My group is wanting to attempt a one-shot at extremely high level. Everyone has 100 levels to put into any combination of classes they wish, and it’s up to me to come up with something to fight that would challenge them. Any helpful suggestions?
Be prepared for endless oceans of Analysis Paralysis.
:) :/
But only half-joking, be ready for combat rounds and even out of combat stuff to take forever, as each player continuously sorts through four dozen options they have available to find the maximal effect for everything.
As for what to throw at them:
Choose a devil/demon/fiend.
Treat it as a playable race.
Let it choose a class. Or multi-class.
Level it up, give it all the features and abilities of their new class and level in addition to all the stuff from the monster stat block.
Spellcasting Timeless Red? (Timeless I just made up, 10000 years +, AC 24, 864 hp, 30 Charisma, 26 Intelligence, 28 Wisdom, Telepathy to 10 miles, aware of all creatures within 1 mile, resistance to Piercing, Bludgeoning, Slashing, 5 attacks, frightful presence save DC 25, and has five 9th level spell slots, seven 8th level slots, ten 7th, and infinite 6th and below, Fire breath deals 36d6 fire)
I played in an adventure of that sort of level in 1st edition AD&D - one of the opening encounters had the party walking into a room with a raised balcony above them, when "suddenly" 100 liches (who have truesight) stand up on the balcony and all cast meteor swarm at the party at the same time. Something like 2000d6 of damage.
It popped one of the party of 5 instantly and everyone else was ok because of the precautions they had taken (immunity to fire etc).
Much of the rest of the adventure was a bit like that - monsters would do something pretty excessive and, if the target hadn't already planned ahead to mitigate that, they would die.
I'm not hugely sure how powerful your level 100 party would be in the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but expect they would be pretty powerful.
I think that most of your headaches will be adjudicating how class features interact with each other in ways that wouldn't normally be possible.
I played in an adventure of that sort of level in 1st edition AD&D - one of the opening encounters had the party walking into a room with a raised balcony above them, when "suddenly" 100 liches (who have truesight) stand up on the balcony and all cast meteor swarm at the party at the same time. Something like 2000d6 of damage.
That alone is powerful magic--to be able to coordinate 100 sentient beings to all be able to stand up and cast a spell at the same time.
In the real world, you can't even get 100 average hipster concert attendees to clap in unison, much less something like spellcasting :)
Standard rules for a DM managing a large number of the same monster, just roll initiative once.
Those hipsters would be totally able to clap in unison in a D&D world - unless they were player characters, then they would probably get distracted and do something completely different instead. ;)
Standard rules for a DM managing a large number of the same monster, just roll initiative once.
Those hipsters would be totally able to clap in unison in a D&D world - unless they were player characters, then they would probably get distracted and do something completely different instead. ;)
Or would they just all be able to clap roughly in the same 6 second window? (Which is good enough for 'simultaneous' in D&D)
Right, yes, of course, enough with the silliness. The person in charge of my posting previously has been sacked.
On topic--my concern with a challenge for a group like this would be that I would really want to avoid multiple monsters in one encounter. You're already going to have a nightmare of a time with these players spending 5 solid minutes each on any one turn. If you also have to be responsible for 10 or 20 (much less 100) uber-powerful monsters, each of which is almost guaranteed at this CR to have multiple features and possible actions...you're looking at 2 hour combat encounters.
You could have the monsters always act in unison--all the 100 liches always cast the very same spell at the same time. But even then, you're going to end up RAW with 100 saves or attack rolls or etc etc each round. Yeesh.
One big bad monster will possibly save your combat encounters from being eternal.
I say throw them into the Far Realm. Then you can bend the rules and make overpowered monsters and other hazards because there aren't any rules focused on the Far Realm yet.
I realize this is dated, but under the rules aren't your character limited in progression? If not by levels, then in what you can achieve/gain via levels such as hit points? I mean 100th level doesn't mean +100 to hit or several hundred hit points right?
Trust me on this one (as I've done something similar, granting stuff well beyond what the books wrote). In gameplay, it's going to suck.
I realize now that doesn't help, so -
Look for any custom (google it) rules on weird environments. Zero gravity. Floating terrain. Upside down. Blast furnace levels of heat. The inside of a large icecube. On the body of a flying dragon god (while it's in flight). Inside a volcano. In the archway of a portal where one step left is environment A and one step right is environment B. In the belly of a krakenwhale thing. On a galleon as it sinks into an ocean of black pudding stuff. At the top of a 300ft. Treant.
You get it. Change up the area and make it crazy and weird. It's as plausbile as the stuff the PCs will be able to do and a good way to capture the ridiculous and epic feel of it all.
Not just 4 Tarrasques and a legion of custom built CR 22 Fire Giants, but 4 Tarrasques and a legion of custom built CR 22 Fire Giants all walking on the oceans surface while a submarine sized dragon turtle floats just under, waiting for the round when the "top of the water" cracks.
