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So this is meant to be a centerpiece for a 20 floor megadungeon-esque tower (meant to be routinely visited throughout the game) and players are meant to return to this puzzle-fight multiple times. The ultimate goal is to put the king into checkmate which opens a portal like door to treasure rooms. The players must be able to navigate to him, or it was all for naught. It's probably broken to all hell, which is why I'm posting it here and asking for the expert's advice. So, my main questions are these:
-If you were a player how would you break this (keep in mind that nothing past the basic rules of the "King's Game" will be made aware to the players, and even then they must roll a DC 11 Knowledge (Nobility) skill check for their characters to understand the rules) and everything else must be found out through trial and error. It's important that the players be rewarded for their cleverness in "cheating" but it shouldn't be easy or without cost.
-As a dm who is probably more experienced than I, what would you change to make this flow more smoothly? What problems do you see arising from it being played as described?
-I currently only have the stats for the first level of the game. How would you increase the difficulty of the constructs as the levels progress, aside from having them hit harder and have more health.
The King’s Game Construct
At the top of the tower of the moon is an unusual forty foot square construction. On the western side, is a forty foot wide by five foot long stairway leading down to eight alternating black and white five foot square tiles, starting with black from the northernmost corner. A 35x40 foot acid pit is the rest of the square.
Starting Placement:
Stepping onto the western tiles can activate a number of Construct Pieces ranging from 35 to 28. It will also create 28 alternating 5 foot tiles of black and white. Eight of these tiles will be immediately adjacent to the western tiles. 16 tiles will be on the eastern side of the acid pit.
16 of these construct pieces are black. These pieces are eight Pawn Constructs, two Rook Constructs, two Knight Constructs, two Bishop Constructs, one Queen Construct and one King Construct. These constructs are placed in this order; 8 pawns in the second to easternmost row from top to bottom, in the easternmost row from top to bottom is Rook Construct, Knight Construct, Bishop Construct, Queen Construct, King Construct, Bishop Construct, Knight Construct and Rook Construct.
15 to 8 white construct pieces will activate depending on how many creatures step onto the first row of tiles. These constructs mirror exactly the constructs on the east, save for the fact that any creatures that step on the westernmost row to begin the Kings Game at approximately the same time will be “counted” as their constructs and will not generate white constructs for that tile. To activate the King’s game, at least one creature must step onto the white King Construct’s starting tile.If any creature steps into a western tile designated for a Knight Construct Piece, three of the five foot alternating black and white tiles will appear exactly two rows east of it.
Movement and Actions:
Movement in the Kings game works like this; Any creature (that is not a kings game construct) may move to any placement on the board available to them. However if they move to tiles not designated to their piece, some strange things happen (see below.) If a creature designated as a white construct has a move speed that is short of the total move it takes to reach the tile it desires to reach, the black constructs will wait for it to move to that location, delaying a turn. The creature who took the white King’s position may call out moves to any white construct on the board it’s movement allows (Using phrases like “Knight to F3 or Rook to B5”.) If a construct or creature designated as a white construct moves to a space occupied by an opposite colored construct, it will instantly destroy it.
Creatures may also take moves not typically allowed to them in chess. If any creature attacks a construct not within it’s capturable space, the black constructs takes their next turn as an immediate action. In addition, any black constructs will also return an attack if it is within their reach. White constructs may also be attacked. If a white construct is attacked, they do not retaliate, however the black constructs will take their turn.
On each white turn, all possible moves that creatures designated as constructs can make as their construct type raise the tiles out of the acid. This means that creatures can make movements not typically allowed for them (they can either walk to another tile, if the tile is adjacent, or make an acrobatics check to jump onto an available tile.). As soon as a creature does this, as an immediate action, the black constructs will take their next move. After this is resolved though, the creature may move with their normal designated construct’s movement without the black constructs taking a turn.
- Creatures may also stop in places which are not typically allowed movements in the King’s Game. If a Creature who took the place of a knight, stops one or two tiles short of a knight’s move, the black constructs will wait for them to move a the space they are supposed to move to. Here they may either take an attack on a construct, or wait out the timer and end their turn here. If the creature makes an attack on a black construct here, the black constructs take a retaliation and a move. If the creature attacks a white construct here, the black constructs take a move. If the creature waits out the timer the black constructs take their move.
- Any time a creature with the designated construct as a bishop moves onto a tile that is the “wrong color”, the black constructs will take their next move. The black constructs will take their move even if the creature designated as bishop moved onto a “wrong color” tile the last turn. Tiles will also not raise for a creature designated as bishop until it moves onto a white space.
