Challenge my players!

[Incendax]

I currently run for a group of four players that started at 1st level when 4th Edition first came out. They are now 26th Level and have more options to bring to bear against any given encounter than I can sufficiently prepare for. The primary problem comes from escalation of healing.

Every character in my group can heal as a primary class ability or has taken multiclass feats and powers that allow healing. They have so much healing available that it is difficult for me to threaten my players in combat without making the combat take an unreasonably long amount of time.

So, I've decided to change tactics. Instead of battles being slug-fests with the goal of depleting the character's vast reserves of HP, I want to create battles with exceedingly interesting terrain features and unique battle goals. I'd like some help brainstorming a bunch of ideas on how to challenge my players in new ways during a combat.

 

[keterys]

Time Limits: Anything that must be done by round X, be it saving someone from death, stopping a ritual, or because the battlefield itself is being destroyed

No Healing: Some creatures can simply prevent healing via aura, some rituals can prevent healing until skill challenged, some areas of the map can disallow it

Penalties: Some effects/creatures/terrain can layer on penalties (or bonuses) in such a way that they outstack healing attempts. For example, every hit might give someone a -X penalty to healing effects for the encounter, or give allies a +1 (stacking) to crit ranges against an opponent

 

[Ryujin]

I think that keterys is on the right track with denying healing. Apart from simply blocking healing, as with some creatures' ability to stop you from using a healing surge until you save from an effect, there is also the simple status effect Dazed. You get one action. What are you going to use it for? Now as keterys suggested you throw in a time limit, and you've got something. A couple of encounters like that and you might even find your4 players retraining their multi-class feats for something that deals more damage, or has status effects also.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Split 'Em Up - nothing devastates a party more quickly than splitting them up. Multiclass feats are still only 1/day, so they won't be able to do it that often when left alone.

 

[weem]

Just some quick ideas on my way through...

1) An encounter where healing has a side-effect of healing the enemy for some reason (ritual, etc) - though this could make for some loong fights

2) Healing one player damages another (nearest?) for half that amount for some reason (ritual, etc)

3) Healing destroys terrain... maybe in an evil area (corrupted graveyard) which creates opportunities such as sink holes/falling debris/whatever (as an added bonus, perhaps damaging spells, or more specifically a type - like Fire - HEAL the terrain, etc).

4) Give the enemies very high damage for one fight (maybe in a certain area of the encounter, etc) - double/triple the norm for example. I had a great encounter last week that involved my players trying to pull a boss out of a temple he was in, believing that the grounds of the temple were giving him extra power... I hadn't planned it that way, but that's how I played it when they starting working at it with that assumption and it was a lot of fun - so maybe the enemy does a LOT more damage when they stand within a certain area, or within a certain range of something.



S'all I have at the moment - time to run!

 

[keterys]

One nice thing about the 'healing damages another' theory is if you go with it damaging the healer, it actually plays off their strengths (everyone has heals) while simultaneously being a serious limitation.

Instead of healing giving the enemy heals, I'd lean towards it spawning minions or triggering environmental effects - similar to the time limit idea of a disintegrating battlefield, you could have waves of encroaching necrosis that grow when healing is done.

 

[jcayer]

My gang hasn't reached that level yet, but when I want to push them, I put them in a situation where an extended rest isn't possible. For instance, they had to help retake a city. There was a list of 8 tasks(what was I thinking) that they had to accomplish before the end of the night. By the end, they were running on fumes, but the players enjoyed the challenge...it took 3 sessions to conclude, and is not referred to as the endless night.

 

[jontherev]

Long fights are boring. I second (or third) throwing more time limits at them. If they have to go through 8 encounters in one day, they are going to go through their surges at some point, but you get to have a bunch of encounters, so it's not boring. I HATE long drawn out battles where you already know you're going to win 5 rounds before it actually happens. The terrain suggestions are also great ones. At epic level, there needs to be more involved than simply hack n slash. I suggest some tough skill challenges as well.

You'll have to mix it up, because if you just mess with their ability to heal, eventually they'll get bored with that too.

Or...start a new campaign...

 

[jontherev]

Oh, I just thought of a really cool idea (to me anyway).

Time Travel.

Think back during your campaign to a time where your players either missed something, or just come up with a good reason for them to go back in time. Perhaps they missed a secret door at 3rd level? Make sure it makes sense obviously and most importantly ties into your current epic storyline. Then, tell your players to bring X-level character sheets of themselves, or if you really want to surprise them, do it yourself. 1st level would work out awesome because you don't have to worry about remembering what magic items they had. It could even happen before their first adventure.

Anyway, it might be a fun side-adventure for a session or two, and it will make them remember how far they have come...AND of course solve your mortality/hit point issue, if only for a few sessions.

 

[bonus]

Haha, or literally go back in time and kill them when they were level 12.