D&D 5E (2024) Let's Write A High Level Adventure

[Reynard]

I think we, as a community, should write a high (16th+) level 5E 2024 adventure -- particularly one that a) is not a "save the wrodl adventure" and b) is specifically designed as a product to be easy to run. Let's prove that high level adventures can be written and work for other groups, and simultaneously that there isa way to design D&D adventures that support the GM not just mechanically, but through layout, infographics and other tools.

Anyone interested? What are your ideas for such a adventure?

NOTE: Everything would be CC, using the SRD, so there would be no question of ownership or copyright.

 

[JamesLFlowers]

Lots of situations requiring roleplay rather than combat. Make players actually think and work their skills rather than simply bash another boss. By the time a player and character reaches a high-level they should be able to work through complex politics, and other high level problems. And dumb choices should have consequences.

When it happens, make combat interesting. A high level boss is not going to be alone, he/she/it will have high level minions. They will also act intelligently. Coordinated attacks and defenses, complex plans and lair actions, abilities to negate the abilities of the party, etc. Don't be afraid to create opponents that the party can't easily overcome. An strong party meeting a strong opponent means that retreat might be a good option and the opponent letting you go because you are that strong of a challange......

My tables current high level game we have two people working together to DM the game so that opponents are not run in a dumb hack-n-bash fashion. The intelligent wise-cracking spellcasting Tarrasque was well played and in the end both the party and the tarrasque retreated from each other.

 

[Reynard]

Lots of situations requiring roleplay rather than combat. Make players actually think and work their skills rather than simply bash another boss. By the time a player and character reaches a high-level they should be able to work through complex politics, and other high level problems. And dumb choices should have consequences.

I don't think I would make this an aim of an adventure aimed at a general audience. Not that you can't have some politics and faction play and NPC interaction, but I wouldn't make it the point.

When it happens, make combat interesting. A high level boss is not going to be alone, he/she/it will have high level minions. They will also act intelligently. Coordinated attacks and defenses, complex plans and lair actions, abilities to negate the abilities of the party, etc. Don't be afraid to create opponents that the party can't easily overcome. An strong party meeting a strong opponent means that retreat might be a good option and the opponent letting you go because you are that strong of a challange......

I agree that combat should be consequential, especially since at high levels it can eat a lot of table time. And, importantly, those combat encounters should have objectives other than "kill everything" along with secondary objectives and other bits to keep things interesting.

One high level adventure I have always wanted to write was something with a powerful faerie court, where the PCs get drawn into a internal faction conflict among the fae. No villains per se, but powerful, inscrutable antagonists that are a threat to a high level party all the same.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

If JRPGs have taught me anything, it's that you need to kill god. Who's at the top of mortals' collective divine naughty word List?

 

[Zardnaar]

Exact level and number of PCs required if you're running RAW.

Dungeon hack in FR would be easiest imho

 

[JamesLFlowers]

One high level adventure I have always wanted to write was something with a powerful faerie court, where the PCs get drawn into a internal faction conflict among the fae. No villains per se, but powerful, inscrutable antagonists that are a threat to a high level party all the same.

In the end, you are doing exactly what I was trying to get at. An internal faction conflict of a powerful faerie court... now what side do you choose? Who do you trust? Who do you not trust? What actions do you take? And those actions have overarching consequences, which could include combat, even combat with the party as the villains because of a bad choice. Roleplay! Making players think not just hack and bash. I am not saying it should be the entirety of the adventure, no no no. Just that a high-level adventure should not be a brainless dungeon crawl like the "Keep On The Borderlands". Not that I mind a brainless hack and bash.

Another thing you have to think about in high-level adventures is how to keep things flowing. When you have abilities and feats and active spells and magic items and on and on and on all coming into play, things can drag. This negates that and causes this, etc. Not really sure how to address that one in an adventure, more of a table by table thing.

One thing I found GMing high level games in many systems is that you plan the game, sort of as a flow chart. A decision point where choices lead here and there. Then the players choose an option you never planned for. So a high-level adventure would need lots of flexibility.

 

[Reynard]

In the end, you are doing exactly what I was trying to get at. An internal faction conflict of a powerful faerie court... now what side do you choose? Who do you trust? Who do you not trust? What actions do you take? And those actions have overarching consequences, which could include combat, even combat with the party as the villains because of a bad choice. Roleplay! Making players think not just hack and bash. I am not saying it should be the entirety of the adventure, no no no. Just that a high-level adventure should not be a brainless dungeon crawl like the "Keep On The Borderlands". Not that I mind a brainless hack and bash.

Sure. I just don't think you should build it with the intent for either too high of complexity, or without combat. You want fights. that what high level PCs are good at. You just don't want pointless fights.

Another thing you have to think about in high-level adventures is how to keep things flowing. When you have abilities and feats and active spells and magic items and on and on and on all coming into play, things can drag. This negates that and causes this, etc. Not really sure how to address that one in an adventure, more of a table by table thing.

Generally, a high level adventure should note briefly where high level magic or other abilities might mess with a particular encounter, but generally you design FOR those thing, letting PCs leverage their powers.

One thing I found GMing high level games in many systems is that you plan the game, sort of as a flow chart. A decision point where choices lead here and there. Then the players choose an option you never planned for. So a high-level adventure would need lots of flexibility.

My matra is "plan situations, not plots" -- and that is doubly true of high level stuff. A divisive arranged marriage between the Winter and Summer court Princes is being rammed through by a vengeful Autumn Lord. The PCs are drawn into the conflict. here are all the details about the players, their relationships, their stats, and the location. GO.

 

[Brendan Byrd]

A possible adventure topic.

[File the serial numbers off, obviously...]
How would Keep on the Borderlands be written/revised if it was intended for:

• A party of four PC's of 16th level:
  
  [*]The party may have retainers or an entourage​
  [*]The party may have a base of operations​
• Opponents that are:
  
  [*]Opponents that are organized​
  [*]Opponents that may be aware of the PC's plans in advance​
  [*]Opponents that may be capable of stiking the PC's base of operations​
• Additional Challenges:
  
  [*]A party of 16th level characters have more resources with which to handle morally grey topics. How will they handle the moral problems the original module creates​

Or rebuild any early "problematic" adventure, as proof of concept.

 

[Stormonu]

A possible adventure topic.

[File the serial numbers off, obviously...]
How would Keep on the Borderlands be written/revised if it was intended for:

• A party of four PC's of 16th level:
  
  [*]The party may have retainers or an entourage​
  [*]The party may have a base of operations​
• Opponents that are:
  
  [*]Opponents that are organized​
  [*]Opponents that may be aware of the PC's plans in advance​
  [*]Opponents that may be capable of stiking the PC's base of operations​
• Additional Challenges:
  
  [*]A party of 16th level characters have more resources with which to handle morally grey topics. How will they handle the moral problems the original module creates​

Or rebuild any early "problematic" adventure, as proof of concept.

It'd probably look like the Bloodstone Land adventures.

 

[aco175]

Time crunch? Should it all take place in one day, or each dungeon needs to be completed in one day. Might depend on length of plot and size of adventure.

Smaller dungeons or larger? I'm more a 5-room person since my group only gets to play for a few hours at a time. A larger dungeon might be cut into pieces that act as their own smaller parts.