What's the top level in your campaign world?

[Bullgrit]

At what level would/will/have PCs in your campaign world "topped out" of the challenges available in the Material Plane world? What I mean is, at what level will they stop finding challenges without going off plane?

And if your world has high-level challenges (10+, 15+, 20+, 30+, etc.) what has kept these challenges from totally wrecking the world before the PCs were around? The things that challenge a 20th-level group could completely wipe out most cities smaller than metropolises -- why haven't they?

Are there any things in the world that "always have been, always will be"? Like a guardian that has never been passed (and could never be passed)? If you have such a thing, do you ever expect the PCs to level up to where they can defeat the thing? If so, why hasn't some NPCs ever leveled up enough to kill it?

Do PCs ever retire? Are there always "bigger fish" in the campaign world?

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit

 

[DM_Jeff]

At what level would/will/have PCs in your campaign world "topped out" of the challenges available in the Material Plane world? What I mean is, at what level will they stop finding challenges without going off plane?

Wow, what an interesting question. In a 2e D&D Fiorgotten Realsm game I ran, after 12th level the PCs were wildly potent and began exploring the planes to find the next challenge.

In 3e, that changed. I ran a Kalamar game that didn't involve any planar threats until 17th level. The exact model also followed a couple years later with my 3.5 Forgotten Realms game - 17th level before the old planes came knocking. Same thing for my Shackled City 3.5 game!

So it looks like 17 for me although I never planned it that way!

And if your world has high-level challenges (10+, 15+, 20+, 30+, etc.) what has kept these challenges from totally wrecking the world before the PCs were around? The things that challenge a 20th-level group could completely wipe out most cities smaller than metropolises -- why haven't they?

In both Kalamar and the Realms it's a matter of conveinence. 1) The things that are CR 25 or above are so rare and secluded they don't impact the populace at large and 2) There are NPC's assumed to be up to 30th level, although incredibly rare, that could conceivably fight against such high-level foes if needbe.

Are there any things in the world that "always have been, always will be"? Like a guardian that has never been passed (and could never be passed)? If you have such a thing, do you ever expect the PCs to level up to where they can defeat the thing? If so, why hasn't some NPCs ever leveled up enough to kill it?

I haven't done anything like that.

Do PCs ever retire? Are there always "bigger fish" in the campaign world?

Retirement for my player's PCs have always been story based. A feeling like we'r estarting to tackle threats on the ludicrous scale and it's time to hang it up. Reunion games do and have come up, and I prove there's always a bigger fish...always.

-DM Jeff

 

[an_idol_mind]

While most of my campaigns wrap up around 15th level or so, there's no theoretical limit on PC advancement within the setting. The setting has vast areas that remain unexplored, and has many secrets that have only been scratched, such as the existence of a number of sleeping gods beneath the surface of the world. My games also tend to have a good deal of social/political intrigue where level just doesn't matter as much. (One of the villains in my current 13th-level campaign is a 5th-level aristocrat -- sure, the PCs could just wax him, but that would cause more problems than it would solve.)

 

[Ilium]

I've never run a D&D game long enough for it to become an issue. My current group is 12th level, and most of the powerful. NPCs they've met are around 15th. There are a few 18th-level running around and the movers and shakers in the fallen empire are 20th or so.

Once they deal with a 20th (or barely-epic) plotline, I'll probably end the campaign, but that won't be for a while.

And nothing in my game is unbeatable by DM fiat. If they can find a way to beat the Ancient dragons that live on the far mist-shrouded isle of Innichari, more power to them.

 

[Bullgrit]

And nothing in my game is unbeatable by DM fiat. If they can find a way to beat the Ancient dragons that live on the far mist-shrouded isle of Innichari, more power to them.

I didn't mean something unbeatable by DM fiat -- I meant something so high in CR that it is unbeatable.

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit

 

[Crothian]

The highest level PC we ever had in my campaign world was 45 but she eventually got god status. Usually though it tops out around 20 since that is the assumption in the PHB.

 

[Bullgrit]

I see most responders are pointing at high-level NPCs. Are there no high-level monsters? How did the high-level NPCs get to high level?

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit

 

[Ilium]

I see most responders are pointing at high-level NPCs. Are there no high-level monsters? How did the high-level NPCs get to high level?

Bullgrit
Total Bullgrit

Practice, practice, practice.

I award experience for non-combat challenges, and the NPCs get it too. So the king of Osserik (who is turning 75 this year) is 18th level through many decades of political maneuvering, deal-making and combat (in his youth he led forces in battle).

There are high-level monsters as well, but they are similarly rare, and generally have agendas of their own that don't involve oppressing humans. The really icky monsters are mostly in distant lands as well, where they are kept in check by normal forces there.

 

[useridunavailable]

Eleventy-million. As long as the PCs can gain levels, so can the villains (and monsters)...

 

[sniffles]

I can't imagine a point at which any of our characters would have to go to another plane to find a challenge.