- If a construct is attacked by range from a creature outside the King’s Game board, a black bishop construct will attempt to retaliate, and black takes a turn.
- Flying for more than six seconds will trigger the black constructs to take their turn. Landing after this will also trigger the black constructs to take their turn.
Unless the black constructs are taking a retaliatory action, they always move in their designated way after a white construct or creature designated as a white construct takes its move. If they capture a white construct, they attack it, destroying it, and they move into that construct’s square. If they capture a creature, the construct makes an attack roll against the creature. The creature’s tile then falls out from under it, but they may roll an acrobatics check to move onto an available square as the tile disappears underneath them (use the rules for jumping without a running start.) If the “captured” creature moves onto another tile, the black constructs will take another turn.
It should be noted that the constructs move with unnatural grace and speed, and can take multiple moves in the span of a split second, even if creatures try to move at the same time. If this happens, have the creatures roll initiative to determine which creature moves first.
Captured Creatures and Acid Pit:
A creature designated as a construct that is not the white king does not take acid damage when it is captured or falls into the acid pit. The acid instead moves around the creature with a subtle grace, protected by an abjuration effect similar to mage armor. Other creatures above the acid pit may note the effect of the acid moving around the creature with a DC 20 perception roll. This effect will not generate if all the white pawns have been captured or destroyed, and the creature will take acid damage as normal.
Swimming through the acid at this time is impossible as there is no mass to push against. If they wish they can attempt a DC 20 will save to negate this effect, but they will immediately begin to take damage. If a pawn becomes promoted during this game, the creature gets to take it’s place. If more than one creature became captured and fell below the acid, only one creature may take the promoted pawn’s place.
After the game ends or is forfeited the protective effect ends, and creatures may attempt to surface and swim to safety at this time, taking damage for each turn they must swim (as well as rolling swim checks)
Settings:
The Kings game has Seven settings, each unlocked with a different key, except for the easiest setting which needs no keys to be unlocked. Upping the difficulty of the Kings Game alters a few portions of the game, including the intensity of the acid pit, timer to make each move, the health points and damage output of each individual construct piece, and the location for which the gate spell takes you, although the win condition is always the same (which is to put the king into “checkmate” and be able to enter the black king’s gate-door.)
Boundaries:
At all times, the north, east and south walls are bordered by a spell similar to wall of force. This can be be bypassed by any object or creature moving with enough speed; which is about 100 feet per second (any attack roll over 14 can be assumed to be moving at this speed. It can also be assumed that they draw their weapons back fast enough that it does not get stuck in the wall of force unless they specifically request to try leaving their weapon in between this force.) Spells, also have no issue passing through this wall of force (and therefore disintegrate can not destroy it). If any creature that is captured attempts to leave the game using the stairs the west wall will generate a similar wall of force effect, just long enough to prevent it from leaving, sending it falling into the acid. Otherwise, (except on the hardest difficulty) it may leave onto the stairs, resetting the game and dropping all constructs and creatures into the acid.The DC to dispel this wall of force is 31 and Mage’s Disjunction will deactivate the entire board, preventing the Black King’s Gate door from connecting to it’s location.
Low Risk Play:
Creatures may also attempt to to beat the kings game by placing only one creature into the king’s position and keeping them close to the west boundary. Playing this way takes 1d4 hours playing a number of different games until success or defeat (it’s assumed that every time a creature comes close to defeat, they step off the game, resetting it.)
They can roll an opposed knowledge nobility check or an intelligence check at -10 against the Kings Game Construct in this way. For every 5 feet the creature in the King Construct’s position is willing to move away from the western border to achieve victory they add a +2. This leaves them this many spaces away upon a victory, and must use acrobatics to return to safety or fall into the acid (again, use standing still rules for this jump.) Creatures not playing may use the aid another action for this way of playing. A tied roll in this case means a stalemate.
Winning this way may not actually get the desired result, as the black king construct could very well be on the other side of the board. The door on the hatch will open, but if the creatures can’t find a way to enter, they can not get inside (though they will likely get to see what’s inside the door). To achieve a win condition of being able to enter the King Construct’s Door, by driving the king to their side, their check must exceed +5. If a second creature with the ability to fly takes a white construct piece and spends the game in the air, this check must exceed +2.
While this is a low risk way of playing, it is not a no risk way of playing. It is possible to make an oversight and become checkmated even when taking caution. If the check fails by 5 or more, the Black Queen Construct places the creature designated as the White King Construct in checkmate and takes an attack, then sending them into the acid. Make an attack roll as the Queen Construct, then roll acid damage for every turn the creature must take to swim to safety and then climb out.
