History Main / DungeonBypass

* WebVideo/OutsideXbox's ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' party, the Oxventurers' Guild, has a particular gift for this. GM Johnny Chiodini has often lamented the way that the Oxventurers can reduce a simple social interaction to utter chaos in under a minute, burn half an hour on irrelevant digressions, but can also locate any way to get past a dungeon in seconds. "Tower Rangers", in which they managed to throw an entire layered deathtrap of a tower into chaos without even entering combat once, was particularly notable.

* ''LightNovel/Overlord2012''

** The route between Feo Jera and Feo Berkana in the Aserlisia Mountains is marked by three deadly trials - the [[BottomlessPit Great Chasm]], a sea of magma and its Lavalord Anglerfish, and a massive labyrinth that spews toxic gases. When Ainz and company were traveling to Feo Berkana to reclaim the dwarven capital, they simply flew over the Chasm and the lava sea. As for the labyrinth, he applied poison resistance to his non-undead comrades and used a spell to find the best route through.

* In ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', both [[Characters/MarvelComicsKittyPryde Kitty Pryde]] and ComicBook/{{Juggernaut|MarvelComics}} take the direct route to Leech's chamber. Kitty runs through the walls by phasing, while Juggernaut runs through them by ''running through them''.

* In ''Film/ReadyPlayerOne'', Parzival discovers that this was how to beat the first challenge the entire time. [[spoiler:After hearing a recording of James Halliday mentioning a desire to "go back", he decides, at the next race, to hit reverse at the starting line. He ends up finding a secret passage that bypasses the whole race and takes him to the finish line.]]

* [[VideoGame/{{Persona 3}} Akihiko Sanada]] does a bit of this in ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'' during his story mode: The master of the dungeon he's going through made invisible walls in order to guide his path to the fight that he was supposed to take on. However, [[spoiler:said master forgot that the windows of the dungeon could be shattered to completely avoid the invisible walls altogether. This ends up being subverted, however, as Akihiko gets into an unexpected fight with [[VideoGame/{{Persona 4}} Kanji Tatsumi]] and the dungeon master promptly puts him on the correct path again, putting invisible walls in front of the windows to prevent any further loopholes.]]
* The famous ''[[VideoGame/{{Photopia}} Photopia]]'' puzzle: to escape the crystal maze, [[spoiler: fly above it with your wings. By the way, you have wings.]]

* ''VideoGame/RagnarokRoguelike''

* ''{{VideoGame/XCOM}}'':
** In the original (''VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense'' and ''VideoGame/XCOMTerrorFromTheDeep''), most walls can be shot through with a powerful enough weapon. Eventually, units can be outfitted with flying armour and weapons powerful enough to punch through the hull of a U.F.O - making it possible to simply blast your way into the bridge.

** A favorite tactic for the FinalDungeon: The expected route is to fight your way through the alien base and [[spoiler: destroy the central computer]]. A team of skilled psychics, on the other hand, can complete the mission in the first turn without even leaving the starting area, by simply [[PsychicAssistedSuicide mind-controlling the aliens]] to do it instead.
** The final mission of ''VideoGame/XComEnemyUnknown'' pits you against three Ethereals, one of whom is far more powerful than anything you've faced to date, as well as a group of [[DemonicSpiders Muton Elites]]. Sending a trooper far enough into the final room (far enough to see the FinalBoss) triggers a cutscene and a cryptic MotiveRant from the FinalBoss, all of which can be skipped if you simply lob in [[StuffBlowingUp large amounts of heavy ordinance]]. Which is good, because the sheer amount of enemies in that one confined space can result in a TotalPartyKill within a single turn.

*** The first was in the UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, with the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Battle of the Crater]]: Union general Burnside decided to try it and then, as the Confederates were still stunned by the explosion, have general Ferrero's black division charge at the sides of the crater to breach Petersburg's defence lines. Sadly, due to [[ExecutiveMeddling Meade protesting the use of black troops for political reasons]], Ferrero's division was replaced at the last moment with Ledlie's 1st Division, with the drunkard general failing to brief his men on the battle plan. Ledlie's division failed to charge immediately after the explosion and charged ''into'' the crater, [[SubvertedTrope and was massacred when the Confederates regrouped and started shooting in the crater]];

* ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'': Partway through the game, the Doom Slayer faces a problem: the final Hell Priest he needs to kill can only be reached via a teleporter that is buried deep inside the core of Mars. It would take months at least to dig down to it, time that the people of Earth ''don't'' have what with the apocalyptic demon invasion going on. The Doom Slayer's solution? Take control of humanity's most powerful weapon, the BFG 10,000, and... well...

* ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'': Partway through the game, the Doom Slayer faces a problem: the final Hell Priest he needs to kill can only be reached via a teleporter that is buried deep inside the core of Mars. It would take months, at least, to dig down to it, time that the people of Earth don't have what with the apocalyptic demon invasion going on. Doomguy's solution? Take control of humanity's most powerful weapon, the BFG 10,000, and... well...

-->'''VEGA''': The portal is ready.\\

* ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'': Partway through the game, the Doom Slayer faces a problem: the final Hell Priest he needs to kill can only be reached via a teleporter that is buried deep inside the core of Mars. It would take months, at least, to dig down to it, even without considering the apocalyptic demon invasion going on. Doomguy's solution? Take control of humanity's most powerful weapon, the BFG 10000, and... well...

'''New Mission''': Shoot a hole in the surface of Mars

* The Wiki/SCPFoundation is fond of this trope in general, but special mention goes to the attempt to simplify exploration of the steel labyrinth found in [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-432 SCP-432]] using an acetylene torch. [[spoiler: Subverted when the BeastInTheMaze bursts through the hole and expresses its displeasure at their ingenuity.]]

** In actuality that tactic (often called mouse-holing) predates both of the previous examples. According to [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] this was used as early as the Battle of Stalingrad.

** Once you gain access to the Star Road in ''SMW'', you can skip the rest of the game straight to Bowser's Castle by keyhole-clearing each of its levels. Especially glaring if you get there through the Donut Secret House.

*** There are three outdoor labyrinths that lead to shrines in the overworld. There is little to keep you from gliding or climbing to the top of the maze and hopping straight to the shrine's location.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' Link must return periodically to the Temple of the Ocean King, a multi-segmented dungeon that is FAR too long for its own good. Fortunately, they give you the ability to skip many many floors after certain points in the game. They did not go far enough though. Even in the end game getting to the bottom is [[FakeDifficulty very annoying.]]
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' Link must climb up the Tower of Spirits. While it is very similar in function to the predecessor's central dungeon, you can now skip all previously finished sections and never return.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', when reaching the Temple of Time, you gain the Dominion Rod and thereby gain control of a monolithic, mobile, hammer-wielding statue, which you have to return to the first room. The hammer-wielding statue can break past all of the fiddly little gates and things that you had to work your way past on the way up. And kill all enemies in one hit. You do not know what fun is until you see an entire puzzle-room destroyed 'neath the mighty tread of the Hammer Golem!
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', the game only checks if you got the {{Plot Coupon}}s from the last two dungeons, instead of the last five as it should. Normally, the game prevents access to the Shadow Temple until you complete both the Fire and Water temples by putting the entrance up high and only giving you the [[WarpWhistle warp song]] after you complete them. And, normally, you cannot complete the Spirit Temple until you learn how to go back in time, which you can't do until you complete the Forest Temple. But GoodBadBugs exist to get into the Shadow Temple and complete the Spirit Temple without having to fully complete the other three, making at least half-dungeon bypasses possible. Additionally, the Kakariko Well is not technically required, though it takes a lot of memorization to get through certain areas without the Lens of Truth it provides.

** There are two outdoor labyrinths that lead to shrines in the overworld. There is little to keep you from gliding or climbing to the top of the maze and hopping straight to the shrine's location.

* In ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', both [[Characters/MarvelComicsKittyPryde Kitty Pryde]] and Characters/{{Juggernaut}} take the direct route to Leech's chamber. Kitty runs through the walls by phasing, while Juggernaut runs through them by ''running through them''.

* The old ''VideoGame/RagnarokRoguelike'' had potions of phasing, which allowed you to walk through walls (except in the shop level) and even between planes, letting you skip the tedious process of looking for portals. If you walked off the map, however, you'd fall to Niflheim and take a lot of damage, usually dying.

* In ''Film/{{Red}}'', when Frank infiltrates the CIA headquarters, he comes across a secure door with an electronic lock that is impossible to hack. He gets through by punching a hole in the wall and manually unlocking the door from the other side; since the facility was built by government contractors, Frank knew the lock would be state-of-the-art technology, but the drywall surrounding it was put in by the lowest bidder.

* ''WesternAnimation/KidCosmic'': In the episode "Kid Cosmic and the Pyramid Puzzle of Pain", Jo bypasses the pyramid's challenges by using the stones to cheat. Unfortunately for her, [[[[NoFairCheating the pyramid doesn't approve of her circumventing the challenges.]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Insecticomics}}'' 646 (during the spoof of ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}''): "I'm a jet, and you didn't put a lid on your maze, idiot."

