high level gaming ideas

[jollyninja]

well, i've got my group to about 13-16 level and i'm running into a bit of a problem. i've got nothing to put them up against. i've got plenty set up for 20+ but in the mean time, i'm stuck for how to get them there. i just am not sure how to challenge the party without wiping them off the face of the planet. any suggestions on how to make goblin extermination fun for such characters? that's what they are bent on doing it seems. not their fault really, i've railroaded them into it just a bit. they were on the losing side of a war and bought their freedom with oathes to reclaim an elven kingdom from a goblin army entrenched for about a century. i've done some leveled goblinoids but i've a feeling after the last defended underground compound i ran them through, they would seriously balk at another (lots of dmg lev 5 hobgoblin fighters backed by sorcerors and a beholder) and i'm out of ideas and i don't want them to get to familiar with their foes. familiarity breeds contempt after all. so with a lot of demon's and devils available, as well as a near infinite goblinoid population, any suggestions?

 

[thullgrim]

I would say move on to some allies or something of the goblins, or introduce an entirely new plot/type of foe. I think at these levels using more humans and other PC races, in secret cults or working as major underlings to some other BBEG (I like dragons...) works well. Also at these levels I it becomes easier to address long term goals of the PC's, now that they have some real power to play it becomes increasingly about what they want to do for themselves in alot of cases. As for specific creaturs, Vampires, classes pc races, fallen celestials, classed werewolves, elementals,

Thullgrim

 

[Nik_the_Pig]

or give them an quest to help achieve their goals, a diplomatic mission to dwarf lands to gain allies (and having to solve one of the dwarfs problem to achieve it), obtain rare magical elements to help a mage make a gobliniod only affecting plague (with the mage perhaps really being evil?), etc, etc. Bound to be heaps of ideas you can use to throw them off on a sub plot while still in essence striving for they primary goal

 

[arwink]

Start playing with the goblin culture a bit, giving them access to more than just leveled NPC's.

When I realised that I was going to be running some goblin-intensive games, I started looking for monsters that could be re-writen to resemble goblinish allies - Fiendish Gray Renders and driders became a goblin-specific set of outsiders to give the clergy a little more definition, Athach's as the mutated result of goblin experiments in crossbreeding for the wizards and druids, and a vareity of constructs re-writen as goblin war-machines. None of the stats changed, but all of them were or will be described as though they have something in common with the goblin culture they spring from.

 

[drnuncheon]

Some ideas:

- Have them discover who is really behind the goblins. Remember your classics, like GDQ1-7: information found in the hill giant lair leads them to the frost giants, which lead them to the fire giants, which lead them to the drow...

- Raid an ancient tomb for a powerful weapon against the goblin hordes.

- Go on a diplomatic mission to convince another nation to help them dislodge the army. Can lead into mass warfare, too, if you're interested, although you may have done this earlier in the game.

J

 

[Jolly Giant]

Let the goblins start chasing the PCs for a quick change of pace. Surely the goblin leaders must be pretty ticked of at them by now?

Make up a small party of elite goblins sent out by the goblin leaders to assassinate the PCs. Include as many goblins as you have players, and classlevels that match those of the PCs as closely as possible. I would go for an assassin, a blackguard, a wizard or sorceror and one cleric. In other words, a classic adventurer party.

If the PCs have been causing the goblins trouble for a long time, then the goblin leaders probably have quite a lot of information on them by now. Such as what their favorite tactics are, their strengths and weaknesses, maybe even where they go for rest and recreation when they're NOT chasing goblins..?

 

[qaaral]

Since they have been giving the goblins problems, have the goblins hire their own band of evil adventurers to take care of the problem. This gives the party a chance to react to unexpected attacks then track down and deal with this new threat.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

If you want them to do something a little different:

I'd let them 'beat up' goblins for a bit. Make it a massacre. The PCs wade through goblins like a chainsaw through warm butter... 1st level goblin warriors are not difficult to slaughter after all. Make them pitiful victims of the mighty PCs. They don't have a chance and they know it - but their leaders are just driving them to the slaughter.

If the PCs decide to deal with the problem in some 'non massacre' way then that'll make for some different kind of adventuring.

If not, perhaps the goblins could surrender. In their thousands. What do good PCs do? Kill them? How do they keep them? Feed them? Etc!

Or possibly, the goblins tribal shamans get so desparate that they do Somthing Stupid (tm). Perhaps they just open a gate to hell and unleash some really nasty demons/devils or undead - perhaps even a nightwing/nightcrawler thing

These go on the ramapge, killing goblins, elves and villagers alike. What can the PCs do?

 

[Altalazar]

Have the goblin army split and simultaneously attack five different villages. The group will not be able to be in five places at once, and if the group splits up to help each one, they may find themselves in danger of being overwhelmed. Have the goblins constantly threaten caravans and such - the PCs can't guard them all. Hit and run tactics. Harrass them. Have them attack a town and loot as much as possible, and then as soon as the PCs show up (with their overwhelming force) the goblins immediately run and scatter in 20 different directions, the PCs unable to follow them all. And thus the PCs unable to get back the loot, either. Goblins would never stand and fight foes that much more powerful - so have them always hit where the PCs aren't and run away otherwise. That ought to provide for some interesting planning on the PC's part to deal with it.