron Mannequin can help?

[@ribbon_dye]

This is a neat lil puzzle, but I'd do two big changes. First off, rather than finding and combining the sticks, I'd have a small puppet that resembles the iron suit sitting on a chair. Secondly, I'd have the podium made into a small stage that appears to look like the room itself. Then it'd be a task of using the puppet with the stage to make the mannequin mimic the same actions. Maybe they need to have to put the puppet on the same spot as the iron mannequin in order to even start the process. I feel like the original concept is a little too abstract, requiring the players to not only find the pieces, but then to think to combine what sounds like very mundane wood in a specific configuration and then use that in a specific spot. Simplifying the whole puzzle makes it a little easier to read the intentions of the steps needed.

[@WallyDM]

Oooh, I do like the miniature / scaled down version idea. Great alternative, thank you for sharing. :-) Cheers!

[@mattnerdy7236]

Hey Wally, really like the video. The Performance check to control the Marionette is a great idea. I do agree the stick part needs some work. I wouldn't hide the sticks just because you want the party to find them. At the lecture somewhere is good enough. I would use them as book markers and speaking of the book, did the book even have a purpose with the puzzle? The book should be one of the clues to what needs to be done. Perhaps it's a book about puppet making and performance. The doors don't need to be locked. Doors lock for Traps, a puzzle leave the doors wide open for wandering monsters, that can be a type of time limit. The key can be for a different part of the dungeon. There should be a reason why the Marionette is in plate mail, I would just have the dummy take off the armor, easy 1500 gp. I like the idea of it having to perform to get the key, just not sure what that should be. Thanks Wally you have a wonderful day!

[@WallyDM]

Some really fantastic ideas here! I love the idea of the marionette wearing expensive or even magical armor. Brilliant! The real treasure isn't in the room, but the marionette is wearing it. Thanks, as always, for fun and fantastic feedback. Cheers, Matt!

[@InquisitorThorn]

These are great ideas. I agree, hiding the sticks in the chair is asking for problems - I wouldn't expect players to interact with furniture unless it was obviously out-of-place or remarkable. The book title/content as a clue for the solution is genius.

[@WallyDM]

@@InquisitorThorn Yep, great points here, for sure!

[@jayoungr]

Great puzzle! I'd only require the performance check if the PCs are under some kind of time pressure or if it was happening during combat somehow. Otherwise, it's the kind of thing where they'll make the target number eventually if they have unlimited rerolls. I look forward to finding a chance to use this one!

[@WallyDM]

Glad you liked the idea! Map is in the Discord if you want to use it. And, great point on the performance checks. I'm trying to be a bit more conscious of that myself with my puzzle development. Don't want to stop progression by failed checks. Hope you had a great holiday season!

[@dr.feargood2669]

Your wizard leveled way up! This puzzle is good, there are many ways to help the players solve with DC rolls. I can't wait to run this one.

[@WallyDM]

Actually, this wizard was a creation of Dr. Ove's... as he wrote it in the discord, lol. Thank you for watching, my friend. Cheers!

[@minimoose7890]

Great work, Dr O and community

[@WallyDM]

Indeed!

[@immortalorigins9446]

Gotta give it to Ove...this is really creative and I have been waiting to see how you presented this and, like always, you delivered it spot on Wally :) Hmm, I wonder if I can adapt this into a combat encounter?...The whole Iron Mannequin thing gave me vibes from a horror game I played a couple of years ago called Kraven Manor lol

[@WallyDM]

Thank you, my friend! Glad you liked the way it turned out. And yep, perhaps the mannequin gets the key and crossed the white line... and when it does, the strings of the marionette are broken and it attacks the party! Haha! Also... horror game? Do you not like marionettes (taking notes)?

[@greatmoustache8731]

Fun little puzzle. Could see some traps/curses potentially where the sticks end up controlling a PC, if they fail something, or do something wrong in the room. OR, someone loses the ability to walk, but can still use their body, and have to use the sticks to help the party member move around. Maybe that part happens later in the location and they have to go back to get the sticks.