** Occurs during the Enies Lobby arc. The crew has to reach the top of a courthouse tower and Zoro, whose sense of direction [[NoSenseOfDirection rivals Ryoga Hibiki]], is having a tough time finding his way. Eventually he realizes he merely needs to go up, and launches his ''Tatsumaki'' attack (straight upwards windcutting tornado) and clears a path upwards for himself, inadvertently sending Chopper and Nami up as well. Afterwards, Sanji presumably has the same idea and crashes through the room just after Zoro climbs out. At the same time, Usopp-- uh [[PaperThinDisguise Sogeking]]--gets himself thrown to the roof from outside by a giant he had recently convinced to switch sides.

** Much later in the series, several members of the Straw Hat Pirates find themselves in a [[TheLostWoods spooky forest]] with [[WhenTreesAttack animate trees]] that rearrange themselves to keep Luffy and the others lost inside. Luffy's solution is to simply destroy every tree that gets in his way--before long, the trees realize there are too few of themselves to trap the main characters in any non-obvious way. Not long after ''that'', they just let the Straw Hat Pirates travel through however they want, as the ''trees'' are now the ones terrified of the pirates.

* In ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara give Yusuke a boost to help him reach a window in Suzaku's tower on top of Maze Castle, enabling him to fight Suzaku while they work their way up to him.

** In ''Manga/YuGiOhR'', Seto Kaiba does this twice. First, he lands on the roof of the building in his Blue-Eyes Jet rather than Duel his way through the lower floors. As he Duels the first card professor, Mokuba hacks into the security system and unlocks the door, making the Duel for the keycard superfluous. Kaiba announces he simply needed a warm-up before Dueling Yako.
** In the Duelist Kingdom arc of ''Anime/YuGiOh'', the Paradox Brothers use a card which forces Yugi and Joey to have their monsters navigate a maze in order to reach the brothers. Though the brothers are nominally bound by the same rules, their monsters are specifically designed to allow them to break the rules of the maze: a AmbushingEnemy, a DrillTank, and a tunneling SandWorm are among the ways they don't have to follow the rules. Yugi and Joey attempted this themselves by summoning Black Skull Dragon so it could fly over the maze's walls, only for the brothers to say flying is not allowed. In the end, Yugi played a card that allowed him to teleport Black Skull Dragon all the way to the end of the maze so it could defeat the brothers.
** In ''Anime/YuGiOhCapsuleMonsters'', Yugi and the gang get caught in a maze until Tristan unlocks Shovel Crusher, allowing them to smash their way out.

* The trope is discussed in ''The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force'' from ''Franchise/StarWars'' to describe the three different branches of the Jedi Order in something known as '''"The Locked Door Test"''': which entails that a Jedi is trying to get past a locked door to the other side. A [[MasterSwordsman Jedi Guardian]] specializes in their martial prowess and skill with the Lightsaber; when faced with a locked door, they would ignite their blade and cut through it. A [[TheArchmage Jedi Consular]] seeks mastery and understanding in both the Force and in Diplomacy and would forego using their Lightsabers only as a last resort; they would [[JediMindTrick mind-control]] a guard to open the locked door for them. A Jedi Sentinel is more well-traveled having spent considerable amount of time away from the Temples [[MugglesDoItBetter to pick up useful skills that other Jedi might often frown upon]]; they wouldn't use a Mind Trick or their Lightsabers, they would resolve to [[HollywoodHacking Slice into the doors control panel to have the Door unlock for them]], and leaving not a trace of their presence afterwards.

* The trope is discussed in ''The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force'' from ''Franchise/StarWars'' to describe the three different branches of the Jedi Order in something known as '''"The Locked Door Test"''': which entails that a Jedi is trying to get past a locked door to the other side. A Jedi Guardian specializes in their martial prowess and skill with the Lightsaber; when faced with a locked door, they would ignite their blade and cut through it. A Jedi Consular seeks mastery and understanding in both the Force and in Diplomacy and would forego using their Lightsabers only as a last resort; they would [[JediMindTrick mind-control]] a guard to open the locked door for them. A Jedi Sentinel is more well-traveled having spent considerable amount of time away from the Temples [[MugglesDoItBetter to pick up useful skills that other Jedi might often frown upon]]; they wouldn't use a Mind Trick or their Lightsabers, they would resolve to [[HollywoodHacking Slice into the doors control panel to have the Door unlock for them]], and leaving not a trace of their presence afterwards.

* ''Literature/SpySchool'': On his first day at the eponymous school, [[spoiler:Mike]] goes around the hi-tech obstacle course rather than going through it. His teacher is unamused, but has to concede that in the field, an agent is expected to take the quickest and safest route to stopping the villains.

* A similar tactic got the Crusaders, and later the Turks, into Constantinople. It's a heavily walled city, but if t

--> '''Kronk''': ''(pulls down a map of the dotted lines)'' Well ya got me. By all accounts it doesn't make sense.