D&D 3.x High-level 3.5e Adventures

ve4grm · Dec 21, 2016

Hi all,

My group has decided that we want to finally experience true high-level D&D for once, and the honour/terror of running this has fallen to me.

Can anyone suggest their favourite 3.5e adventures for levels 16-20?

Thanks!

Shin Okada · Dec 23, 2016

Once I have ran a 3 year long campaign which started with 4th-level PCs and they hit 21st level. The last two adventures were Lord of the Iron Fortress and Bastion of Broken Souls, converted into 3.5e and largely modified by me.

Dannyalcatraz · Dec 23, 2016

From earlier editions, Vecna Lives! was fun and should convert to 3.5Ed without too much trouble. Ditto Queen of the Demonweb Pits.

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil was good, but only a portion of it was high-level.

ve4grm · Dec 23, 2016

Dannyalcatraz said:
From earlier editions, Vecna Lives! was fun and should convert to 3.5Ed without too much trouble. Ditto Queen of the Demonweb Pits.

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil was good, but only a portion of it was high-level.

Oh dear lord, I just know that if I ran a Vecna adventure, my players would be clamouring for the head.

Unfortunately, I'm looking specifically for 3.5e (or maybe 3e) in order to minimize prep and conversion required.

nijineko · Jan 16, 2017

Just keep in mind that playstyle (and how to challenge players) is different at varying levels of the game.

I won't be able to help much, I take adventures from all over and mix match and edit on the fly for our 16+ level campaigns.

Dandu · Jan 17, 2017

Expedition to the Demonweb Pits

Gilladian · Jan 17, 2017

You could grab any of the 3.5e Paizo adventure paths and just figure out a way to insert the PCs into the plot somewhere near the end. It might require a fairly big infodump, but if you're starting your campaign at the higher level, you can just call the earlier parts "backstory".

ve4grm · Jan 17, 2017

Gilladian said:
You could grab any of the 3.5e Paizo adventure paths and just figure out a way to insert the PCs into the plot somewhere near the end. It might require a fairly big infodump, but if you're starting your campaign at the higher level, you can just call the earlier parts "backstory".

That's a fair point. I'm actually thinking of doing that with the Age of Worms path from Dungeon mag.

nijineko · Jan 17, 2017

Found this helpful resource of high level adventures: http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/11061/high-level-16-20-adventures

I've ran some of these.

Random Bystander · Jan 22, 2017

ve4grm said:
Oh dear lord, I just know that if I ran a Vecna adventure, my players would be clamouring for the head.

Practice your evil grin. Roll dice randomly behind the screen. Make notes at random times. If the dice rolls say a PC dies, they die. Have quest-givers lie, cheat, steal, or be misinformed - But only sometimes. Have most play straight, but not necessarily have the whole story, and/or have complications. Practice your evil grin. It is *Never* "just rats". Even if it is "just rats". At least once, have a loved one either be replaced by, or be, an evil shapeshifter. Make the quest reward something that gets them in more trouble - Either something illegal, that someone powerful wants, that is something powerful but generally useless itself, or simply hard to carry. Make it literal poison at least once. Practice your evil grin. If the dice rolls say a PC dies, they die. Sometimes, it is just rats, except sometimes the "rats" are in an NPCs brain. Breather episodes are fine. Even two in a row. Maybe even three. Occasionally, make something that looks like a breather episode. Then introduce the shapeshifter, disguised werewolves, secret vampire, and/or hidden demonic cult. A stay at an inn can be a great place to have a thief steal their belongings, and it introduces a plot hook. Make sure to make all the rolls and notes behind your screen, just like all the other times you did it when it was meaningless. Helms of Opposite Alignment, Werewolfism, and Vampirism, in certain ways, can all be the same plot point.

Practice this enough, and you can forget about their desire for the "head of Vecna"; they will examine a straight-forward offer of gold for any of a dozen potential hidden meanings.

They may also find this more fun, if they are the type to want a challenge.