[@WallyDM]

I love this curse idea! I might need to use this at some point. That would be hilarious. Cheers, my friend!

[@kevindaniel1337]

That's a really cool, and simple to implement puzzle. I'll definitely be keeping this in my back pocket!

[@WallyDM]

Awesome! Puzzle in one pocket and marionette sticks in the other. You are good to go. Cheers!

[@TheAceman1100]

Fun little puzzle! Nice and simple. Great video as always wally

[@WallyDM]

Thank you Aceman, always appreciate the support!

[@linkatronic]

This puzzle has a lot of whimsy to it, looks fun!

[@WallyDM]

Whimsy is a fun word. I need to use it more. Thank you! ;-)

[@mason5115]

What a fun puzzle. Thanks, Wally!

[@WallyDM]

Glad you liked it. Cheers!

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

Thus would be a good for the gnomish cult dungeon I'm mulling. All the monsters are puppeteered like Chinese dragons.

[@WallyDM]

Well then.... you have got to use it! Lemme know how it goes ;-)

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

@@WallyDM Darn it, now I have to write it 😅

[@robbechristiaens6384]

I like it! I'm always hesitant to negate abilities and creative solutions they might have (invisible servant, mage hand, misty step etc) because they actually spend some resources or time on that. Do players in your campaigns ever take the Knock spell? Since all doors are always locked by extremely high level wizards :D :D

[@WallyDM]

lol, yeah, it's tough to try and negate folks creatively using abilities, so I try to make up for it in other areas. I add magical doors, traps, and ability challenges that lets them use their resources with creative solutions. But then we have, the knock spell... Ah, yes the knock spell. Ya know, I should do a video on that. Hmmm. Anyways, to be honest, very rarely does a character in my game have the knock spell and I never give out a chime of opening in loot. But, in my videos, I always plan for a knock spell, thieves, tools, spells that transform or teleport, or other ways the characters could possibly get around. IF you don't mind, I'm going to spitball some ideas here. Let me know if this is "video-worthy". :-) KNOCK: "A target that is held shut by a mundane lock or that is stuck or barred becomes unlocked, unstuck, or unbarred. If the object has multiple locks, only one of them is unlocked." Here's some thoughts... How to create puzzles that cannot be "Knocked". - Why I use the extremely high level wizard: I've always used a high level wizard example in my videos, because I feel like a 20th level wizard casting the Arcane Lock spell, shouldn't be able to be dispelled by a 3rd level wizard with a knock spell. Not without, perhaps, a difficult arcana check at least. But, if I want to skirt around the knock spell entirely, then, I simply change my doors. Rather than a locked door I use: - a heavy, sliding door or a rotating wall room. Not locked, not stuck, not barred, but too heavy to move. Solving the puzzle moves it for you allowing access. - an image of a door in chalk or engraved on a wall. Solving the puzzle brings it to life so you can go through. - a portal... magical portal opens when puzzle is solved. - The door opens, but you have to do it the correct way. IF not, then when the door opens there is nothing there, well maybe an empty room or a brick wall perhaps. BUT, solve the puzzle and then when you open the door, what you seek will be found. - Also, Knock only unlocks one lock. Place 5 of them on a puzzle door and the character might think twice about resources. So... those are some thoughts! Sorry about the info dump, lol. I've had those thoughts in my head for a long, long time. Hope you found this useful. Ya know, I'm really considering this as a video now. Cheers!

[@jayoungr]

@@WallyDM I absolutely think this is worth a video! Newer DMs especially may not have thought about these options, and they may not read this comment.

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

I like it I would make the characters make a dex check to manipulate the mannequin

[@WallyDM]

Yep. I think that makes sense. Cheers, Rivers!

[@HowtoRPG]

Thanks Wally.

[@WallyDM]

Thanks Fred!

[@TwinSteel]

160th level wizard 😂

[@WallyDM]

Yep! And, a one level dip into warlock. :-)