False Endings
“…put the module away for use when you have a different group…” (Gygax 1978)
The final challenge should be the players’ abilities in detecting discrepancies in the false endings. Not the right room in the dungeon, not the right monster, not the right treasure. Gygax throws a wrench into that by having you explicitly gaslight your players in the first false ending.
Boxed text
The concept of boxed text wasn’t introduced until 1980. The stream of consciousness descriptions are meant to inform the Referee about the situation. It’s up to you to filter and disseminate only the information the PCs have access to. As an example in the western false entrance, calling out specifically that the ceiling is obscured with cobwebs clues players in that they should be looking up. Instead you should merely indicate initially that the tunnel is somewhat obscured with cobwebs.
Locked Oak Door
1e:
Listening at doors was standard dungeon procedure, hence the lure of the glamour. There’s no way to unlock the door, it must be destroyed physically or magically. I assume to ensure an egress point from the trap or to ensure the rest of the party can watch helplessly as their party members slide into lava. The walls and floor are smooth and highly polished. This trap functions like the east false entrance. Count to 5 in 7.5 seconds. Note the count when each PC retreats. They move 1’ per their movement rate per remaining count. Any remaining fall prone and slide 10’ per segment. Looking at the tournament notes, I don’t think PCs are meant to survive if they don’t exit before the end of the count.
Otherwise, any PC even slightly overloaded will only move 9’ per segment or less. That’s taking into account charging (x2 rate) and difficult terrain (1/2 rate), making progress impossible without shedding some weight. There are no rules on movement for prone characters on a slope. You could call for a roll under ability test to climb out.
5e:
Roll initiative, on initiative 10 of every round every character slides 10’. Climbing is half speed and with most characters that’s 15’ per round. The fighter will succeed 95% of the time. Not much of a challenge for the fighter, but other classes would probably struggle.
Magical Secret Door
1e:
The door can be found by normal searching, 33% chance. But to open, the magic seal must first be detected and then removed. The door then opens as normal. There’s no obvious reason to search here.
5e:
The fighter will find the door 25% of the time.
Fear gas
1e:
One must hold their breath or save vs poison, a fighter will save 65% of the time. If failed, instead of death, they flee for 2d4 turns. The door is not secret, but hidden by the gas. It can be seen 50% of the time.
The room is filled with fine furnishings, but they have decayed to the point of being valueless. There are still treasures worth recovering, but the golden couch, by far the singularly most valuable thing, is frustratingly impossible.
| |Fighter| Zombie|
|To Hit %| 35%| 45%|
|Dam % dealt per round| 6% (2)| 5% (3)|
|Rounds to win| 16| 19|
|Power Ratio| 0.84|
Three hits from the special mace will destroy both the zombie and the mace. Traditionally, the Referee rolls all the dice in secret, and therefore is in a position to lie about the result.
This fake ending is meant to defeat the party, by having them voluntarily leave the dungeon. The Referee is meant to gaslight their players, not their characters, into thinking this is the end of the dungeon. Count up to 10 after you’ve convinced them. The illusion of collapse extends all the way back to the pit entrance. Gygax implies the fight and subsequent illusion should be conveyed at a level of hyperbole to signal that this isn’t the real end of the dungeon.
5e:
The fighter would save against the fear gas 65% of the time. If failed, they’re frightened for 1 minute. The save can be remade each round, and then they’re immune for 1 hour. They will see the door 75% of the time.
| |Fighter| Zombie|
|To Hit %| 70%| 35%|
|Dam % dealt per round| 19% (18)| 6% (9)|
|Rounds to win| 5| 13|
|Power Ratio| 0.38|
This zombie is not as challenging as the original because of the increased damage output of the fighter.
The counting mechanic from 1e is kept here. This should have been handled by initiative like the other cases. I don’t think modern players would recognize the threat of a count, unless your table regularly plays with QTE. Instead, after the fake lich is destroyed, remain in initiative order describing the room collapsing. Describe the increasing amount of debris and shaking at the end of each round until they all leave.
Lab
1e:
There is a great amount of clutter here for the players to search though, none of it useful. The vats are 7’ across and 4’ deep. A little pythagorean theorem says it’s 5.3’ from the rim to the center of the bottom. Reaching in deals 5% (3 hp) damage per round and +1% chance to succeed.
| |Fighter| Jelly|
|To Hit %| 90%| 45%|
|Dam % dealt per round| 10% (5)| 7% (4)|
|Rounds to win| 10| 15|
|Power Ratio| 0.66|
The gray ochre jelly is huge, normally a 17 hp monster, this one has 48 hp and deals 4d4 damage (normally 3d4).
The key name is for the Referee’s benefit, the players would have no way of knowing it.
5e:
| |Fighter| Jelly|
|To Hit %| 95%| 20%|
|Dam % dealt per round| 49% (25)| 2% (2)|
|Rounds to win| 3| 57|
|Power Ratio| 0.05|
Giving the jelly +10 to hit and increasing its AC will make this jelly a better challenge.
Pit
1e:
It is in fact not empty, as the graphic clearly shows spikes. It’s not clear if the spikes that launch are magical or mundane, only that the trap is infinitely reloaded. The spikes always strike true with no save. Deals 17% (10 hp) damage.
5e:
Somewhere in the conversation the pit changed to being empty. The fighter will be hit 55% of the time dealing 10% (10 hp) damage.
Credits
David C. Sutherland III
1978 Tomb of Horrors Back Cover Art
https://swordsandstitchery.blogspot.com/2016/05/dave-sutherland-iii-thursday.html