So, I'm a first-time DM starting out with my own fully-homebrew world and campaign, and the game began with characters at level 10. And it's going great! My characters are currently level 13 and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from my players.
What I'm interested in gathering ideas on, however, are some ideas for awesome high-level combat. Ideas for not just the enemies (canonical or homebrew with statblock suggestions would be great!), but also environmental or situational ideas that would help make an encounter even more wicked! As well as potential ideas for connecting them to adventures or existing story hooks, if possible. I've got a few ideas, but I'm hoping to gather more. (:
The big rule: No dragons or dragonlike enemies. They're long extinct at the point my characters are at in the story.
ANY reason you can find that forces the party to take an underground cave system for a week or two (such as, it's too dangerous and Exhausting to try to cross the Desert of Death and Doom). It's pitch black, there's many dead ends, cross junctions, hundred foot chasms, crumbling bridge ways from abandoned dwarven mines, and icy cold underwater rushing rivers. did some rats gnaw through ropes and food rations overnight? A veritable skills challenge pathway where one too many failed Dex saves leads to a 200 foot drop. Directly into the gravelly pit of one or two Purple Worms below more than happy to tear into this unexpected bounty.
Too bad for the party because sweet tasty man and elf flesh also attracts the attention of a very giant fiendish cave spider with 50 of her giant spider spawn closing in from all sides, making full use of being able to attack as well from the walls and ceilings. There's a reason the spider swarm suddenly stops chasing the Party once it reaches the edge of an underwater lake. But what would THEY be more afraid of?
Could be a very angry and extremely paranoid Beholder...
But what are your ideas? It's your world, where's the story line so far?
Spec it like an eldritch knight and have it confidently face down the party. As they go to roll initiative it casts a custom raise dead for some giant minion help.
Planes-travelling is a good way to introduce fresh dangers or new themes on old nemeses. The Elemental Planes are each difficult to move through/difficult to survive in. They are also home to more powerful versions of monstrosities and elementals adventurers typically encounter. Consider also, societies of Efreeti and Dao. Or set an adventure in the Abyss or Gehenna itself.
Settings that place the PCs into really unfamiliar and dangerous terrain are good. A purely underwater campaign where they can't rely on their typical armor and where some of their spells and feats don't work like normal (just be sure to warn them about this in advance). Or force them to fight in the astral plane or somewhere with no gravity against a lot of flying adapted opponents.
To add some dimension to your combat try doing dungeons with moving parts. Like randomly shifting walls, or on giant gears that only connect at certain points , at certain times. Even weak enemies can be a lot stronger if the big barbarian can't get to them easily, or the healer of the party suddenly has a wall pop up between him and the warriors faceing a demon.
For creatures if you want a epic battle anything can work if you use good tactics and let the bad guy pick his battle ground. I like the idea of the goblin boss that apply named thecivilizedgoblin wrote.
So, I'm a first-time DM starting out with my own fully-homebrew world and campaign, and the game began with characters at level 10. And it's going great! My characters are currently level 13 and I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from my players.
What I'm interested in gathering ideas on, however, are some ideas for awesome high-level combat. Ideas for not just the enemies (canonical or homebrew with statblock suggestions would be great!), but also environmental or situational ideas that would help make an encounter even more wicked! As well as potential ideas for connecting them to adventures or existing story hooks, if possible. I've got a few ideas, but I'm hoping to gather more. (:
The big rule: No dragons or dragonlike enemies. They're long extinct at the point my characters are at in the story.
Thanks a bunch!
ANY reason you can find that forces the party to take an underground cave system for a week or two (such as, it's too dangerous and Exhausting to try to cross the Desert of Death and Doom). It's pitch black, there's many dead ends, cross junctions, hundred foot chasms, crumbling bridge ways from abandoned dwarven mines, and icy cold underwater rushing rivers. did some rats gnaw through ropes and food rations overnight? A veritable skills challenge pathway where one too many failed Dex saves leads to a 200 foot drop. Directly into the gravelly pit of one or two Purple Worms below more than happy to tear into this unexpected bounty.
Too bad for the party because sweet tasty man and elf flesh also attracts the attention of a very giant fiendish cave spider with 50 of her giant spider spawn closing in from all sides, making full use of being able to attack as well from the walls and ceilings. There's a reason the spider swarm suddenly stops chasing the Party once it reaches the edge of an underwater lake. But what would THEY be more afraid of?
Could be a very angry and extremely paranoid Beholder...
But what are your ideas? It's your world, where's the story line so far?
Boldly go
Demons, fiends, abominations - ooo, slaadi! - mind flayers, gith, you name it! The world is your mollusk.
Goblin champion.
I'm serious.
Set the battle in a giant's cemetery.
Spec it like an eldritch knight and have it confidently face down the party. As they go to roll initiative it casts a custom raise dead for some giant minion help.
Planes-travelling is a good way to introduce fresh dangers or new themes on old nemeses. The Elemental Planes are each difficult to move through/difficult to survive in. They are also home to more powerful versions of monstrosities and elementals adventurers typically encounter. Consider also, societies of Efreeti and Dao. Or set an adventure in the Abyss or Gehenna itself.
Settings that place the PCs into really unfamiliar and dangerous terrain are good. A purely underwater campaign where they can't rely on their typical armor and where some of their spells and feats don't work like normal (just be sure to warn them about this in advance). Or force them to fight in the astral plane or somewhere with no gravity against a lot of flying adapted opponents.
To add some dimension to your combat try doing dungeons with moving parts. Like randomly shifting walls, or on giant gears that only connect at certain points , at certain times. Even weak enemies can be a lot stronger if the big barbarian can't get to them easily, or the healer of the party suddenly has a wall pop up between him and the warriors faceing a demon.
For creatures if you want a epic battle anything can work if you use good tactics and let the bad guy pick his battle ground. I like the idea of the goblin boss that apply named thecivilizedgoblin wrote.
Some good ideas for sure. The goblin boss sounds like a fab idea! Thanks everyone so far!