My group is wanting to attempt a one-shot at extremely high level. Everyone has 100 levels to put into any combination of classes they wish, and it’s up to me to come up with something to fight that would challenge them. Any helpful suggestions?
Be prepared for endless oceans of Analysis Paralysis.
:) :/
But only half-joking, be ready for combat rounds and even out of combat stuff to take forever, as each player continuously sorts through four dozen options they have available to find the maximal effect for everything.
As for what to throw at them:
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
Swarm of tarrasques?
Tiamat and 5 ancient dragons (one of each color) each with Niv-Mizzet's features and legendary actions add to their own.
Every Demon Lord.
If those are still too easy, you may want to find an epic level monster book on DMGuild.
Thank you, I will check that out.
Spellcasting Timeless Red? (Timeless I just made up, 10000 years +, AC 24, 864 hp, 30 Charisma, 26 Intelligence, 28 Wisdom, Telepathy to 10 miles, aware of all creatures within 1 mile, resistance to Piercing, Bludgeoning, Slashing, 5 attacks, frightful presence save DC 25, and has five 9th level spell slots, seven 8th level slots, ten 7th, and infinite 6th and below, Fire breath deals 36d6 fire)
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D&D Beyond FoundersI played in an adventure of that sort of level in 1st edition AD&D - one of the opening encounters had the party walking into a room with a raised balcony above them, when "suddenly" 100 liches (who have truesight) stand up on the balcony and all cast meteor swarm at the party at the same time. Something like 2000d6 of damage.
It popped one of the party of 5 instantly and everyone else was ok because of the precautions they had taken (immunity to fire etc).
Much of the rest of the adventure was a bit like that - monsters would do something pretty excessive and, if the target hadn't already planned ahead to mitigate that, they would die.
I'm not hugely sure how powerful your level 100 party would be in the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but expect they would be pretty powerful.
I think that most of your headaches will be adjudicating how class features interact with each other in ways that wouldn't normally be possible.
Spell slots could be tricky!
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
That alone is powerful magic--to be able to coordinate 100 sentient beings to all be able to stand up and cast a spell at the same time.
In the real world, you can't even get 100 average hipster concert attendees to clap in unison, much less something like spellcasting :)
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
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D&D Beyond FoundersStandard rules for a DM managing a large number of the same monster, just roll initiative once.
Those hipsters would be totally able to clap in unison in a D&D world - unless they were player characters, then they would probably get distracted and do something completely different instead. ;)
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Or would they just all be able to clap roughly in the same 6 second window? (Which is good enough for 'simultaneous' in D&D)
"All together now!"
clapclapclap
clap
clapclap
clap
clap
"Well done!"
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
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D&D Beyond FoundersSorry for accidentally derailing your thread xXdestroyerXx.
ahem.
Back on-topic folks please.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Right, yes, of course, enough with the silliness. The person in charge of my posting previously has been sacked.
On topic--my concern with a challenge for a group like this would be that I would really want to avoid multiple monsters in one encounter. You're already going to have a nightmare of a time with these players spending 5 solid minutes each on any one turn. If you also have to be responsible for 10 or 20 (much less 100) uber-powerful monsters, each of which is almost guaranteed at this CR to have multiple features and possible actions...you're looking at 2 hour combat encounters.
You could have the monsters always act in unison--all the 100 liches always cast the very same spell at the same time. But even then, you're going to end up RAW with 100 saves or attack rolls or etc etc each round. Yeesh.
One big bad monster will possibly save your combat encounters from being eternal.
Looking for new subclasses, spells, magic items, feats, and races? Opinions welcome :)
I say throw them into the Far Realm. Then you can bend the rules and make overpowered monsters and other hazards because there aren't any rules focused on the Far Realm yet.
You could all was trying making your own stuff up that's another suggestion
I realize this is dated, but under the rules aren't your character limited in progression? If not by levels, then in what you can achieve/gain via levels such as hit points? I mean 100th level doesn't mean +100 to hit or several hundred hit points right?
On paper this sounds like it's a blast.
Trust me on this one (as I've done something similar, granting stuff well beyond what the books wrote). In gameplay, it's going to suck.
I realize now that doesn't help, so -
Look for any custom (google it) rules on weird environments. Zero gravity. Floating terrain. Upside down. Blast furnace levels of heat. The inside of a large icecube. On the body of a flying dragon god (while it's in flight). Inside a volcano. In the archway of a portal where one step left is environment A and one step right is environment B. In the belly of a krakenwhale thing. On a galleon as it sinks into an ocean of black pudding stuff. At the top of a 300ft. Treant.
You get it. Change up the area and make it crazy and weird. It's as plausbile as the stuff the PCs will be able to do and a good way to capture the ridiculous and epic feel of it all.
Not just 4 Tarrasques and a legion of custom built CR 22 Fire Giants, but 4 Tarrasques and a legion of custom built CR 22 Fire Giants all walking on the oceans surface while a submarine sized dragon turtle floats just under, waiting for the round when the "top of the water" cracks.
All things Lich - DM tips, tricks, and other creative shenanigans