Ideas for dungeon puzzles of a particular theme

They have to trust several NPCs in an important task no one of them can do

honestly the only puzzle I can think of myself is to have a deck of cards on a pedestal in the center of the room, there is an inscription that would read "Only when the royal family is in attendance will the way be open" it's just an ordinary deck of cards and the puzzle is to dig a royal flush out of said deck and present it, but I figure some "savvy" player might assume it's a deck of many things and get skittish about touching the deck.

>>54982248
That's a good start. However, I think we'd be better off starting by first defining what exactly this perceived "adversarial relationship" between player and GM is. Adversarial in what way, trying to outdo eachother? What causes it in the first place?

The room has a chest in the center with a light from outside shining on it. There's a lever in front of the chest. The lever opens the chest.

>>54983118
>Adversarial in what way, trying to outdo eachother?
exactly what it sounds like, that it's "player vs. GM", and they just assume that's always how it's gotta be.

You have a small room. 5 feet from the entrance to a button on the opposite wall.

If the players are in the player vs gm mindset, they will hit the button with a 10 foot pole. The door will slam shut, smashing the pole. Now they have to go round the long way.

More trusting players will walk into the room and push the button. They will find that the room is an elevator that takes them to their destination.

>>54984077
Actually, put the button on the same wall as the door, beside it. players vs gm mindset players will spend some time building something that lets them push the button from outside the room. Then some skill checks to push it when they can't see the button if their head is outside the door.

>>54985886
I think this is the right direction of thought.

>>54982229
OP, use the layout of secure workplaces. You may want to use concepts like emergency shut down switches (multiple big red buttons) or magical biometric access restriction that is aligned to the living inhabitants of the dungeon. The inhabitants can be persuaded to open the locks.

>>54987854
>I think this is the right direction of thought.
really?

>>54982229
>Not a straight puzzle
You could include an innocent little girl captured by the dungeon inhabitants, or who perhaps accidentally fell in through a collapsed section.
She saw a shortcut to the macguffin, but just wants to be escorted out safely.
Play it 100% straight and the PCs might just kill her where she stands.
Of course, her family is searching for her outside.

>puzzle in an occupied dungeon
Room with a deep pit full of spike and death traps with many levers are on the walls.
A large board is placed next to each door on either side of the pit.
The players could use the board to cross the pit or play with the levers and activate the traps.

>puzzles in an unused dungeon
Large orb in the center of the room, within an arcane circle.
Markings in circle clearly show everyone touching the orb.
Braziers in corners kept burning hotter.
Once everyone is touching the orb, the circle protects them all from the fire that burns hot enough to burn away what's concealing the door onward.

Room filled with statues anngrily facing a two switches in the center.
One is protected by obvious traps.
The other is unprotected.
Flipping either switch will activate the statue golems, who attack all intruders, like the PCs.
Flipping either switch again will deactivate them.
The door to exit the room is unblocked, unlocked, and easily opened.

Room with a decayed skeleton lying next to an empty chest.
The skeleton is holding a small bag of gold.
The gold and skeleton are safe.
Fiddling with the empty chest triggers the deadly gas trap that killed the thief.

>>54989742
>really?
no.