This DM is regretting let PCs run wild.

[nijineko]

In all my years of playing D&D I've only co-op DMed, but now I'm on my own and I messed up. Here are the basic rules I set up for the two people I am playing with.

1. Any source material
2. Gestalt is allowed
3. No monster races
4. No Lv Adj over +3

Well unfortunatly they exploited my first rule way and I couldn't say no to them cause it was my rule. The first guy is a Worforged Fighter/Artificer and the other guy is a human Tenken (I didn't know about D&D wiki). I already knew how OP the Artificer gets but I didn't know there was a place called D&D wiki and that they had homebrew classes. Now they are level four and the Artificer is crafting items for the Tenken which is not a problem until they told me what they built. Now the Tenken at Lv 4 has an AC of 25 and the Warforged cast a spell called Dragons Might on himself and permanently has those stat boosts. Now I'm at a loss on how to counter act these PC's with out killing them, which I almost did during the last session if I had not intervened.

If you guys can give any suggestions or advice I would greatly appreciate it.

1) saying any source material is not a problem, but i would stipulate that they have to bring it to you so that you can look it over in order to understand what is going to be used. even if you don't want to restrict options, you need to understand the options in play.

2) check their math and rulings on how things work. (ask on minmaxboards.com for advice on highly optimized characters)

3) if you allow it, you have to be able to meet it. i am a big fan of the rule of yes. i like letting players have trinkets and cools combos. let them dominate every now and again. just know where the weaknesses are, so that you can remind them occasionally that powerful does not equal invincible and untouchable. actions have reactions. choices have consequences. make use of that. don't punish players per se, but don't let them off the hook for their choices either.

4) take this opportunity to make it fun and interesting by using or making up all sorts of stuff yourself. after all, OGL means you can create your own fun stuff too.

5) have fun. if you, or the players, are not having fun, it's kinda missing the point.