Possible Alternative Routes

[The Red Jaguars]

You know, that is a good point about the half-pendant location in the "Roland" run. After Yakerra knocks down the stone column, you can see the King's Storeroom door open at the top. My guess this layout would've been like a reverse "Useless Map" where starting at the top would've forced the team down the entire central shaft. Yakerra probably avoided a temple guard by not going up to the King's Storeroom at all. And avoided two time consuming rooms also. Instead, she avoided the direct path route and had an easier route instead. Runs like "Melted Head" and "Useless Map" would've played out the exact same way if the teams in those runs chose the floor opposite to that where the artifact was. Good observation.   

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Well, anyone could've come up with it. I mean, the same happened in Snow Cone and Poseidon. It's not THAT impressive.

[The Red Jaguars]

Same with Benzibab.

In Poseidon though, the upper doors were not open in the Pit when Kimberly knocked the stone column down. But the Chamber door open from the Tomb of the Headless Kings. This was even more strange than Roland and Snow Cone because it was like an entire new route was open. Would this route been a complete dead end like Bifocal Monocle? Or did Kimberly actually have an alternate (and more difficult) path to the artifact if she chose to go up? My guess is that a couple of the guards were in the central shaft. 

[Purple Parrots Fan]

I always had a feeling the three temple guards in Poseidon were in all the top rooms Kimberly never entered, ala Bifocal Moncole. Also, remember when Bandit Queen had the Pit-Chamber door opened? Not the most alternative route, but it was opened nonetheless.

Also, do you think Bullet Riddled Hand Bag counts as an alternative route? I mean, Leah could've avoided the King's Storeroom, and Matthew could've gone directly into the Shrine via the Quicksand Bog. Do you think that counts? I'm not sure on this one, I want to know what you think.

[The Red Jaguars]

I am not sure how to label Belle Boyd. I don't really consider Matthew taking the Room of the Secret Password an alternate route because he missed a shortcut that created a longer path for him. Just like how we always point out how Chandra missed a shortcut in her temple run. As for Leah, I definitely would say that the Chamber was an alternate path. By choosing the Chamber, she would've had an shorter path rather than taking the King's Storeroom. That's just how see it anyways.  

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yeah, there were A LOT of teams who lost because they didn't take shortcuts. Chandra, Retina, and James from Ponce de Leon are perfect examples of that. But both Leah and Matthew could've avoided the King's Storeroom altogether just to save time. Leah could've started the alternative route, and it would've been up to Matthew to follow up.

[The Red Jaguars]

It was just like the Imperial Wizard run where Jared had to choose from the Chamber or King's Storeroom. In that run though, he picked the King's Storeroom which allowed him to take an easier path. Same idea with Leah and the King's Storeroom during the Belle Boyd run. So I would definitely consider the Chamber of the Sacred Markers an alternate path in Belle Boyd.

Also, I am surprised that no one mentioned Thornwood Gavel yet. In that run, Mike could've entered the King's Storeroom for a solo victory or enter the Tomb of the Headless Kings for a longer path. He chose the Headless Kings, which forced him to complete both that room and the Chamber. And then Kelli was a moron for taking the uncleared King's Storeroom. So in this case, BOTH contestants took both paths and it actually hurt them. Of course, Kelli was the one that entirely ruined this run by taking an alternate path. But Mike could've stayed high to get a solo victory too.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Definitely agree on Mystical Spellbook. And to add to that, Jared could've gone directly into the Quicksand Bog via the Shrine, like Katie did. Also, Jared could've entered the Chamber, meet a temple guard, then be removed in the Room of the Ancient Warriors altogether. I think THAT right there could've been an easier path. Since Katie was faster than Jared, she probably could've reached the Spellbook the way she was moving. Then we wouldn't have to worry about the guard in the Quicksand Bog.