The puzzle was inspired by this youtube video.
Pawn Construct
CR 1/3
XP 100
N Small construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 5
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft.
Melee shortspear (1d6)
Special Attacks Retaliation, En Passant
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 9
Feats
Skills
Languages —
SQ Pawn Move, Capture, Captured, Promotion
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a Pawn Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach though a method other than capture, the Pawn Construct it will make an attack roll at that creature as an immediate action.
If the Pawn Construct is white, it will never take a retaliation.
En Passant
If another Pawn Construct of the opposite color takes its first move, moving 10 feet (and two tiles) forward and ends adjacent to the Pawn Construct, a special move becomes available to it. On the next King’s Game turn, the Pawn Construct may move diagonally, ending it's movement behind the opposite colored pawn and capturing it in the process.
Pawn Move
A Pawn Construct has only a few move options available to it. If it has not yet moved, it may move 10 feet (and two tiles) forward. It may also move five feet (and a single tile) forward. It may never capture another construct of the opposite color moving in this way.
If a Pawn Construct is diagonally adjacent to any opposite colored construct (or creature designated as such) it may move 5 feet diagonally and initiate a capture.
Capture
If a Pawn Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a Pawn Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the pawn construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Pawn Construct moves onto that space.
Captured
Any time an opposite colored construct ends its movement on the Pawn Construct’s tile, the Pawn Construct is instantly destroyed.
Promotion
If a Pawn Construct moves into the eighth rank (the opposite side from where it began) The pawn is promoted as a new construct. This can be either a Queen, Bishop, Knight or Rook Construct.
Alternatively, if the Pawn Construct is white and a creature designated as either a Queen, Bishop Knight or Rook Construct has fallen into the acid, that creature is lifted onto the Kings Game and may continue in it’s stead.
Rook Construct
CR 1
XP 400
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 12, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 15
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee heavy shield +3 (1d8+2)
Special Attacks Retaliation,
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB 2; CMD 12
Feats Improved Shield Bash
Skills
Languages —
SQ Rook Move, Castle, Capture, Captured,
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a Rook Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach though a method other than capture, the Rook Construct it will make an attack roll at that creature as an immediate action.
If the Rook Construct is white, it will never take a retaliation.
Rook Move
A Rook Construct may only ever move straight along the cardinal directions on any given turn. It can not move through any other creatures spaces.
Castle
If a Rook Construct and the King Construct (or a creature designated as king) has not taken a move in this encounter, there are no constructs between them, and the King Construct is not in check, they may initiate a special move called Castling. The King Construct moves two tiles towards the Rook Construct, and the Rook construct either moves two or three tiles, depending on how close it is to the King Construct. In either case, the Rook Construct moves past the King Construct, ending it’s move on the next adjacent tile to the King Construct.
Capture
If a Rook Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a Rook Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the Rook Construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Rook Construct moves onto that space.
Captured
Any time an opposite colored construct ends its movement on the Pawn Construct’s tile, the Pawn Construct is instantly destroyed.
Knight Construct
CR 1
XP 400
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 13
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 15 ft.
Melee halberd +2 (1d8 +1/x3)
Special Attacks Retaliation
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB 2; CMD 9
Feats
Skills
Languages —
SQ Knight Move, Capture, Captured,
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a Knight Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach though a method other than capture, the Knight Construct it will make an attack roll at that creature as an immediate action.
If the Knight Construct is white, it will never take a retaliation.
Knight Move
A Knight Construct will only ever move straight ten feet (in any cardinal direction) and then five feet to the side in either direction, or straight five feet and ten feet to the side. The shape of this movement always looks like a capital “L.” It means moving straight two tiles and over one tile, or vise versa. Unlike any other constructs, the Knight Construct can move through other creatures to reach their destination.
Capture
If a Knight Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a Knight Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the Knight Construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Knight Construct moves onto that space.
Captured
Any time an opposite colored construct ends its movement on the Pawn Construct’s tile, the Pawn Construct is instantly destroyed.
Bishop Construct
CR 1
XP 400
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 11, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 10
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee
Special Attacks Retaliation, Reach Retaliation
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 12, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB 0; CMD 11
Feats
Skills
Languages —
SQ Bishop Move, Capture, Captured,
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a Bishop Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach through a method other than capture, the Bishop Construct can cast shocking grasp as an immediate action and make an attack roll on that creature.
