So, my GM, in a pure RP session, decided to entice my character with what is clearly a magical puzzle box. The solution not only changes every time it's reset, but it's apparently known to change midway through solutions.
The problem, of course, is that it's lead-lined, so I can't use Detect Magic+Spell Craft. I was considering trying to see if I could find a mid-high level bard that might be able to recognize it from a story, but if that fails, I need away to ID it through the lead lining. And I don't know if the lead is integral to the puzzle box, so I can't just remove the lead.
Any suggestions?
Not sure if you're trying to guess what's in the box or the box's power itself. If the box itself is the challenge, I doubt just identifying it is going to reveal the way to open it. That would take away the challenge... may as well just smash it open with a hammer...
Unless there's a simple command word that opens it, you're going to need to solve the puzzle and that may take some effort and time, but I doubt it'll be impossible. Bardic knowledge might have a story about the box or one of its owners, but it's unlikely to hold the answer since it changes (though one story might hold a hint about how an owner discovered their answer).
You could research a new unblockable detect magic spell, identical to detect magic except lacking that unfortunate "The spell can penetrate barriers, but... blocks it" line. Probably a serious level boost, though. The good news is you can recoup your research expenses by selling it to others, everyone will want that one. :-)
I don't know of any way to get through the lead with existing magic.
Hold the box carefully, cast heat metal and let the lead lining, having a lower melting point then the other metal inner workings hopefully, drip out and pray that the other workings of the box aren't damaged or clogged by the melting lead?
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Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote: I don't know of any way to get through the lead with existing magic. Wait, yes I do, maybe. Let's literally get through the lead.
1) Get a Diminutive familiar with darkvision and detect magic. (Tiny might be enough, in which case an imp is perfect, but Diminutive is better.)
2) Cast enlarge person on the holder of the box. This will double the box's dimensions unless it's an artifact; if it's an artifact you're screwed anyway.
3) Using the share spells ability, cast reduce person on the familiar, followed by ethereal jaunt.
4) Have the now Fine-sized (or Diminutive-sized) familiar move into the enlarged box and terminate the jaunt.
5) Familiar uses detect magic from inside the lead lining.
6) Retrieve familiar (left as an exercise for the student).
You could also dimension door the familiar instead of sending it to the Ethereal plane, but then it'll take damage if it turns out the box is too full for it to materialize there.
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Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote: Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote: I don't know of any way to get through the lead with existing magic. Wait, yes I do, maybe. Let's literally get through the lead.
1) Get a Diminutive familiar with darkvision and detect magic. (Tiny might be enough, in which case an imp is perfect, but Diminutive is better.)
2) Cast enlarge person on the holder of the box. This will double the box's dimensions unless it's an artifact; if it's an artifact you're screwed anyway.
3) Using the share spells ability, cast reduce person on the familiar, followed by ethereal jaunt.
4) Have the now Fine-sized (or Diminutive-sized) familiar move into the enlarged box and terminate the jaunt.
5) Familiar uses detect magic from inside the lead lining.
6) Retrieve familiar (left as an exercise for the student).
You could also dimension door the familiar instead of sending it to the Ethereal plane, but then it'll take damage if it turns out the box is too full for it to materialize there. Fuzzy, you are insane. I knew there was a reason I liked you.
blahpers wrote: THIS IS AMAZING Blahpers, WTF?
Wouldn't Analyze Dweomer work on it? AD wouldn't reveal the solution to the puzzle box but it would say what the enchantment actually does.
Also Legend Lore should give you some clues to how the box works. Again, maybe not the solution but good information.
Meirril wrote: Wouldn't Analyze Dweomer work on it? AD wouldn't reveal the solution to the puzzle box but it would say what the enchantment actually does.
Also Legend Lore should give you some clues to how the box works. Again, maybe not the solution but good information.
Analyze Dweomer detects auras. The parts are lead lined, and thus (apparently) block the emanation of those auras, the same way a sheet of paper in front of your eyes would.
Legend lore, however, looks like a good idea!
Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote: blahpers wrote: THIS IS AMAZING Blahpers, WTF? Sorry. Got carried away by your solution.
/not sorry
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As an alternative solution: Find the person who made the puzzle box and hit them with a wrench until they tell you.
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While Fuzzy's solution is absolutely brilliant, I'm more of a hands on kinda guy. I have to go with Blahper's idea.
Zarius wrote: Meirril wrote: Wouldn't Analyze Dweomer work on it? AD wouldn't reveal the solution to the puzzle box but it would say what the enchantment actually does.
Also Legend Lore should give you some clues to how the box works. Again, maybe not the solution but good information.
Analyze Dweomer detects auras. The parts are lead lined, and thus (apparently) block the emanation of those auras, the same way a sheet of paper in front of your eyes would.
Legend lore, however, looks like a good idea! A thin sheet of lead blocks Detect Magic. Any spell that works like detect magic would also be blocked unless it says otherwise.
Analyze Dweomer doesn't reference Detect Magic at all. There is no list of anything that blocks it. Analyze Dweomer also doesn't have an area of effect, you have to specify a target and you have to have line of sight to it. If Analyze Dweomer doesn't work on your lead lined cube...the lead isn't part of the magic item and can be removed safely.
There is also a chance the cube isn't magical at all. It could be a creature, it could be a very cleverly made mundane item, it could be Tech. Be careful.
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blahpers wrote: Fuzzy-Wuzzy wrote: blahpers wrote: THIS IS AMAZING Blahpers, WTF? Sorry. Got carried away by your solution.
/not sorry Oh! I honestly couldn't tell which post you were reacting to. In that case, I magnanimously forgive you!
blahpers wrote: As an alternative solution: Find the person who made the puzzle box and hit them with a wrench until they tell you. Works even better with a sturdy barometer!
Heh now that's thinking outside O.O the box
Zarius wrote: So, my GM decided to entice my character with a magical puzzle box. The solution not only changes every time it's reset, but it's apparently known to change midway through solutions.
it's lead-lined
Any suggestions?
So if I solve this how much XP and gold do I get?
Trial and error. Just keep trying the same trial solution ... as the key changes then one time your trial will be correct. Multiple monkeys may speed up the process.
Brute force is a adamantine sword.
There is the old 'ant with a string on it' and i believe someone tried that or a variant.
A more subtle solution is to put it in your back pack and ignore it... your GM will try to get you to play with it. Stay quiet and he'll get tired and have it open or tell you how...
You could use physics or science. It is a bit metagamey if your character doesn't have those skills. Figure out the volume and density. Melting out the lead falls into this category.
Try x-ray ring or pet destrachan (shapechange, wild shape, magic jar). Shadow Projection & ring of eloquence may be the answer.
Warp Metal? Break? Knock? Gaseous Form, Fluid Form?
Object Posession maybe and open it yourself that way?
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