I agree about Thornwood Gavel, except for the solo victory part. Wasn't there a temple guard in the Room of the Secret Password? Unless that room was avoidable (which I don't think it was), then Kelli would've had to enter the temple no matter what. Regardless, Kelli pretty much screwed herself over with her poor planning. Otherwise, I agree that Thronwood Gavel was definitely another alternative path.

[PurpleParrot4Life]

Also, I am surprised that no one mentioned Thornwood Gavel yet. In that run, Mike could've entered the King's Storeroom for a solo victory or enter the Tomb of the Headless Kings for a longer path. He chose the Headless Kings, which forced him to complete both that room and the Chamber. And then Kelli was a moron for taking the uncleared King's Storeroom. So in this case, BOTH contestants took both paths and it actually hurt them. Of course, Kelli was the one that entirely ruined this run by taking an alternate path. But Mike could've stayed high to get a solo victory too.

I agree about Thornwood Gavel, except for the solo victory part. Wasn't there a temple guard in the Room of the Secret Password? Unless that room was avoidable (which I don't think it was), then Kelli would've had to enter the temple no matter what. Regardless, Kelli pretty much screwed herself over with her poor planning. Otherwise, I agree that Thronwood Gavel was definitely another alternative path.

The Secret Password was unavoidable in the Thornwood Gavel run. Neither the Dark Forest nor the Quicksand Bog opened from the Shrine. So regardless on which path Mike took, he would have encountered a guard before the Secret Password and would have been removed there. The best option for this team would have been for Mike to climb up to the King's Storeroom and have Kelli follow suit.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yeah, that's what I thought. I knew there were some doors in the Shrine that were completely closed up. The alternative route would've been for Mike to go directly into the King's Storeroom, like PP4L mentioned above. This would've saved both players a lot of time. Same with Mystical Spellbook if Jared had either entered the Chamber, and possibly run into a guard in there, and be removed in the next room. That and/or Jared go directly into the Quicksand Bog from the Shrine. That's my observation at least.

[The Red Jaguars]

You're both right about Thornwood Gavel. The Quicksand Bog door was locked from the Shrine. I remember a couple of people saying that it was open, but it was indeed locked. So Mike would've encountered both temple guards either way. Although Kelli should've reached the Gavel if she simply followed her partner's path and move faster.

And I agree that Jared should've entered the chamber in the Mystical Spellbook run. He was a fast player, but he stalled too much in some of the rooms of the temple. Especially in the Dark Forest. Katie should've been a frontrunner though and she would've been removed from the Quicksand Bog with a lot more time. And Jared shouldn't have a reason to screw around in the Dark Forest. They probably wouldn't have won because that layout was pretty hard.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yeah, I agree. Katie definitely should've gone in first. And has Smashed Printing Plate been mentioned yet? If not, then that temple run had multiple doors open in the Pit too. If Jason had gone into the King's Storeroom, he could've run into a temple guard there, and then get taken out one room later, like I said about Mystical Spellbook. I hope this observation hasn't been mentioned yet. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[The Red Jaguars]

I am guessing Smashed Printing Plate would've been a little like Belle Boyd where the King's Storeroom would've led down to the Chamber, It definitely would've been nice to see Jason taken out, but I am not sure if I wanted to see Dana in the temple at the same time.

Also, in Mary Shelley, Kate could've avoided the Chamber altogether and instead went straight into the King's Storeroom like Larry did. Kate also would've avoided a temple guard and we wouldn't have seen Larry in the Shrine. But Kate was still slow so I don't think they would've won either way.

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yeah, Manuscript could've been a solo victory if Kate had avoided the Chamber. But then again, would you really want to see her assemble the monkey? For all we know, she could've been another Larry too. But yeah, they wouldn't have won even if it was a solo run.

[The Viper]

I just noticed that in the Golden Pepperoni run, the door to the Observatory from the Kings Storeroom opened. Maybe there was another path that required the contestants to go up the central shaft and then cross the top floor?