pc puzzles that involve a whole party but don't require any one class; that could fit in one room (of any size or scape)i would prefer open ended answers
Mirrors on the ceiling and on each wall, with inscriptions surrounding each. When a wall mirror is activated by someone in front of the mirror reading the inscription, it creates a doppleganger of themselves or minor death or something that attacks them, and the corresponding section of mirror activates and part of the ceiling inscription becomes visible. To fully activate the ceiling mirror, the 3+ wall mirrors must all be activated at the same time, and the attackers kept off a 4th person that reads the ceiling inscription to activate that one, which delivers the reward. (Perhaps the ceiling mirror reflection showed something in the room that wasn't in the room until it was solved, or it gates in the big boss, or opens a portal to somewhere interesting.)
A sacrificial altar with blood runnels that can contain a certain con damage amount of blood. Amount should be no less than the total of the toughest PC. If the minimum amount of the right race or species blood is spilled on the altar, it opens the wall behind it to reveal something interesting. Do they share the cost, let it go, or go searching for sacrifices?
The classic thing is to have a statue asking a riddle which opens a door. This puts it on all the players to figure out.
Admittedly this doesn't use the skills on the character sheets so much as those in the players' heads, but it does allow everyone a chance to participate.
Doing the "chess puzzle" is also pretty classic. Set up a large chess board with room for the players to play pieces and have them figure out how to checkmate sacrificing the least pieces. Again, player skills, but a different set than regular riddles, and even the player playing the dumb barbarian can explain this as having learned chess over long nights in the long hall.
Whether chess exists in Golarion is another question, but as it exists in the real world in just about every country, it's really not hard to port it into a fantasy world based on our real world. Baba Yaga would have imported it to Irrisen regardless because it's hard to have a Russian setting without some fun chess games, and in the Land of the Linnorm kings, they probably say "The only good thing we ever got from that damn hag was chess."
Of course, in the real world chess originated in India, so it could have been invented in Jalmeray in Golarion as well.
Mmmm, yes, chess board puzzles. How about one of those where there's only a few pieces on the board, especially knights since many people have trouble visualizing the L movement, that will attack anyone who enters a threatened square. Either have the pieces stationary and their threatened squares trapped, or actually animate to engage, thus changing the board and which squares are safe after they move.
Mirrors on the ceiling and on each wall, with inscriptions surrounding each. When a wall mirror is activated by someone in front of the mirror reading the inscription, it creates a doppleganger of themselves or minor death or something that attacks them, and the corresponding section of mirror activates and part of the ceiling inscription becomes visible. To fully activate the ceiling mirror, the 3+ wall mirrors must all be activated at the same time, and the attackers kept off a 4th person that reads the ceiling inscription to activate that one, which delivers the reward. (Perhaps the ceiling mirror reflection showed something in the room that wasn't in the room until it was solved, or it gates in the big boss, or opens a portal to somewhere interesting.)
have you used this one if so how did it turn out
Haven't used that one. I'm a fan of mirror puzzles and traps, since mirrors freak me out something awful irl, but they're usually very customized to campaign and characters, and you were looking for open-ended stuff.
I'd make sure to set up some old pictograph-ish instructions so they have some idea as what to expect and the trick of doing all at once, unless your party is real good at puzzles and not likely to just get irritated and give up after a few unnecessary wall activation/fights.
One that I actually used was a competitive dungeon crawl. I set up 6 other parties, ranging lvl 1 commoners getting in way over their heads to +1 apl elven-supremecists (eldreth velutha) set up to be long-term party enemies/foils. It had multiple entrances to a labrynth, for purposes of allowing the parties to interact and/or take out the competition, and various hidden unique crystal statuettes. 2 trapfilled exits from the labrynth dumped together for a final interaction / combat into a room with a construct sphynx. It would ask a riddle, the answer to which being one of the statuettes, and open its jaws. A PC would have to reach into its mouth to place the answer there, at which point it would close its jaws, either gently for a time while it opened the exit, or taking the hand off at the elbow (or shoulder if pc is small). I believe I had it ask 3 riddles, and one of them had the group head back into the labyrinth to find the missed crystal statuette.
A sacrificial altar with blood runnels that can contain a certain con damage amount of blood. Amount should be no less than the total of the toughest PC. If the minimum amount of the right race or species blood is spilled on the altar, it opens the wall behind it to reveal something interesting. Do they share the cost, let it go, or go searching for sacrifices?
Along this topic, pretty much the entirety of Saw V can be used as inspiration.
A sacrificial altar with blood runnels that can contain a certain con damage amount of blood. Amount should be no less than the total of the toughest PC. If the minimum amount of the right race or species blood is spilled on the altar, it opens the wall behind it to reveal something interesting. Do they share the cost, let it go, or go searching for sacrifices?Along this topic, pretty much the entirety of Saw V can be used as inspiration.
not looking for something as cruel. doing this as a team building thing and sacrafice the elf because she is easier to kill is not what i am looking for
not looking for something as cruel. doing this as a team building thing and sacrafice the elf because she is easier to kill is not what i am looking forAlong this topic, pretty much the entirety of Saw V can be used as inspiration.
If that's the direction your group would go with such puzzles, I'd agree it's best not to use them.
In a wholly different setting, I had my players enter a bare room with one wall filled with arcane markings, with a faint aura of magic, and a door in the other end.
The smart characters saw some system in the tiles, but couldn't quite grasp what they had to do to activate it. After a long time of debate, followed by trial and error, one of the fighter-types got bored and went to smash the door in, only to find that it had been open all along.
Edit: Unlocked, not open...
This room contains various pieces of art appropriate to the area adorning the walls. A heavy iron door with no visible handle bars the way to the next room. The only furniture in this room is a large round table with several chairs drawn up to it on various sides. Numerous weapons are sticking out of the table, and those that could not be jammed in are learning up against it.
Detect magic:The weapons and door are magical.
Spellcraft to identify items: The door will only open when a particular force is applied to it. Each weapon in the room is indeed magical, a result of 25 or higher reveals that every weapon is cursed.
What ensues: The players begin either pulling the weapons out and getting cursed or somehow manipulating them and throwing them at the door. None of the weapons open the door.