Ok, so my party just entered the mirror maze at the end of last week. The text as written says that the guards will try to take the form of the separated party members to try and confuse the party. Aside from the fact that this has just been done (body thief plot) to great fun and a cool climax (thus seeming a bit redundant) they would have no way of knowing whom to prepare for, so they wouldn't be wearing any of the party member's armour or carrying any of the gear. So it's a no-brainer that it would be obvious that they are doppelgangers (they are kinda paranoid about that now).
So, how did you make the interaction with the guards in the mirror maze an interesting use of their change shape?
Greg
Does not really answer your question, hopefully some one will. Personally I just used this as a kind of neat room but had no actual encounters here. Like you I felt that the body double element of the plot had already pretty much gone off. its also hard to trick players in this room - they will generally stick close to each other. If A DM really wants to stick that kind of confusion in the party the room itself need to be proactive in splitting the groups up (pits, falling walls that split the party etc.). My bigger issue was that this whole 'dungeon' was becoming something of a major slug fest. There are just too many combat encounters here even if many of them are pretty interesting and I choose to eliminate this rather difficult to pull off one.
Thanks for the input, Jeremy. I had toyed with the idea of dumping it, but I think I'll keep it in. The game is tonight, so I'm probably going to go with something a little lame - I've had them impersonate the City Watch before, so that's kinda where I'm leaning. I'll have them come up with a story about investigating disturbances in the warehouse district, but it should be seen through relatively easily (they're bone dry and how would they find their way down there anyway). It will at least provide a plausible reason why Telakin would be ready for the party. The more I think about it, the lamer it seems, but I'm tapped for any other ideas that would at least make the party pause.
Greg