D&D 1E What are examples of "gotchya" encounters from Gary Gygax?

GreyLord

Legend
If I recall, the original guys who played ToH (Kuntz, Gygax) didn't actually beat it in the traditional manner that some think of with just a party forging it's way through.

Get a HORDE of Orcs or other slaves and drive them through the Tomb by force. Over-run all the traps, fill the halls with their dead (actually, I think someone said they only used 4 orcs, but I think the number would be higher), etc. Enough slaves run through the tomb should dismantle a great deal of it or at least show you where the traps lie.

Of course, doing such would probably be a VERY evil act, but it's one of a few ways through it. Add in shovels and picks and you get yourself a winner.
 

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Shadowdweller00

Adventurer
If I recall, the original guys who played ToH (Kuntz, Gygax) didn't actually beat it in the traditional manner that some think of with just a party forging it's way through.

Get a HORDE of Orcs or other slaves and drive them through the Tomb by force. Over-run all the traps, fill the halls with their dead (actually, I think someone said they only used 4 orcs, but I think the number would be higher), etc. Enough slaves run through the tomb should dismantle a great deal of it or at least show you where the traps lie.

Of course, doing such would probably be a VERY evil act, but it's one of a few ways through it. Add in shovels and picks and you get yourself a winner.
I had great fun in a one-shot with an evil drow bard against it. Primary strategy was using "Conjure Animals" and bamboozling NPCs to trigger all the traps. Game dissolved before we finished, unfortunately.
 

R_J_K75

Legend
I always loved the mimic and mimic-adjacent monsters, the lurker, trapper, to some extent the Cloaker. Nothing induces paranoia better than the entire dungeon environment trying to actively kill you.
Executioners Hood too.

I always liked the Disenchanter...they posed absolutely no threat.
 


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