Do you Enjoy running high level games?

[Barendd Nobeard]

Playing high levels is a lot of fun, but I hate running them.

 

[fusangite]

Anything past 10th level I don't like very much. I wish there were smaller increments in power level. It seems to me that the capacity to teleport and various other abilities just come far too early.

 

[Altalazar]

Anything past 10th level I don't like very much. I wish there were smaller increments in power level. It seems to me that the capacity to teleport and various other abilities just come far too early.

It really doesn't matter how early it comes, though, when you get right down to it. All that does is change the level at which people will complain about it - if teleport came at 15th level, then it would be a thread complaining how someone hates DMing at 15th+ level.

The real issue is - just deal with teleport. Don't try and write modules based on computer game logic where there are doors and places the game simply won't let you go to - the "unbreakable lock" that requires the "key from level 3" type stuff. That's supposed to be the reason tabletop RPGs are better than computer RPGs - you aren't railroaded by the limitations of a pre-set module. My attitude is, if the whole plot gets derailed by a clever teleport, so be it - move on. And don't try and make plots that require linear paths that can be easily bypassed. Players can take their characters ANYWHERE - if it isn't a teleport, they can just go down the east road when you wanted them to go down the west road. Just be ready for anything. I've sometimes just had to go from the hip when PCs took an unexpected direction. Sometimes it makes for the more memorable type of session.

 

[kigmatzomat]

I can't make characters on the fly like you can at this level of play. I do think quickly. I can spin backgrounds, make up personalities, and tell stories on the fly, but just not the crunch past 5th level.

Cheat. Use the 3.0 DMG's default NPCs. They aren't perfect but they work just fine for quickie NPCs. Come up with the personality and background. Decide a level and flip through the DMG' and look for one with the combat-type stats you want. Consider making copies of those pages and keep in your pile of NPC stats so they don't realize when you're doing it.

I simplify most NPC casters by the assumption they are often fighting as part of larger forces and devote a lot of their magics to buff/debuff spells. Uncast buff spells are still useful just for counter-spelling. (Watch the PC caster's eyes go wide when his Mass Haste goes "fizzle.")

I wont run cookie cutter NPC's, they just aren't interesting enough. The unwashed masses of enemies are fine with similar stats, but the champions of the battle need indviduality, and I just don't have the crunch skills to make that happen without bookwork.

Individuality is as much description as it is function. I had an awakened Shambling Mound Wizard cast Evard's Black Tentacles but they appeared as spiked vines exploding out of the ground. Summon Monster resulted in feral shrubs using normal creature stats. Poof, instant individuality.

As a DM, play to your strengths when pressed for time and bunt. If you're great at generating personas, do your best to keep the confrontations interpersonal. Use white flags, have them meet the BBEG at a temple, a wedding, or just at the bath-house. Talk enough to confuse the players and give yourself more time.

But always whip up a "baseline" character to have in case the PCs do something stupid before you're was ready. It may not be as tweaked out as what you'd wind up with after 4 hours, but it'll be much better than flipping through the books frantically mid-game.

 

[kigmatzomat]

There has been a lot of buildup over this throughout the campaign and its the climax of the entire game. If I don't make it damnably tough, it's going to be a severe letdown.

So help me if you would with ideas on how to make Darkhold a mighty fortress of evil in the face of seven powerful PC's. The Mage has access to Passwall, Anti-Magic Feild, and Teleport, while the PC's have all commissioned Hats of Disguises to be created in order to conceal their Identities. The Wizard also has an amulet of friendship attuned to the other PC's for emergency extractions.

Darkhold contains over 1000 Zhentarim soliders (warrior class), has several high level commanders (the Pereghost, a cadre of wizards, priests of both Bane and Cyric), a platoon of Hill Giants armored in plate, and unknown to the PC's, an old enemy of thiers, an Adult Blue Dragon. I have access to the Stronghold Builders Guidebooks (keep in mind this is a 3.0 campaign) and a huge library of non-Core books. I'm considering having Manshoon there in addition to everything else (Forgotten Realms Epic Zhent Anti-Hero).

First off, the campaign climax is never going to be "easy" to stat out. Not going to happen. Especially when it's a giant fortress.

But here's what help I can provide:

1000 troops: Assume 100 are warrior3 cooks, stablehands, and other scut workers. Leather armor and shortswords all.

Bulk are grunts consisting of 30x 20-man squads consisting of 16x Warrior 4-6, 3x Sargeants W9 1x officer F7. (Yes, I made sargeants tougher than officers. Deal) Leather or chain shirt, shortsword, 6x halfspear, and either Lg. Metal shield or shortbow depending on task. Officers and seargents have potions CLW and Most have a minor magic item or two so give half +1 AC, a quarter +1 to hit & damage, and a quarter +2 to saves.

10x 20-man Heavy infantry (16x Warrior 8-10, 3x Seargent W12, 1 Officer F11. All gear masterwork. Half-plate, shortsword, 6x halfspear, longspear, and Lg. Metal shield or longbow. Most troops have a minor magic item or two so give half +1 AC, a quarter +1 to hit & damage, and a quarter +2 to saves. All should carry a potion or two of CMW. Officers & sargeants have +1 armor and +1 weapons, officers have potions of heroism, sargeants have oil of GMW+3)

5x 20-man cavalry, identical to heavy infantry but have chainmail barded hvy warhorses and Lance instead of longspear.


The fortress should be constructed with magic in mind. Walls are multi-layer. 3' of stone, 1" of lead, 1' of wood, 5' of sand, 3' of stone, 1' of air, 3" of lead, 2' of stone, 1' of water, 2' of stone, 1' of air and 3' of stone. Shutters are heavy wood and cored with lead.

Most divinations and passwall fail due to the lead. Break through the wood and wach the sand pour out, mostly filling the hole. Get past that and prepare to drown in the water.

Security is tight and each unit is assigned to use & guard a particular gate (meaning not just emulate a generic Zhent but must be a *specific* Zhent). Passwords change daily and vary between grunts, sargeants, and officers. The inner gate has a banner with a permanenty enscribed Symbol of Stunning with a password. This banner also changes daily and the password is not stated aloud. Those passing the symbol must describe it to the guards to ensure they are looking at it.

Excluding the stables, mess hall, and barracks, the inner keep has an additional series of defenses. Walls consist of 4' stone, 2" lead, 3' sand, 1' of wood, 2" of lead, 2' of stone. Access is limited to a handful of gates. These are barbican-type gates with outer gates, a hallway with murder holes in ceiling and inner gates. During normal circumstances the main gates are not closed but a portcullis with a "man-trap" turnstile is in place at each gate. Within the hallway, between the gates, there is a magic item that creates an antimagic field.
Any changes and the turnstiles are locked, the main gates closed, and an assortment of acid, alchemist fire, and holy water poured through the murder holes.

Many sections of the innner keep are protected by Hallow with a Dispel Magic effect (each and every use of magic is automatically countered. Yay!). Areas where magic is needed may have a Screen effect or other anti-divination.

When intrusions are suspected, some hallways have small steps and pipes that add water 1" deep for stretches of 50' or more. The splashing acts as an alarm and the water can be tracked across the sandstone floors for quite some time and distance.