D&D 5E (2014) Looking for Campaigns for 14+ level PCs

[Reynard]

No, sidequest/mainquest is the whole issue.

The low level game has lots of sidequests, and can therefore be a sandbox with lots of player freedom. The high level game is pretty much completely focused on mainquest (plus petty management issues) and is thefore much more of a railroad.

Basically, two completely different styles of play.

This isn't true at all. I don't understand why you are asserting an objective truth here when there are lots of people telling you their experiences are different.

First of all, it isn't a video game. "Main quest vs side quest" is a meaningless distinction in an RPG where the GM controls the pacing and distribution of quests. Unless your game involves NPCs hanging around town with exclamation points over their heads, asking the PCs to bring them 8 apples, it shouldn't be an issue at all. Some games have a more focused structure and others are more broad.

Second, even if you structured your game that way, level has nothing to do with it. Low level characters can focus their energies on beating the BBEG just as easily as high level characters can trot off in random directions looking for interesting points on the map. Nothing about high or low level demands a certain style of play.

 

[robus]

So increase damage while reducing hp.

I’ve actually found that increasing damage and increasing hp is the way to go. Basically augmented versions (made by evil wizards or corrupt energies)

 

[S'mon]

No, sidequest/mainquest is the whole issue.

The low level game has lots of sidequests, and can therefore be a sandbox with lots of player freedom. The high level game is pretty much completely focused on mainquest (plus petty management issues) and is thefore much more of a railroad.

Basically, two completely different styles of play.

I just find it weird that I'm running a fun level 14 campaign in a way you keep insisting is not possible!

 

[S'mon]

I’ve actually found that increasing damage and increasing hp is the way to go. Basically augmented versions (made by evil wizards or corrupt energies)

Looking at how I modified a level 5-6 adventure (Tower of Golden Scales, a free pdf) for level 10-14 (spoilers I guess):

Stone Dwarves - increased number from 2 to 3. Increased damage. Kept to-hit, AC (18) & HP (85).
Plant zombies - increased number from 4 to 12. Increased damage. Kept to-hit, AC (13) & HP (52). Had them claw out of the ground in 2 waves, though as it turned out the PCs did not use any AoE.
Earth elemental - increased number from 1 to 2.
Vrock - increased number from 1 to 2.
Chasme - increased AC (+2 I think), to-hit (+5), hp (x2) and damage (x2)

The earth elementals & vrocks weren't much of a fight; the others worked well as a challenge. The plant zombies were the most dangerous. The 'Greater Chasme' was the only one I increased hp (or AC), to make it a mini-boss.

 

[dave2008]

It doesn't.

Lots of weak foes make for slow battles that don't really threaten the party.

That is not my experience, but we didn’t have any issue with long 4e fights either, so maybe my group just plays faster.

 

[S'mon]

#2 14th level characters, built up from level 1 over a couple of years, dying to a bunch of mooks with artificially inflated damage numbers is not a satisfying way to end a campaign.

Dunno what you mean by 'artificially inflated'; this is not 3e. As for 'not a satisfying end', I don't run a game on the basis that it must continue to a satisfying conclusion. Reaching a good conclusion is a challenge for the players to achieve, not something I'm obligated to provide.

Anyway you don't seem all that interested in learning how to successfully GM at high level.

 

[pogre]

My group is really enjoying our high level campaign right now. It's the first time we have played high level 5e. While the game certainly changes as you approach 20th level - it is much more manageable than 3e was at similar levels.

I'm with the OP - I would like to see more adventures published in this level range. Naturally, the adventures would need to be modified for the group. That tends to be true from 5th level on for my group anyway,

My group is about to take on Halaster. If they survive the encounter we are trying something new. We are going to start a new group of PCs in the same world and we will play the new group most of the time with the occasional adventure for the high level PCs - right now I am thinking it will be roughly 3:1.

By keeping the high level campaign going the players will continue to enjoy their super powerful characters from time to time. By having most of the playing time centered around the new group of PCs I get to keep my sanity - particularly in light of the dearth of high level material to steal from.

 

[Reynard]

I am preparing to run Descent into Avernus and am already looking forward to the post-Avernus portion of the campaign. Since most of the action occurs elsewhere, when the PCs come back to Faerun they are going to be this group of powerhouses that come out of nowhere. That's going to shake things up whether they intend to or not. If they leveled to 14 running around fighting giants, the world would know who they were and would be ready for them. Not in this case. Should be interesting.

Assuming the survive, of course.

 

[Merifluous]

I actually wrote a little mini campaign to take my PCs from 15th to 20th after Rise of Tiamat. I have a very rough draft that I kept meaning to eventually turn into something that I could put up on dmsguild but never got around to it. It does play into some of the storylines in HotDQ and RoT. If you are interested send me a message and I will share.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I just find it weird that I'm running a fun level 14 campaign in a way you keep insisting is not possible!

I'm not insisting that it's "not possible" to run a fun level 14 campaign. I'm saying it has a different format, and in particular, I'm suggesting the OP's request for "sidequests" is difficult to fulfil.

Whether of not a high level game is fun or not depends on what you like.