D&D General High Level Adventures Where the World Isn't at Stake

[Reynard]

Often, "high level adventure" seems to imply equally high stakes for the world. While I think the stakes should always matter to those involved in the adventure, I don't think the world needs a weekly threat of an extinction level event for high level D&D to be fun.

So let's brainstorm ideas for high level adventures that do not involve kingdoms, planets or planes getting crushed, or gods getting dethroned/killed and so on.

When I ran a 20th level test recently, I went with this: the newborn child of an Elf Lord and Lady was stolen by the Queen of the Winter Court to raise as a Winter Eladrin. The PCs (one of whom was sister to the Elf Lady) were tasked with going into the Feywild to retrieve the daughter and warn the Winter Queen off from further meddling. The stakes were certainly high for the Elf Lord and Lady (and by the extension the PCs), but the world would have not ended if the PCs failed. Yet it felt urgent and important nonetheless.

What high level adventures with non-world-shaking stakes have you devised or played in? What ideas do you have for such adventures?

Thanks.

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

It is an hard thing to do because Hi lev pc needs Hi lev motivations. Why bother with problems that 10 mid level characters can handle? What you are trying to do has an understandable aesthetic, but crushes against all the rules of narration and, to be honest, it is not so realistic so suspension of disbelief will be stressed.

 

[jayoungr]

When you say high level, do you mean level 20 specifically, or anything in Tier 4?

I like the Feywild adventure you sketch out, but nothing about it really says "level 20" to me.

 

[Reynard]

When you say high level, do you mean level 20 specifically, or anything in Tier 4?

I like the Feywild adventure you sketch out, but nothing about it really says "level 20" to me.

Anything tier 4. I just used that example because I did it at level 20.

 

[Reynard]

It is an hard thing to do because Hi lev pc needs Hi lev motivations. Why bother with problems that 10 mid level characters can handle? What you are trying to do has an understandable aesthetic, but crushes against all the rules of narration and, to be honest, it is not so realistic so suspension of disbelief will be stressed.

As you might imagine, I disagree completely. Some of the best Superman stories are not about saving the world.

 

[LordEntrails]

One thing you have to consider, what tier 4 level abilities are required?

For instance, why didn't the level 20 party just use a wish to get the kid back and send the Winter Queen a paper bird saying "Hands off or next time we will come in person!"?

Now, maybe Wish wouldn't work, and the Winter Queen doesn't know the PCs so they have to put a fright on her by beating or destroying a few CR xx of her minions or such. But for it to be a tier 4 adventure, it must require Tier 4 abilities. Whatever those are for the situation you are looking at.

I'm not a big fan of intrigue plots, but they work well at Tier 4 because they are not about raw combat power, but often about investigation, gathering info and politics. I just don't think most people care for that in their D&D more than once a campaign/few years.

 

[TheDelphian]

High Level adventures in that vein are more about using the hooks and stories built up over time so that the motivation is part of who the character is. Threatening something or one they care about. This doesn't mean a specific thing / person. A city being invaded by an army for example. If they care about something or one in the city or enough things in the city they have to stop the army. Most of my tier 4 game last campaign was defending a city that had never really known war, so no walls, no standing army. Party that leveled up doing this from 14 to 17 or so spent time delaying the army and attacking the "Big" targets leaving the smaller goblins, orcs even giants to other groups and adventurers. Not like there are a lot of groups that high level even in a major city. So that is one idea.

I think the easiest thing is a short list of say 15+ CR single bosses that you could build an adventure around and give them the support to make it a challenge.

 

[Reynard]

One thing you have to consider, what tier 4 level abilities are required?

For instance, why didn't the level 20 party just use a wish to get the kid back and send the Winter Queen a paper bird saying "Hands off or next time we will come in person!"?

Now, maybe Wish wouldn't work, and the Winter Queen doesn't know the PCs so they have to put a fright on her by beating or destroying a few CR xx of her minions or such. But for it to be a tier 4 adventure, it must require Tier 4 abilities. Whatever those are for the situation you are looking at.

I'm not a big fan of intrigue plots, but they work well at Tier 4 because they are not about raw combat power, but often about investigation, gathering info and politics. I just don't think most people care for that in their D&D more than once a campaign/few years.

Well, not everyone has access to Wish even at level 20, but that's neither here nor there. I agree that a proper high level adventure embraces the things high level characters can do.

Now, I disagree that investigation is much fun at high levels. Or even mid levels. There are too many spells that make investigation superfluous.

 

[Reynard]

I think the easiest thing is a short list of say 15+ CR single bosses that you could build an adventure around and give them the support to make it a challenge.

So pick one and go. I am not asking for how-to advice. Let's create a list of ideas.

 

[jayoungr]

A lich in its lair is CR 23 or so. Liches can get up to all sorts of nasty stuff.

How about sending the PCs to cleanse a fallen temple that a lich has taken over and defiled? And of course, the lich has had centuries to surround itself with undead minions and traps. Plus, you can add a puzzle of how to find the phylactery to make sure it doesn't return.