D&D 5E A Mess of OP Characters (magic items, rest mechanics, etc.)

[Bolares]

Thanks for all the advice so far. I truly appreciate it. I'm not intending to ignore or disregard any ideas - I'm just trying to process everything and find a solution that doesn't come across as me being salty about my players. I'm really trying to make this a fun, challenging experience.
I am using Level Up when I can. I'm unsure of how to convert the existing original monsters to that power level. Increasing HP, damage, etc, is a good way. Environmental effects, adding minions, etc, also good ideas.
Taking away items or finding ways to counter them is also a good idea - for example, using flying enemies or shorter ceilings to counter Reverse Gravity.
They got a lot of treasure from the previous adventure, true. I was intending the campaign to wrap up shortly after that - just let them play one high level adventure with their new "toys." Since then, they wanted to stick with their characters, and I'm left wondering how to keep ramping up the challenge. They're only 6th level, and I'll be getting to the point soon when I can't keep adapting to the number of characters, the magic items, etc.
So I pulled out the highest level and most dangerous adventure in my collection, and it's barely a speedbump.
We used the prices from Level Up. They were loaded with coin - and even more since starting Necropolis. They got to buy whatever they wanted. It was easier for me to give them the range of the A5E tools site than to personally look through everything hundreds of thousands of gold could purchase for seven players (5 teenagers). And that's not good for the longevity of a campaign - and that's on me. However, I didn't expect it to get this wild and didn't expect it to be lasting long.
So yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how to make it fun for the short term, and then wrap it up.

One thing that I didn't see being said here (maybe I missed it) but I think is really important is to talk with your players. Yo said they are complaining that the sorcerer is doing everything, well, making the game fun is the players job too. Be honest with them and say that some rules were interpreted incorrectly (it happens to all of us) some magic items gained in other adventures are too powerfull, and you are having a rough time trying to balance it. If they are cool they will help you with it and understand some "nerfs" more easily. It will be a mutual decision to make the play better for everyone instead of you taking away their toys.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Throw a dozen T-Rexes at em! DO IT!

 

[Oofta]

Throw a dozen T-Rexes at em! DO IT!

Wouldn't work. The reverse gravity wand would come out and the T-Rexes would try to grab onto something to hold with their hands. Destined to fail.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

• We have 7 players because there are three families involved. I can't "uninvite" people to pare down the group - as these are all friends.

I have run as small as 2 players and as many as 22... so i will give some advice

• The players are mostly between ages 13-19. They enjoy showing off their power. And they're pretty much murder hobos.

playing with kids isn't an issue... murder hobos can be (if that isn't what you are into)
my suggestion is trying to put in game consequences like 'oh you killed the milita now the next group came in and is taking over the town' of course the true murder hobo answer is ' okay so we get free xp by facing this new issue'

sooner or later it has to be an out of game agreement

• We played through OAR: Isle of Dread, which handed out gold and magic items Willy-Nilly. (Because, you know, there's absolutely no guidance for this in 5e.)
• Wanting to cash in their gold and buy magic items, we used the Level Up "Trials and Treasure" book for prices. (Because, you know, there's absolutely no guidance for this in 5e.)

yeah don't let them buy magic items... let them sell them but make it hard, like "yeah the town champion wants that +1 sword or armor... but he only has 500gp for it... BUT you can go find the king an dhave HIM buy them, I'm sure he will pay double or tipple that... but he is 4 weeks away

• So now there are characters running around with very potent magic items (a Wand of Reverse Gravity - for example), which can basically one-shot an encounter.

wow... okay that is WAY more then you should give out... my rule of thumb is to never give out a wand that isn't 2 levels lower then the highest level the party can cast and I still top it at 4th

 

[aco175]

So yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how to make it fun for the short term, and then wrap it up.

Sounds like the players are still having fun if they want to continue. Part of that fun is likely having cool things and beating on monsters. Let them and you have fun. Feel free to go a bit wild yourself and make cool places with lava and ninjas that surf the lava if that will be fun. When everyone starts to become a bit bored with the zonkers, then start a new campaign and tone it down some. Be a kid again.

 

[Retreater]

Last night we had a near-TPK, with 3 character deaths out of the 5 characters present. At least it was a climactic encounter.
The group decided to scrap the campaign and start over with a new adventure. I'll need to prepare to keep this extent of over-poweredness from happening again.
Given the restraints (must be 5e and can't have house rules like gritty rest), I have my work cut out.
I've already run for another group the adventure they picked, and it ended up being a cakewalk by the end.

 

[gorice]

Last night we had a near-TPK, with 3 character deaths out of the 5 characters present. At least it was a climactic encounter.
The group decided to scrap the campaign and start over with a new adventure. I'll need to prepare to keep this extent of over-poweredness from happening again.
Given the restraints (must be 5e and can't have house rules like gritty rest), I have my work cut out.
I've already run for another group the adventure they picked, and it ended up being a cakewalk by the end.

Do your players want to feel challenged, or are they happy with the power fantasy? If they really want challenge, they will need to either accept some constraints, or move to a different system. If they don't want challenge, then forcing it on your end is a bad idea, anyway.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Sounds like the players are still having fun if they want to continue. Part of that fun is likely having cool things and beating on monsters. Let them and you have fun. Feel free to go a bit wild yourself and make cool places with lava and ninjas that surf the lava if that will be fun. When everyone starts to become a bit bored with the zonkers, then start a new campaign and tone it down some. Be a kid again.

100% this....

when my players make crazy OP characters that means I can throw crazy OP things...

also why when they find powerful items in the early game they joke about it feeling like a save spot and healing items just got dropped in a video game "Something big is coming"

 

[Retreater]

Do your players want to feel challenged, or are they happy with the power fantasy? If they really want challenge, they will need to either accept some constraints, or move to a different system. If they don't want challenge, then forcing it on your end is a bad idea, anyway.

I think there's the need for some type of balance. Combats where they have to think a bit, use abilities, where various characters get a chance to shine and pull off heroic feats. As it was, fights would be done in less than 2 rounds - some players rolling Initiative, moving into position, and then it was over. So they don't want a TPK, but they don't want it to be over with nary a scratch. If that makes sense.
And that's what has been difficult to achieve for me in 5e, overall. I don't get battles that feel difficult or heroic. It's either a cakewalk or a TPK.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I think there's the need for some type of balance. Combats where they have to think a bit, use abilities, where various characters get a chance to shine and pull off heroic feats. As it was, fights would be done in less than 2 rounds - some players rolling Initiative, moving into position, and then it was over. So they don't want a TPK, but they don't want it to be over with nary a scratch. If that makes sense.
And that's what has been difficult to achieve for me in 5e, overall. I don't get battles that feel difficult or heroic. It's either a cakewalk or a TPK.

I keep pushing just make an out of game agrement... like "if we get to powerful, we as players will pull back" or "we will all stay at X power level"