Possible Alternative Routes

[The Viper]

I've been watching some temple runs, and wondering if there could have been alternative routes to reach the artifact. Does anyone have any possibilities?

[The Ancient Warrior]

Well, for starters, I think most of the teams that met three Temple Guards had an alternative that would've cut at least one of them out.  For example, both the Iguanas in "The Useless Map of the Chibcha Chieftain" and the Snakes in "The Pendant of Kamehameha" could have taken the high road out of the Pit.  There had to be alternatives for them, at least, considering that each of those teams only had one Pendant.

I'm definitely left wondering about a lot of Season 1 runs, since the number of actuator rooms keeps us from getting to see just how many doors could be opened.  I have a theory about "The Moccasins of Geronimo" that it would've been possible to continue "left" from the Treasure Room, but the Shrine would probably have a Temple Guard and the players would then have had to enter the Dungeon and climb up.

[The Red Jaguars]

Here is a list of episodes that had alternate choices the players could take:

The Pendant of Kamehameha - When Tina spins the sundial in the Observatory, the door from the Wall Climb opens. Had the team went directly to this room, then it would've been a successful solo run.

The Stolen Arm of Shiva - In the Observatory when the second runner spins the sundial, you will notice the bar leading to the Trouble Bridge opens, indicating they could've avoided the entire central shaft.

The Silver Saddle Horn of Hannibal - Its very much likely that the Troubled Bridge would've opened in this run, indicated by the fact that the frontrunner was able to enter all the rooms on the top floor. Had she stayed on the bottom the entire time, this would've been successful.

Pecos Bill's Lost Lariat - When Colleen spins the celestial lights, you will notice that the Treasure Room directly opens and that she could've avoided the Heart Room guard.

King Tut's Cobra Staff - Considering that Eusinia was able to retreat back to the Wheel Room from the Throne Room, I guarantee that this team would've been able to start in the Wheel Room also.

The Electrified Key of Benjamin Franklin - Peter could've avoided Medusa's Lair temple guard easily if he went into the Observatory.

The Snow Cone of Mount Kilimanjaro - I don't really remember because I hate this run, but I am pretty sure that the King's Storeroom opened from the Pit of the Pendulum.

The Broken Trident of Poseidon - When Kimberly knocks the stone column down in the Pit, you will notice the King's Storeroom door opens at the top of the central shaft. Its very likely that if she went to the top of the central shaft, that is the location of the temple guards she never encounters.

There are probably a bunch of episodes I am overlooking too.

[The Silver Monkey]

The Electrified Key of Benjamin Franklin - Peter could've avoided Medusa's Lair temple guard easily if he went into the Observatory.

He entered Medusa's Lair from the Observatory. However, the door to the Storeroom did open when he completed the stone column, so he still could've avoided Medusa's Lair's guard, anyway. And to think that if he did, we would've had a bottom of the central shaft victory.

[PurpleParrot319]

I think The Lucky Medallion of Atocha had another route. Ty could've chosen the bottom route and the other two temple guards were down there. Another thing is that I don't think the wall could be broken from the Dark Forest.

[The Red Jaguars]

The Electrified Key of Benjamin Franklin - Peter could've avoided Medusa's Lair temple guard easily if he went into the Observatory.

He entered Medusa's Lair from the Observatory. However, the door to the Storeroom did open when he completed the stone column, so he still could've avoided Medusa's Lair's guard, anyway. And to think that if he did, we would've had a bottom of the central shaft victory.

That was a common theme in all the bottom of the central shaft runs. The contestants make stupid mistakes that cost them a win. A lot of those runs were close (except Elizabeth I's Golden Ship).

I think The Lucky Medallion of Atocha had another route. Ty could've chosen the bottom route and the other two temple guards were down there. Another thing is that I don't think the wall could be broken from the Dark Forest.

If that was the case, then this run would've ended in triple capture assuming he started in the Ledges. But I am glad that he didn't take the direct path to the artifact and this would be a perfect example of how not taking the direct path would benefit the team.

I wonder if "The Mush Pot Hat of Johnny Appleseed" had an alternate path on the bottom floor. I am pretty sure the Dark Forest opened from the Shrine when Angela completed the monkey. If this was the case, the Orange Iguanas would've had more time I assume to reach the Mush Pot Hat.

I also wonder if the Red Jaguars had top floor access in "The Keys to the Alhambra" and could've avoided the bottom floor altogether. Unfortunately, Lisa was stupid so we will never know.

[Green Monkey Warrior]

A few more episodes with alternate routes:

The Crown of Queen Nzinga: In the Laser Light Room, you can see Medusa's Lair open— indicating that Benjamin and Renee could've avoided the Swamp and Dark Forest guards by going up the central shaft and the two rooms just left of it.

The Pearl Necklace of Gwalior: Something everyone notices about this run is that Ryan and Dawn only had one choice in their run— up to the Crypt or down to the Ledges. If Ryan went down to the Ledges, the path would be very similar to the Imperial Purple Robe of Empress Theodora.

Robin Hood and Marian's Ladder ( ): As PP319 said in one of the newer topics, the Treasure Chest would've worked and they would've had to climb down to the Holes and Python and follow the bottom floor— it's likely they would encounter the third guard in possibly one of the three bottom rooms left of the central shaft.