Reach Retaliation
Any time any black construct is attacked by a creature outside of it’s reach, a black Bishop Construct will retaliate against that creature as an immediate action by casting Magic Missile as a spell like ability. If the creature that provoked the retaliation has total cover or total concealment, the bishop will target a random creature currently on the board. If all creatures have total cover or concealment, the Bishop Construct can not take a retaliation.
Bishop Move
The Bishop Construct can only ever move diagonally on any given turn, and it must move in a straight line. It can not move through other creatures spaces.
Capture
If a Bishop Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a Bishop Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the Bishop Construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Bishop Construct moves onto that space.
Captured
Any time an opposite colored construct or creature designated as an opposite color construct ends its movement on the Bishop Construct’s tile, the Bishop Construct is instantly destroyed.
Queen Construct
CR 2
XP 600
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 20
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee flambard +3 (1d10+1/19-20)
Special Attacks Retaliation,
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB 3; CMD 15
Feats
Skills
Languages —
SQ Queen Move, Capture, Captured, Promotion
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a Queen Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach though a method other than capture, the Queen Construct as an immediate action can make an attack roll against the creature that attacked it.
If the Queen Construct is white, it will never take a retaliation.
Queen Move
The Queen Construct must always move in a straight line, but can move either diagonally or forward along any cardinal direction. She may not pass through any other creatures’ occupied spaces.
Capture
If a Queen Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a Queen Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the Queen Construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Queen Construct moves onto that space.
Captured
Any time an opposite colored construct ends its movement on the Queen Construct’s tile, the Queen Construct is instantly destroyed.
The black statue of a king holding a royal scepter stands perfectly still until you move to attack him, then attempting to dodge out of the way, striking you with his scepter and moving away from you. He wears royal robes and a crown, but most of the front of his torso is obscured by a large, stone door emanating strange and powerful magic.
Black King Construct
CR 1/2
XP 200
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10
hp 10 (1d6+10)
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +0
Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft.
Melee quarterstaff (1d6/x3)
Special Attacks Retaliation,
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 12, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 9
Feats
Skills
Languages —
SQ King Move, Capture, Check, Check Mate
SPECIAL ABILITIES:
Retaliation
Any time a King Construct is attacked by a creature in it’s reach though a method other than capture, the King Construct gets to make an attack roll as an immediate action.
In addition, as part of the King Construct’s retaliation, it may take a five foot step in any direction it likes, though this is not required if it is not tactically advantageous. This does not count as part of the black constructs’ turn.
King Move
A King Construct generally only ever moves five feet in any direction.
However, once per encounter a King construct can make use of a Rook construct’s special move ability. If a King Construct and a Rook Construct have not yet taken moves, there are no other constructs between them, and the King Construct is not currently in check another form of movement becomes available to the King Construct. The King construct may move ten feet towards the Rook Construct, and the Rook construct may move past the King Construct, ending their moves adjacent to each other.
No movement the King makes ever provokes an attack of opportunity.
Capture
If a King Construct initiates a capture on an opposite colored construct, that construct is instantly destroyed.
If a King Construct initiates a capture upon a creature designated as an opposite colored construct, it makes an attack roll on that creature. Whether or not the King Construct deals damage, the creature’s tile falls out from underneath it and that creature must make an acrobatics check to get to the nearest tile or be submerged in acid. Immediately after this, a new tile rises from the acid, and the Pawn Construct moves onto that space.
Check
If a king is threatened by the white constructs next move, and no other construct can move in the way or white capture the construct that threatens it, the king must move.
If a creature designated as a white construct moves to threaten the king in a way that is atypical of it’s designated construct’s move, it may take a retaliation.
Check Mate
If the Black King Construct is threatened by the white constructs next move in such a way that no other construct can move in the way, capture the white construct that threatens it, or move out of the way, the game is won. All pieces remain on the board until the game is reset by all creatures designated as white constructs leaving up the stairs.
In addition, a door on the torso of the black king construct opens, connecting that threshold to another location in space similar to the spell Gate. (the location of where gate goes to varies on the difficulty of the game)
These constructs are only the pieces for the first difficulty of the puzzle/combat. I'd like to give them more abilities as the difficulty increases, so if you guys have any ideas, I'm all ears. Besides hp and raw attacking power, one thing I know will happen at higher level difficulty is increasing the caster level of the bishop's magic missile. I also really like the idea of giving the rooks Force Push as an SLA for their retaliation.
The opposed knowledge nobility check for low risk play starts at +1 at the first difficulty, then +5 at the second, and moves up by +5 every following difficulty level. As the creatures get locked into the final difficulty, they can not use low risk play for this final challenge.
I'm bumping this, but I acknowledge that it is an absolute wall of text. Any responses here would be greatly appreciated.