Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 1921527" data-attributes="member: 151">There are, as mentioned, several different approaches to make Epic level play work.  By no means is there a right way and a wrong way, any more than there is a right and wrong way to play D&D itself.  There are, however, some guidelines to consider.  <ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">"Shark"-style Epic play. For those unfamiliar with Shark (a poster who's participation is missed here) and his campaign, it is a game of D&D turned up to 11, as they say.  Mid to high-level commoners are normal, and epic PCs are relatively commonplace.  However, everything is ratcheted up.  While there are Ftr20/Mnk20 PCs, they're fighting an army of Winterwights.  Yes, I said an ARMY.  Imagine ancient empires of super-powered beings laying down death on the battlefield, where teams of Gloom assassins are sent to hunt people down, and Umbral blots are standard equipment for a siege.  Don't confuse this with purely tactical power-gaming, however...Shark's world was deep and interesting.  But it was high-magic, high-power 'to the wall' stuff, such that it would make Exalted blush, I think.   </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">20-Plus Gaming.  The classic, somewhat drab ELH approach.  PCs are simply beings who've crossed the threshold past 20th level, and are slowly leveling up.  To the 1st level commoner, there isn't much difference between Archmagus X and Supreme Archmagus Y...they're both closer to gods than men, and frankly after you pass a certain threshold, it makes no difference to them.  The PCs somehow stumble across higher level monsters and villains, hopefully that have been introduced in some capacity before.   </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The Expanding World.  This is the 'Welcome to the Big Leagues' approach.  This can either be a Matrix-like revelation of what reality is truly like, or it could be a X-files-ish discovery of the truth of your gameworld.  The PCs knew that the BBEG was powerful, but they had no idea that he was actually a servant of even greater forces.  The PCs must rise to the challenge, and advance to a new level to face their foes. </li> </ol>So, how do you set up a campaign to scale to Epic from 1st level?  Well, that depends, obviously, on your approach.  There are several things you can do.  The first is to envision the senior powers in the world as Epic beings, and making sure the PCs know how far beyond normal humans these beings are.  A normal king?  No, a Dragon King!  A high priest?  No, a Living Saint!  Hand in hand with this is figuring out why these beings don't dominate every aspect of the campaign...or if they do, how the players can operate under such conditions and still make meaningful choices.  Perhaps they are being molded by such beings.  Perhaps they are the subjects of a delicate and arcane prophecy.  Perhaps internal politics and religious belief are issues.  Never underestimate social aspects and their power to restrict even the most powerful of beings.  One need only look at Sepulchrave's Story Hour for a prime example of this.  Eadric the Paladin is far more powerful than his liege, his king or the chief of his religion...but it is social convention that carries the day...at least until he becomes the Ahma and then different conventions guide him, still.  Second, make sure that hints and tidbits of powerful beings are noticed, mentioned or the effects of seen.  Seeing the devastation caused by a Tarrasque or Devastation Beetle at 5th level will help set the stage far in the future for such an encounter.  Have the fickle hands of fate show themselves occasionally, with powerful being striding on camera for a cameo, most likely ignoring the PCs.  For example, when summoned to see the King on a trivial matter, Mordankanien is leaving as the players are arriving.  Let them know, in a subtle or direct way, that the Epic is all about them, often unseen but not invisible.  Third, make references to grand quests or supreme villains, either by legend or common knowledge, that are clearly Epic.  "Oh, aye...up the hill there a ways is the tomb of the Reptile God King.  That's where the great hero Golvar met 'is end, it is.  Ya know, the fella' what killed the Lord o' the Liches?  That bloke.  Woke the old beast, and it swallowed them all, whole, and then lopped off the top o' that mountain over there.  Yea, over there...the PLATEAU, aye.  Took fifty men with 'im, including my da'.  None of 'em came back.  Only a fool'd go up there, now.  You ain't a fool, are ya?"  How's that for starters?</blockquote>

Verification