help, the pc's are unstoppable [Thread necromancy]

[holomachamp]

In my campaign of 8 players, challenging them in a battle has gotten difficult. either i underestimate and they blow through it or i over estimate and they get decimated. the CR concept does not work (probably because we have several powergamers in the group) anyways here is the group of eight

1 14th lvl red wizard enchanter ( who can also effect undead with enchantment)

2.) 14th lvl barbarian/tempest totally munchinized

3.)13th lvl fighter/shadow dancer/ninja with shurikens powergamed

4.) 11 lvl drow arcane archer
5.) 13th lvl psion
6.) 13th lvl cleric
7.)12th lvl druid (doesn't use spells always wildshapes
8.)13 lvl rouge/chosen of lloth

the problem is really with the first three, the wiz's DCs are insane(30+), the barbarian mows through almost anything(90+ damage a round), and the ninja can hide in plain sight and is almost undetectable.

i tossed a party of 6 average npc's of thier lvl against them and they hardly broke a sweat. to neutralize the wiz i can string a bunch of battles together, but the other 7 just fill in.

 

[EricNoah]

I too am running a campaign of characters that's twice as large as the typical group. They too can mow through an adventure created for 4 of them very easily. I have found I have to treat them mostly as if their party level is 2 higher than what they really are.

 

[JoeGKushner]

It's difficult to come up with a solution without knowing more about what the characters have.

One of the easiest ways I've always found to annoy my players is the copy cat thing where they have to fight mirror images of themselves.

Anti-Magic Spheres tend to work wonders ala Dead Magic zones. Occult Lore has some interesting ideas on working such things into the campaign.

 

[Creamsteak]

Maybe try a group of six NPCs of equal level with equal equipment and the half-fiend template.

Or, get the ELH and Paragon something. If you want to revitalize fear, paragons are good for that (but psuedonatural is a no-no because the thing is the cheapest and worst done template I've ever seen).

 

[holomachamp]

the party can pierce dr up to +3, the druid and cleric are totally broke(deck of many things ), wands of stoneskin, CMW, charm person, hold person. other than that pretty standard item. (cloak of elven kind, boots of speed, stat + items.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

Make the next dungeon a hall of mirrors of opposition. That'll teach 'em.

 

[EricNoah]

I would be curious to hear about various environments the characters adventure in. Anything you can do to hinder movement (swamps), vision (fog), and stuff like that can work wonders.

 

[Creamsteak]

Oh, wait, we forgot to mention talking it over with the players. Damn, I came in to early with "kill them" advice...

 

[AngelTears]

Use small units tactics if you want to harm them. Force them to think, force yourself to think.

Put them in a situation where they have to roleplay, not hit things. Do a romantic interlude, put them in a situation where there is no right answer.

-Angel Tears

 

[Kyramus]

encounters are not based on just fighting.
Try environmental concerns.
Lava chasing them down is going to hurt, one way or another.
Cave Collapsing.

Lack of air, eventually they are going to need it.
Lack of rest, eventually they will fall asleep and prey to scavengers.

A cataclysm could change many things. What would happen if one of the gods died and sent a magical shock wave through the world, forceing ALL magic items to make a saving throw or be destroyed.

If it's the god of magic, maybe wipe away the magic of the world and everyone has to reinvent the nuances of magic.

Without going the cataclysm route, think of a magical experiment designed to literaly blow up and create a massive dead magic area. Ala James Bond with any of the bond nemesis who were always out to destroy the world or some such.