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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MerricB" data-source="post: 3415470" data-attributes="member: 3586">Well, last night I DMed the penultimate session of our Age of Worms campaign. There are only two encounters left to go before it's all over. On Easter Friday, we'll have the last session.We began on the 22nd July 2005; we'll end on the 5th April 2006. 37 sessions (each about 4 hours) over the course of 21 months. The game has had 9 players in all - three replacements for people who have been unable to make it at various times, but of the original six, five will be at the table in a fortnight's time when we close it off.This is the highest level I've DMed in any edition of D&D - the PCs hit 21st level at the end of the last session. (I'd previously reached 15th in the Necropolis campaign). It's reinforced my belief that many high-level monsters in D&D are overcomplex. Go MMIV-style design. Paizo also are guilty of overcomplicating things. Encounters with four different spellcasters are not fun to run. In the tactics section, note the 4 or 5 spells that a spellcaster will use. A list of 20+ spells is too much.I simplify greatly at this level when running monsters. A spellcasting dragon? Forget the spells. It uses melee weapons and breath, that's all. If that can't be scary enough, something is wrong.In the session last night, which lasted a little under 4 hours, we got through 6 combat encounters and did some roleplaying as well. Cool.Spoiler notes on encounters:[spoiler]#1: 2 Advanced Overworms, CR 19. (EL 21)#2: 12 Kyuss Knights, CR 13 (EL 20) - conducted with the fighters absent#3: 1 Kyuss Knight, CR 13; 3 Liches, CR 13, 4 Advanced Vampires, CR 15 (EL 20)#4: 2 Horned Devils, 2 Vampire Shadowdancers, 2 Kyuss Knights(I think there should have been 4 such encounters, but I really couldn't be bothered)#5: Vampiric Silver Dragon, CR 23#6: 3 Broodfiends, EL 23[/spoiler]Combats generally ran between 2 and 7 rounds. The main house rule I use is the Turning as Damage variant from Complete Divine. Much, much better than the regular Turn Undead rule.Following the end of this game, we'll immediately launch into the Savage Tide adventure path.But for now, one session remains between the heroes and glory... or damnation.Cheers!</blockquote>

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