RPGMemes

Personally, I generally dislike puzzles in RPGs. My character has 20 intelligence. In real life I'm rocking at best 12. I am not going to make the intuitive leaps to solve this cipher like my character would. You're not asking the fighter to demonstrate a shield bash or the rogue to pick a lock.

Riddles and puzzles aren't nearly as interesting as explained choices, anyway. Do you take the Sword of Rivers from the tomb, fighting the guardian and potentially causing drought and famine in the region? You've been told it's the only thing that can stop the Fire Elemental Incursion back home. Much more interesting than trying to figure out what a poem means or a sliding block puzzle, to me.

Ah. We tend to give players a DC to beat (usually 10+HD), with success giving you the description blurb in the MM and the accurate answer to one question (typically: vulnerability, best/worst save, special ability). Extra questions for every 5 above the DC.

So a Wizard or Bard or equivalent typically knows that trolls are weak against fire and illithids eat your brains. A low skill/int character will struggle to recall anything useful.