So I wanted to make a campaign where the players would start out at a higher level (12 to 15), and eventually fail to the BBEG. I would do this to help with world building and to allow the players to have some fun being demi gods at higher levels. in the second half I would have the players do a full run starting around 3 or 5 back to higher level to finish the BBEG. My problem is I cant figure out a good plot to hook the new characters into the story without feeling to force, and if I should run the first half of higher level play as a one shot or something a bit bigger. I would apricate the help and any ideas you can throw my way (story is flexible I only have a skeleton of an idea).
Work backwards. Make a pyramid with quest names that expands as they go lower in level. Then you end up with a bunch of quests that lead down various roads and all of them lead to the BBEG but it's not obvious.
For example, you start off with like a dozen different quests they get offered. They pair up and lead to a different quest, for six quests in total. Now you've got three pairs of quests that lead to three quests. And they lead to the BBEG.
First I’d say, don’t start the game with the intention of killing the party. It’s the definition of a railroad of the worst kind. The players won’t like it, and will be kind of resentful. Why are they even playing if you already decided what’s going to happen? It the kind of conceit that works in movies or tv, but not tabletop.
About the only way it might work is if you tell the players the whole plan beforehand. They’re going to do a 1-shot playing high level characters who will die as a prologue. Get buy in from them. Then, if they’re into it, you can proceed.
I don't know if I'd call it "railroading," as it's meant to set up the premise of the plot rather than be a long-term policy, but I can't imagine doing it without at least letting the players know to plan for a switch to a lower-level character after a brief "taste of power" prologue. From there, if they can't guess that the first group's story isn't likely to end well, that's on them.
As for making the transition, it might be interesting if the first group of characters are supposed to be mentors, parents, or otherwise personally connected to the second group. The work put into building and developing the higher-level character is thus not even necessarily wasted, as it remains part of the second character's backstory.
I agree with BatJamags, in that if the players are in on the story, and like the idea of the second group's members being somehow tied to the group of 'fallen titans/heroes', then it could be a lot of fun. One could easily give the campaign a "Wheel of Time" feel, perhaps with a touch of "Cloud Atlas".
Yes the players are aware that it the higher level prologue will result in death. I have specifically told them it's for world building and bbeg development. I was thinking of making it into a one shot, but do you think I can set a good setting with good character development in one session of 4 to 6 hours?
I don't know if I'd call it "railroading," as it's meant to set up the premise of the plot rather than be a long-term policy, but I can't imagine doing it without at least letting the players know to plan for a switch to a lower-level character after a brief "taste of power" prologue. From there, if they can't guess that the first group's story isn't likely to end well, that's on them.
As for making the transition, it might be interesting if the first group of characters are supposed to be mentors, parents, or otherwise personally connected to the second group. The work put into building and developing the higher-level character is thus not even necessarily wasted, as it remains part of the second character's backstory."
The players are fully aware of the prologue. I love the idea of the transition! This would also give the new characters a great reason to get involved with the story! Thank you very great ideas!
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So I wanted to make a campaign where the players would start out at a higher level (12 to 15), and eventually fail to the BBEG. I would do this to help with world building and to allow the players to have some fun being demi gods at higher levels. in the second half I would have the players do a full run starting around 3 or 5 back to higher level to finish the BBEG. My problem is I cant figure out a good plot to hook the new characters into the story without feeling to force, and if I should run the first half of higher level play as a one shot or something a bit bigger. I would apricate the help and any ideas you can throw my way (story is flexible I only have a skeleton of an idea).
Work backwards. Make a pyramid with quest names that expands as they go lower in level. Then you end up with a bunch of quests that lead down various roads and all of them lead to the BBEG but it's not obvious.
For example, you start off with like a dozen different quests they get offered. They pair up and lead to a different quest, for six quests in total. Now you've got three pairs of quests that lead to three quests. And they lead to the BBEG.
First I’d say, don’t start the game with the intention of killing the party. It’s the definition of a railroad of the worst kind. The players won’t like it, and will be kind of resentful. Why are they even playing if you already decided what’s going to happen? It the kind of conceit that works in movies or tv, but not tabletop.
About the only way it might work is if you tell the players the whole plan beforehand. They’re going to do a 1-shot playing high level characters who will die as a prologue. Get buy in from them. Then, if they’re into it, you can proceed.
I don't know if I'd call it "railroading," as it's meant to set up the premise of the plot rather than be a long-term policy, but I can't imagine doing it without at least letting the players know to plan for a switch to a lower-level character after a brief "taste of power" prologue. From there, if they can't guess that the first group's story isn't likely to end well, that's on them.
As for making the transition, it might be interesting if the first group of characters are supposed to be mentors, parents, or otherwise personally connected to the second group. The work put into building and developing the higher-level character is thus not even necessarily wasted, as it remains part of the second character's backstory.
Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral
I agree with BatJamags, in that if the players are in on the story, and like the idea of the second group's members being somehow tied to the group of 'fallen titans/heroes', then it could be a lot of fun. One could easily give the campaign a "Wheel of Time" feel, perhaps with a touch of "Cloud Atlas".
Yes the players are aware that it the higher level prologue will result in death. I have specifically told them it's for world building and bbeg development. I was thinking of making it into a one shot, but do you think I can set a good setting with good character development in one session of 4 to 6 hours?