D&D 5E Is WotC ever going to release something high level? Even as UA test material?

[Zardnaar]

I've been buying D&D products since 1e and I can't remember seeing a high level product that was any good. It might help if they tried putting out a quality high level product before saying that there's not enough demand for it. People talk and compare notes before buying things.

Labyrinth of Madness for 2E is about the best I have seen but its traps are along the lines of Tomb of Horrors in terms of how lethal they are.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yeah.

I have about hmm 30 pages of conversation material for this module, because there isn't a lot of content in 5e in the CR10-20 range. Revenants for example are in the game but they're CR5, whereas there's a need for a lot of CR6, 8, and higher CR revenants in the module.

It's not the end of the world, but it was a lot of work creating higher level monsters, only for them to die in 1-2 rounds. Especially brutal when you spend an hour or two creating a high CR drow cleric or mage, only for her/him to be hold person and killed in one hit by the Paladin.
High level NPC's in particular cannot be created with Players Handbook rules because they're ineffective. They need to be created with monster rules. A CR17 NPC needs at least 300HP to survive one round of combat.

Nice would it be possible to grab your conversion notes? I played that adventure using 3.0 and I did not think the adventure was that good anyway. Part I Haranshire of The Night Below works well as a 5E adventure have not tied the later parts of the adventure.

 

[DaveDash]

Nice would it be possible to grab your conversion notes? I played that adventure using 3.0 and I did not think the adventure was that good anyway. Part I Haranshire of The Night Below works well as a 5E adventure have not tied the later parts of the adventure.

Sure, I'll zip them up and PM them to you.

I wanted to run a mindless super dungeon that was hack and slash/tactical combat focused for a couple of my players who love that style of game. That's why I chose CoTSQ. There's very little role play, but much more of a combat focus game. The party is fairly well optimized and we enjoy challenging combats.

 

[SkidAce]

I've been buying D&D products since 1e and I can't remember seeing a high level product that was any good.

You didn't like Throne of Bloodstone? (recommended for characters of levels 18-100)

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16805/H4-The-Throne-of-Bloodstone-1e?it=1

 

[SkidAce]

Origins: The H Series. Once upon the time, the "H" High-level module series began with H1: Bloodstone Pass (1985), a war-oriented scenario that supported the Battlesystem (1985) supplement. It was so popular that the "high-level" series became the "high-level Bloodstone Pass saga". "The Throne of Bloodstone" completes that saga.

Emphasis mine....

 

[Maxperson]

You didn't like Throne of Bloodstone? (recommended for characters of levels 18-100)

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16805/H4-The-Throne-of-Bloodstone-1e?it=1

Good god no!

 

[hawkeyefan]

Labyrinth of Madness for 2E is about the best I have seen but its traps are along the lines of Tomb of Horrors in terms of how lethal they are.

Yeah, that was a solid adventure.

A Paladin in Hell is another.

 

[MNblockhead]

Why do you do that? Don't you like being surprised?

Being surprised as a DM is guaranteed. Creating challenging encounters that the players enjoy is not.

Since every level is a new level for me to DM, I have to be careful to understand what the party is capable of. What seems like a challenging encounter often just gets steamrolled over.

 

[S'mon]

It's also a lot of hard work generating all those high level creatures and NPCs, because there's not a lot of official ones. One good thing though is a lot of lower CR creatures are still usable at higher levels.

I use http://rpgtinker.com/ now for most of my NPCs, slap a couple magic items on them to taste and maybe some of the special powers from the MM NPCs, though I tend to find those too fiddly.

Monsters are a bit of an issue but it's a much better situation than high level 1e, where I used to have "12 pit fiends" type encounters vs a solo high level PC. Tome of Beasts has lots of good high level
monsters, the MM demons, devils, dragons and giants work fine, and unlike 4e I don't have to
constantly restat everything. I'm confident that Stone Giant warbands will remain threatening throughout the life of my 5e Runelords campaign.

 

[S'mon]

High level NPC's in particular cannot be created with Players Handbook rules because they're ineffective. They need to be created with monster rules. A CR17 NPC needs at least 300HP to survive one round of combat.

This is true, so I use http://rpgtinker.com/ and crank up the hit dice to say 20d12 for a caster type. It maxes at 30d20 which is good for a powerful warrior or demigod type. Here's what I get for a maxed-out
Drow Evoker, which took about 5 seconds. IRL I would edit it for another 2-3 minutes. Not sure I believe the CR, seems low.

Uthque : Evoker
Female Drow, any alignment
Armor Class: 16 (with mage armor)
Hit Points: 405 (30d20 +90)
Speed: 30ft (9m / 6 sqr)
Proficiency: +9
STR
10 (+0)
DEX
16 (+3)
CON
16 (+3)
INT
20 (+5)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
15 (+2)
Skills: Perception +10 Arcana +14 Intimidation +11 Stealth +12 Persuasion +11
Saving Throws: Intelligence +14 Constitution +12
Challenge: 14 (15000 XP)
Racial Features

Ability Modifiers: +2 Dex, +1 Cha
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Superior Darkvision: 120ft (36m / 24sqr)
Sunlight Sensitivity: Disvantage on attack rolls and wisdom perception (sight) when your target is on direct sunlight
Trance: meditate for 4 hours instead of sleep.
Keen Senses: proficiency in the Perception skill.
Drow Weapon Training: proficiency with the rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows (not considered for template)
Drow Magic: know Dancing Lights cantrip, once per day can cast Faerie Fire (if CR is greater than 3) and Darkness, also once per day (if CR is greater than 5). Charisma as spellcasting ability for those spells
Languages: speaks Elvish and Undercommon.
Actions

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack +9 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 14 (4d6 +0 ) bludgeoning damage.
Properties: Versatile (1d8),

Spells

Spellcasting. the Evoker is an 30th-level wizard. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 22, to hit with spell attacks +14)
Cantrips (at will): Prestidigitation, Acid Splash, Mage Hand, Ray of Frost, Dancing Lights,
1st level (4 slots): Feather Fall, Thunderwave, Mage Armor,
2nd level (3 slots): Cloud of Daggers, Web, Melf's Acid Arrow, Darkvision,
3rd level (3 slots): Counterspell, Lightning Bolt, Fly, Blink,
4th level (3 slots): Dimension Door, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire, Greater Invisibility,
5th level (3 slots): Bigby's Hand,
6th level (2 slots): Circle of Death, Chain Lightning,
7th level (2 slots): Delayed Blast Fireball, Reverse Gravity,
8th level (1 slots): Sunburst, Incendiary Cloud,
9th level (1 slots): Meteor Swarm,