Puzzle Showcase: Caesar Cypher

I was first introduced to the Caeser Cypher from Sly Flourish's wonderful book, Dungeon Master Tips. It's definitely worth the price of a 6-pack so please check it out!

The Caesar cipher, or shift cipher, is one of the simplest encryption puzzles. It is a substitution cipher where each letter in the original message is replaced with a letter corresponding to a certain number of letters ahead or behind in the alphabet.

For example: "Go right" could be shifted up 1 letter to "Hp sjhiu".
Another: "The key can be found under the old oak tree" shifted 1 up would be "Uif lfz dbo cf gpvoe voefs uif pme pbl usff"

This easy Caesar Cypher tool by Robert Eisele is great to create your own puzzles.

Sometimes the players will have no idea what to do; here are a few tips to point them in the right direction without breaking immersion:

1. Don't make solving the puzzle critical to moving forward. It is crucial that they be allowed to fail if they can't figure it out
2. Can they find a half-finished solution somewhere? Maybe the cypher was decoded by the enemy they just killed and half of the note is burned or covered in blood making it only partially readable - prepare this as a prop beforehand to really impress your players
3. If they fail the first time, let it come up again later - this will build up the excitement for when they finally figure it out and make you look like a fuckin' genius rather than a failure

Have you ever used a cypher puzzle in your game? How did it turn out? Share your story in the comments below!

Things GMs should absolutely prepare: Dungeon Maps (Physical)

If you want a better RPG, spend less time on world-building  and more time on things your players will actually use.

Today's topic: Dungeon Maps! (Physical)
Please note that I do not discuss any digital map-making programs... it's a style that I respect but have very little experience with.

Level 1
At the very least you will seem prepared.

1. Google: Dungeon Map
2. Download your favorites
3. Copy to your wet-erase battle map when the encounters starts
4. Use your limited creative juices to embellish the dungeon loot and monsters 

Favorite Resource: Dyson's Cartography

Level 2

Good prep without too much effort.

1. Design and sketch out your dungeon on standard 1/4" grid paper
2. This is your GM copy - mark points of interest to reference on your plot keeper OR make notes on the sketch itself
3. Buy gaming paper
4. Copy your sketch to full-size map with permanent marker and bring to session
5. Tip: cut into sections for each closed room - your players will enjoy seeing the map grow larger as they progress

Resource for making your own: Matt Lowe's dungeons

Good resource for dungeon design: Melan's Megadungeon design

Level 3

To me, not worth the effort, but hey, whatever.

1. Design or download dungeon tiles for 2.5D maps
2. Print out and past to cardboard
3. Assemble and play like the badass nerd you always wanted to be

Resource: http://terrainwizard.com/one-must-have-2-5d-printable-plus-six/

Level 4

Rich people

1. Buy battle mats or grid tiles specific for each encounter

Best resource

Let's all be Heroes

For real. We all wanna be your hero baby.

But it takes both the players and the GM to make it happen. 

Tips for Players:

• Be interesting - dump stats in a skill that's different for fuck's sake
• Take risks - heroes don't shy away from a DC 25 acrobatics check to back-flip off of the ogre's forehead and stick the landing across the river of lava
• Look for opportunities, but don't force it. Just because you are a goddamned expert in climbing doesn't mean you can't just walk up the mountain path
• Talk to your GM (nicely), if you feel that opportunities aren't presenting themselves as much as other players. Ask how your character can be more useful in the future. Hopefully they will get the hint

Tips for GMs:

• Read players' character sheet and backstories it can be fucking painful, but will give you ideas
• Make it tough, and make it worth it. If they can never fail then success doesn't seem as sweet
• Remember, it's not about YOU. You're already a hero for putting up with all their whiny bullshit; they should give you an award just for showing up
• Plan ahead - I keep a section of notes dedicated to making sure I have planned opportunities for each character. Something like this:
• Thief: Traps @ entrance, sleeping guards, alarm can be disabled
• Wizard: ______??? (maybe add a monster vulnerable to cold dmg)
• Cleric: Can speak to the dead victims, religious puzzles to get loot

In the above example I would go back to my plot notes to see what I could do to give the wizard time to shine. Not all of the events will happen exactly as planned -- that's OK, you did your part.