Anyone Up to Running High Level 3.5 DnD?

I've been involved in a couple of epic pbp games and none ended well. People love making big wipey character's but when it comes time to play them everyone just seems to disappear back to their lower level games. even the lvl 5 gestalt is getting iffy because of this unwritten rule of first come first served, which is not a good way to pick a group. The DM has to be able to devote a significant amount of time to the game both before and during.

Well, I think part of the problem in that gestalt is we don't have a very good setup for handling our enemies, particularly since Makuna's AC is skyhigh, lol. But really, i'm not sure where everyone went. I mean, I'm still around... just, half the others seem to have vanished.
 

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I once ran a tabletop game that progressed from level 1 to level 22 over the space of 2 and a half years (the Age of Worms Adventure Path). I've also been a judge and administrator for the RPGA so I have a lot of experience with level 12+ play. I might consider running a high level game, but I would want assurances that the players are committed. I'd have to interview each player individually by chat or AIM to make sure they aren't over-committed. Then of course there are my commitments. I'm running or playing in six different games right now (4 pbp, 1 chat, 1 IRL).

Let me explore the option. In the meantime, you can pitch some ideas at me. I am likely to use the following guidelines:
1) Somewhere between level 12 and 21.
2) Choose a) one PH class, b) two PH classes, c) one PH class and one prestige class any official D&D 3.5 source, or d) one class from any official D&D 3.5 source, including Dragon Compendium, Vol. 1. (This means no "theurge" classes.)
3) Choose a PH race.
4) Character Wealth by Level according to Table 5-1 in the DMG. No item may be worth more than 1/4 total wealth. Characters may use item creation feats to spend gold and XP on item creation.
5) Any official D&D 3.5 feats (except Leadership and similar "cohort" feats).
6) Choice of 25 point buy or 4d6, drop lowest, arrange as desired.
7) Assumption will be at least one arcane caster and one divine caster in the party as it is virtually impossible to survive high-level encounters without them.

Of course if someone with fewer commitments is willing to run the game, I'll happily step down. Like I said, I'm not promising to run the game yet, but I'll explore my options. I have tons of 3e adventures I could run.
 

Sounds good Airwalkrr. I would actually like to see my fav character back in action. He is a gnome ninja. Stat wise... he was average at best, but he was so freaking fun. I'd be more than happy to talk to ya about the game... I'm only in 2 at the moment, L4W game and a d20 modern game that may or may not take off. Lemme know what else you'd like to know bud.
 

I'd be interested if you do decide to run something higher level, airwalkrr. Most of the games I'm in are all 1st and 2nd level. It would be kind of cool to try something (much) higher.
 

I've found an adventure that I've been wanting to run for a while. Back during Paizo's days of printing Dungeon Magazine they released a special mega adventure that was a 3.5 update of the classic Maure Castle. The adventure begins at 12th level and should take characters to 17th level by its conclusion. They also published a sequel for 17th level characters about a year later. The last time I read through the adventure was a few years ago so I'd have to brush up on it, but I'm familiar with it so it shouldn't take long to reread.

Now running this as pbp would probably require a few special rules, otherwise it will take forever and a day. Each level of the dungeon has two types of encounters, typical or "random" encounters that shouldn't require too many resources, and "boss" encounters that are fairly challenging. In order to speed up typical or "random" encounters, I am thinking that each player should post a three round plan-of-action. At the beginning of each typical encounter, and every three rounds after that (if necessary), I will post an updated map along with initiative rolls. Then I will call for each player to post their intended actions for the next three rounds. For example:

Round 1: Cast displacement on fighter (cast defensively if necessary).
Round 2: Ready action to use wand of magic missile on nearest spellcaster (if any); otherwise use wand on nearest gnoll.
Round 3: Repeat Round 2.
Exception: If below 30 hp, take 5-foot step back (if necessary) and use potion of cure serious wounds.


I think this will help the game move a lot faster.

During a "boss" encounter, I will post an updated map round-by-round and call for one action at a time. This will give you time to adjust to conditions more quickly than during typical encounters.

For those of you who use AIM, my screen name is:
samthedagger@ymail.com@aol.com.

For those of you who use Y!M, my screen name is:
samthedagger@ymail.com

Please contact me using one of those methods at any time during the day if you are interested in this game. If I happen to be away at that time or not logged in, leave me a message anyway and I will get back to you with a time I am available. If you'd prefer to meet me in a chat room, send me a PM, along with a URL to your preferred chat server and we will set up a time to meet. Please note I will be largely unavailable between Wednesday the 23rd and Sunday the 27th.

I will accept up to four players, but the game will not be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rather, I will interview the interested candidates and select those whom I believe will have the time to post at least once every 48 hours and those interested in playing characters that will make a balanced party of adventurers.

I imagine it will take several weeks to get this game running, especially since it is currently the holiday season and people tend to spend a lot of time with family and loved ones. I won't set any deadlines at the moment, but after the New Year, I will reevaluate based on the number of people who have expressed interest.
 

Interesting. I think airwalkrr has the right of it, restricting things to (mostly) Core, so you're not getting crazy six-PrC builds. That being said, enough people have expressed interest that I won't include myself, though I love high level 3.5.
 




Most messengers are semi-compatible these days. I know I add yahoo people to my windows messenger all the time. You can't send all the strange stuff through, but for normal conversations it works.
 

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