D&D 5E The story got out of hand need advice

[gamefreak180]

so i am a newbie dm (been playing for 13 years) and i let the players progress to fast and gave them custom artifacts thought it could be fun but the story and party are kinda spiraling out of control and it is causing me a bit of a headache it is a party of 2 (technically 3 but one is a healbot npc) at lvl 11 that can 2 round a balor. they cant handle big hits but can dish out massive damage. i am feeling like a reset is a must but with how things are now i dont want to be that guy. any ideas on what i can/should do?

I know it is mostly my fault for it becoming like this. now i need to fix it

 

[iserith]

Have you talked to your players about your thoughts on the game? If so, what did they say? If not, why haven't you? Bringing them into the discussion tends to make implementing a solution that works for everyone easier.

Also, not every challenge can be resolved with damage, not even ones that are chiefly ones of violent conflict, depending on the goal of the monsters and PCs.

 

[gamefreak180]

I have been talking to them one says just reset a little back into the story and have everyone wake up from a dream and the other said new characters and new story and go about leveling and such much slower.

 

[steeldragons]

Well, if your players are willing to just "redo" and/or "start over", then there you are. Problem seems solved.

Just say, "Ok. Lesson learned. Next campaign. Roll up some new guys." or "It's actually the day after your first adventure" (if they really want to keep the guys they have).

And watch your leveling and dishing out of artifacts/magic items this time.

 

[Pjack]

There's a lot of things you could do. It sounds like both of your players agree that their power level needs to be dialed back, but at least one of them is still attached to their current character and/or the current story.

Here's one idea: Alternate between running two campaigns. In the first, keep the characters as they are, and basically let them do as they like. Continue to try to challenge them, but if they're having fun walking all over the threats they face, let 'em. In the second campaign, start over with new, 1st-level characters, whose job it is to clean up after the mess the high-level characters made. For example: the demon cult that summoned that balor the first party killed are now without leadership, and the schism within their group is breaking out into fighting in the streets. Just for kicks, you could set the second game five years in the future, so the players can see the long-term impact their actions are having on the world.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

If the group is aware of the problem, and fine with just starting a new campaign, I say go that route. I’m not a big fan of the “it was all a dream” route, personally.

Creating custom magic items and artifacts can be fun, but it can also be hard to adjudicate the power level of them.

 

[gamefreak180]

There's a lot of things you could do. It sounds like both of your players agree that their power level needs to be dialed back, but at least one of them is still attached to their current character and/or the current story.

Here's one idea: Alternate between running two campaigns. In the first, keep the characters as they are, and basically let them do as they like. Continue to try to challenge them, but if they're having fun walking all over the threats they face, let 'em. In the second campaign, start over with new, 1st-level characters, whose job it is to clean up after the mess the high-level characters made. For example: the demon cult that summoned that balor the first party killed are now without leadership, and the schism within their group is breaking out into fighting in the streets. Just for kicks, you could set the second game five years in the future, so the players can see the long-term impact their actions are having on the world.

already ask about something on a similar vein and one player didn't like the idea at all. and the one that is attached she just really likes her character the way it is

Creating custom magic items and artifacts can be fun, but it can also be hard to adjudicate the power level of them.

its even harder when custom archetypes and companions are in the mix

i do need to find some class making guides as i am trying to convert a 3.5 class to 5th ed as well. and the official conversion guide is not that great.

 

[arjomanes]

Another option is to just throw high CR monsters at them, and make them fight smart. Let them know that their artifacts are attracting a lot of attention, and word is spreading in unsavory circles.

D&D is like being in a war-torn country, so it's dangerous enough already, but add in the million/billion dollar artifacts they're carrying around, and people are going to pay attention. What do they do when an entire mercenary company of 200 ambushes them? What about an archmage and a couple balors he summoned? Boost the CR and try severely testing them. Don't make it unfun, but let them know they've become instant legends and have moved into a new area of the game because of the treasure.

Look at what got thrown at the Fellowship of the Ring when Sauron heard a hobbit found the ring. Epic level Ring Wraiths? Check. Orc armies? Check. Crazy archmage Saruman? Check. That's what happens when artifacts of legendary power fall into the hands of unsuspecting people. You can just roll with this game changing into something bigger, more epic, and more dangerous.

 

[Rabbitbait]

Yep, throw the big guys at the characters. Let the game run to its natural conclusion, but let them realise that they aren't able to handle the attention that these artifacts are attracting. That might change their focus from wielding the artifacts to getting them somewhere safe, away from the bad guys who will take them, or destroying them altogether (although that's a bit too LOTR for me).

Warn the players that the campaign could easily go out of control and out of their ability to cope, and then let it. I've had entire game worlds destroyed before because of the inaction of characters. It's all good fun because then that sets the scene for the start of a new campaign.

 

[Tony Vargas]

No reason you can't start over. Put it down as a learning experience.