Pecos Bill's Lost Lariat: After how THK located the half-pendant in the Throne Room (which was visible when Chris was leaving through the bottom floor), I realized that there was an alternate route Colleen and Chris could've taken to get to the Lariat— they'd go along the bottom floor up until the Holes of Python (where the Tomb of the Ancient Kings would be locked) and climb up into the Treasure Room from there.

There are more several runs that I'll look over to see if they incorporated alternate routes.

[The Red Jaguars]

GMW, I don't understand your comparison of "The Pearl Necklace of Gwalior" with "The Imperial Purple Robe of Empress Theodora". Are you saying that if Ryan started in the Ledges, then the team would've taken the bottom route to the temple? I thought for sure the Tomb of the Headless Kings did not open from the Pit of Despair, unless it opened from the Chamber of the Sacred Markers.

Interesting note about "The Crown of Queen Nzinga" though about Medusa's Lair opening up. I don't remember if the door opened at all or not, so I will need to go back and watch that episode again. But since we are talking about that episode, I remember someone suggesting that the Mine Shaft wall would've been locked during that run and the team would've been forced up into the Shrine. Hence, the reason why the temple spirit was in the tree close to the Swamp.

[The Ancient Warrior]

As far as "The Crown of Queen Nzinga" goes, my guess is the team took the shortest route possible.  Not sure if they could've taken a separate route altogether if they started in the Crypt, but I doubt it would let them dodge all the guards or whatnot.  I'm really not sure about the rock wall being sealed, though; it's not the only time the Temple Spirit was in the stage-right tree and the players entered the Dark Forest from the room to its right. "The Bullet-Riddled Handbag of Belle Boyd" had that too, but the rock wall was still breakable.

[The Red Jaguars]

Just to throw a few more out there:

The Enormous Iron Nose Ring of Babe - During the temple rundown, you can see the half-pendant on the Observatory actuator. My guess is that Joel could've taken the top floor and beelined down the central column to the Laser Light Room. This is probably how he avoided a guard or two.

The Bonnet of Dolley Madison - Judging by the temple layout and guard layout, I bet the Laser Light Room would've been accessible during the run, and would've just forced the team up the central shaft.

The Mush Pot Hat of Johnny Appleseed - I am wondering if Chris took the bottom route, he would've avoided being taken out in the King's Storeroom. Its possible the bottom floor was an alternate path.

 The Melted Head of Madame Tussaud - Nick could've avoided most of the central shaft completely by climbing up to the King's Storeroom. This is evident when Jennifer runs to the King's Storeroom and bypasses two of the central shaft rooms.

The Upside-Down Compass of Henry Hudson - The frontrunner had no reason to run into the King's Storeroom, and it just served as a useless detour for the team. When Nick enters the temple, he goes into the Room of the Ancient Warriors from the Chamber.

The Golden Cup of Belshazzar - Okay, this run is weird because I somehow think that the Room of Harmonic Convergence was NOT a deadend. This is due to the fact on how brutal that deadend would've been and how we do hear a noise when Katherine tries all the steps. My guess is that both the Wheel Room and Troubled Bridge were accessible routes, but there was a production error in the Harmonic Convergence that forced Katherine onto the upper level. Also, the Treasure Room shouldn't have been a deadend either as you can hear the Treasure Chest making a noise when Katherine opens it up. I think her partner was just too stupid to bother looking down into it.

[The Silver Monkey]

The Upside-Down Compass of Henry Hudson - The frontrunner had no reason to run into the King's Storeroom, and it just served as a useless detour for the team. When Nick enters the temple, he goes into the Room of the Ancient Warriors from the Chamber.

Derek, not Nick.

[The Ancient Warrior]

The Golden Cup of Belshazzar - Okay, this run is weird because I somehow think that the Room of Harmonic Convergence was NOT a deadend. This is due to the fact on how brutal that deadend would've been and how we do hear a noise when Katherine tries all the steps. My guess is that both the Wheel Room and Troubled Bridge were accessible routes, but there was a production error in the Harmonic Convergence that forced Katherine onto the upper level. Also, the Treasure Room shouldn't have been a deadend either as you can hear the Treasure Chest making a noise when Katherine opens it up. I think her partner was just too stupid to bother looking down into it.

You know, I'd been thinking about this one for a while myself.  I do expect that the Treasure Room wasn't a dead end at all, but I'm really not sure what to make of the Room of the Harmonic Convergence.  That configuration could have been planned very early on, and there's a chance it might have been originally intended for Layout I, where the dead end would've only meant entering the Throne Room from the Wall Climb, then backtracking and choosing another path from the Wall Climb rather than from the very beginning.  In that context, not so bad, but if that's the case, the producers really should've thought things over a bit more before doing the run, since they had four more days to think about it...

[The Viper]

The Mask of Shaka Zulu - The Treasure Chest was open, so I'm guessing Bobby was supposed to go up from the Holes of Python. However, I believe their was an alternative path from the Troubled bridge to the Observatory, and then into the Treasure Room, and around the horn of the temple. I believe the guards were in the Observatory and the Room of Three Torches.

[JCW555]

Sorry to bump an ANCIENT thread, but the run I'd like to point is the Ivory Hunting Horn of Roland. The reason I say this is that the half pendants was in the left hand column of markers in the Chamber of the Sacred Markers. Would Yakerra have been captured somewhere in the central shaft or in the Room of the Ancient Warriors, then Kraig would've had to go into the temple. This in mind, would you think something different in this run if this was to occur?

[Purple Parrots Fan]

Yes there could've been an alternative path. Just like all the other runs stated above.