Hello all , long time no post :)
Here is my problem , my players ( of which there are 7 +1 my npc ) are hitting the mid levels 10-15 and I am having trouble with my challenges.
I run a home brew of very experienced players. Each player has about 15 -20 years of gaming under the belt.
My history is more spotty but i am a very accomplished story teller. Allays leaving them wanting more.
My question is , because of increased power level and abilities, how do my challenges keep pace with the party's ever growing power.
The campaign is a bit epic, but there are still plenty of plot related character issues to resolve. It kinda difficult to set up a dungeon or event when the players have such high skill focuses , and with such a large group every major class is represented. Cleric wizard , monk ect .
for instants , there is a massive lock that needs picking, I have a thief in the party who can basically roll any lock with a dc 30 or less , just because of skill focus and character set up. and if that doesn't work they can just crush the door or teleport around it ...whats a gm to do ?
What I do is I embrace their skill checks, feats, and spells. I make sure that they can learn about their world with simple checks. It makes them feel like their investments are worth it. Write adventures with rich history that can be learned only with those checks. Write adventures that need those checks to accomplish goals. Then find ways to make those checks a little harder. You don't have to just increase the DC, you can create situations where they have penalties. Maybe the rogue needs to disable that trap but he is under time constraints or is being shot at. Maybe the locked door is covered by a waterfall making it a little harder to open.
For spells, allow them to use the spells. Every use is a resource spent. Even if it's a scroll or wand, it's still a resource spent. Let them use those spells. You can also give them information that they wouldn't otherwise have but may not know why it's important yet. Maybe whenever they scry on the BBEG they see a black cat wandering around. They may think that the BBEG is an arcane caster and this is his familiar. Maybe they sometimes see the cat but other times they don't but they see an elf. This could be a druid that wild shapes into a cat and is a close personal friend. They may not realize the significance until later when they meet up with the BBEG and see the cat change into something else. Maybe it's a dragon companion. Maybe the party thinks that they should scry on him instead and they end up seeing notes on upcoming plans. Those notes could be incomplete but could still have clues.
Teleport, fly, and other transportation spells can allow them to get to places they otherwise would't be able to. Use that to make the adventures more interesting. Maybe they find a map with a room not attached to anything. They can use teleport to get in and explore. Maybe that room is a treasure room or is the only way to the rest of the adventure.
I wouldn't try to stop their abilities. I would try to make them use those abilities. They invested and it should be worth it.
You realize that ye old standard dungeon isn't appropriate for characters that level.
That standard set piece instances need to have monsters appropriate to the parties power level.
What does this mean? Well first off if your party is large, in this case 8, you need to add 1 to the monsters EL. If they are above WBL, you need to add 1 to the monsters EL. If its above 15 pt build characters, add another. Also since you have advantage to the party in action economy, you need to not use solos, and go with multiple guys that are just shy of being max for the EL (doubling the encounter doesn't double the EL, it adds much less, so its better to have multiple mini bosses than a boss for a fight).
Look for monster/NPC combinations that work well with each other. 3 brutes against a balance party is laughable at this level, and most experienced parties can swing well above their weight class as a result. Go with monster configuration that resembles party roles.
Use up some EL points for giving the enemy favorable terrain. At this level PCs can usually overcome it, but it uses up actions, and not all members have easy access to movement types.
Also, never send them against single monsters. Always against multiples so everyone has something to do.
Pathfinder is three games in one.
Levels 2-5
Plots in this range have a down-to-earth, gritty feel. Characters are undeniably heroic, but still feel quite ordinary, with precious few powers and options in the realm of the supernatural.
Levels 6-10
Plots in this range begin to incorporate strong magical elements and unique character abilities. Characters are still fairly limited in what they can and cannot do, but as levels advance, they start to become extraordinary.
Levels 11+
Plots in this range are in the realms of epic fantasy. Characters can often fly or reshape the environment. Challenges that may have been insurmountable at low levels (such as for example breathing underwater or getting past a well-barred door) can now be trivial, especially if the characters are aware they're coming.
For 11+, the game changes dramatically and aside from raw numbers, this shift in mindset is the biggest challenge. Use multiple creatures, and throw out extended challenges. Instead of picking a lock, have them pick a lock while suspended from a tower, being fired at by invisible guards...the challenges turn epic.
Thanks all , I will totally take this advice to heart. I was playing with the idea to make their skills and powers a central piece of upcoming challenges . also i just started putting them against multiple large sources of danger.
these suggestions have gotten me thinking outside the box.
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You can go completely gonzo with insane adventures. One of my favorite adventures to read about was one of the free ones published on WOTC, <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030414x">The Crawling Jungle</a> which features a CR 25 half-fiend Tyrannosaur with extra powers as the Big Bad. I've never gotten to run it but I want to, maybe as a capstone adventure for my current campaign.
Another option would be to use something able to take over the mind or the body of a PC, such as an enemy wizard using Dominate Person, or a type of undead from 3.5E called a <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040126a">Bhut</a& gt; ("bhut what?" <rimshot>) that takes over a recently-dead corpse and reanimates it with the entire memory, abilities and appearance of the deceased; only spells that detect undead or perhaps especially perceptive characters will be able to tell the difference. Detect evil won't do a thing if the character was evil to being with, and if not, you could always make it so that the Bhut can cast undetectable alignment. Would require some conversion into PFRPG standards but it's entirely possible. In any case, if successful this would result in the PC dying and becoming the body of this undead creature. If the Player is up for it, ze could play the converted character, and subtly work against the rest of the party for the benefit of whatever evil mastermind sent the bhut to attack them.