D&D 5E After Tyranny of Dragons (OR: What to do with 15+ level PCs?)

[Endur]

I think you could adjust Out of the Abyss for level 15-20 (instead of levels 1-15). The problem however is that extremely high level characters will have abilities (Gate, Time Stop, Wish, etc.), that the module authors never foresaw in writing the module.

My actual recommendation is to temporarily retire the level 15 party and start a new 1st level party for Out of the Abyss. The high level party could be mentors for the low level party, and when the low level party approaches a similar level, you could combine both parties to let the players play either character they prefer for the final encounters in Out of the Abyss.

 

[Evhelm]

All interesting solutions, but so far, I think I'm leaning toward a 3e conversion.

I have zero experience with earlier edition modules, and my group meets so infrequently that putting the ToD characters aside likely means permanently retiring them.

The more I read, the more it sounds like high level play is somewhat of an anomaly anyway (with most groups retiring or dying before achieving it). I guess that makes sense given that the current story arcs all end by level 15!

Thank you for all the ideas; keep 'em coming

 

[THEMNGMNT]

After Rise of Tiamat, send the players into Hell to kill Tiamat on her home plane, once and for all.

 

[Azurewraith]

After Rise of Tiamat, send the players into Hell to kill Tiamat on her home plane, once and for all.

This is pretty true by 15th level your a match for demon lords and dragons etc after that your touching on the realms of gods and killing a god is well not something an AP is going to cover as well story continuity.

 

[ryan92084]

If its like our campaign you send them to the afterlife because some very impatient wizard refused to wait for the reinforcements to show up and help...

 

[Evhelm]

After Rise of Tiamat, send the players into Hell to kill Tiamat on her home plane, once and for all.

Oh, trust me, I have tons of great ideas for what a post-15 campaign could cover, but I really don't have time to develop it from whole cloth! And, again, I have never run even a post-12 campaign, so this is new territory for me. New enough that I feel like I'd ruin (what has been) a perfectly epic campaign with a dorky, unbalanced encounter due to inexperience at higher levels.

(Seems a lot easier to balance low level goblin fights than high level wizard fights )

This is pretty true by 15th level your a match for demon lords and dragons etc after that your touching on the realms of gods and killing a god is well not something an AP is going to cover as well story continuity.

I agree! But, as an example, the 3e modules I was thinking about still involve planar travel, cover attacks on great demons/minor gods, and are pre-written! Creating something as epic as Tyranny of Dragons from scratch to "finish out the module" would take more time than I have available to me.

Thanks again to all for the thoughts--keep 'em comin'!

 

[bgbarcus]

Assuming Tiamat is beaten there are still a lot of high ranking cult members, affiliates wizards, and dragons that need to hunted down. Those would be episodic adventures rather than campaigns so they would fit a limited play schedule nicely.

My players were impressed with Talis's hunting lodge. It is likely at least one will want to return and claim it. Castle Naerytar is also a potential stronghold for anyone able to tame the swamp.

 

[choryukami]

My group had the same problem with Princes of the Apocalypse. We're 15-16th level with nowhere to go. We just retired and started new characters and are pulling them out for high level expeditions. There's one in Season 2 and one so far in Season 3. SOL at 17+ though.

 

[jrowland]

I haven't DM'd it, but my first read through I thought about making the coda (15-20) about the clutches of eggs many of the evil dragons "left behind" as they went to help big T. Be a cool way to introduce Draconians to Faerun (or your homebrew world). Hordes of Draconian erupt from a single egg (OH MY GOD! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! THERE ARE SOOO MANY!). An extended skill challenge across 5ish levels, where they have to find clutches of the 5 chromatic types, and create an "antidote" for each. I'd probably accelerate leveling. each level a single type with a plane hop or two thrown in. Very ad hoc but against crazy big bads.

 

[Bawylie]

When I conclude a campaign, those characters retire. And my next campaign takes place in a different location or time.

From time to time, I run special one shots for old characters. Just for giggles.

But I prefer to let what has concluded remain concluded. Leave em wanting more, rather than lingering past your welcome.