- Type: Puzzle trap
- Location: Dark room
- Difficulty: Hard
The Puzzle:
When players enter this room the DM describes how there is no light source. The room is utterly dark. A lot of players will interrupt the Dungeon Master to annoyingly report that their character has darkvision. And if you’re playing 5e edition Dungeons and Dragons – most characters do.
Having darkvision is normally a boon. But in this case only the PCs who can see in the dark can see the Medusa directly facing the PCs. The petrifying gaze is sure to restrain a PC or two.
Of course, those who can’t see in the dark and didn’t bring a light source won’t be affected. So you might want to extinguish all light sources just before entering the room to give the party a fighting chance.
You can scale this puzzle be swapping the medusa for an chickatrice or cockatrice.
If players still haven’t learned their lesson about relying too heavily on darkvision, check out the D&D arrow puzzle.
Puzzle Solution:
PCs can listen at the door before entering the room, send in a scout animal, or simply not walk in with the whole party at once.
Puzzle Clues:
Add some clue that there’s a petrifying creature around such as a stone mouse, broken mirrors and so on.