Character Testing Gauntlet

[Morrolan]

This is sort of a two part question. First one could be easy to answer, but the second might be worth discussing regardless.

1. Is there any type of mini-adventure designed to test created characters in many if not all aspects of D&D?

2. What would such a mini-adventure look like? What kind of monsters or humanoid enemies are good to test a character against? Should traps and skill challenges be included? Is there another way to test a character?

[Karl Aegis]

I'd hardly call one adventure that covers all 20 levels "mini".

[icefractal]

That would not be very mini, indeed. Closest I can think of is the Same Game Test (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Dungeons_and_Dragons_Wiki:The_Same_Game_Test), but that only tests combat ability plus a little bit of trap/obstacle handling.

[Morrolan]

Well I meant mini in ingame size, not the tables and charts you'd have to have to cover each level.

I will take a look at that same game test. Looks interesting, and hadn't heard of it before.

[Uncle Pine]

Some time ago I wanted to compile a list of some of the deadliest monsters per CR (starring things like 4th level Colossal Dragonwrought Kobold Warriors wielding spiked chains as CRs 1, That Damn Crab, Platinum Clockwork Horrors and the like), but I never got the time to actually start that. In the meantime, I usually evaluate monsters and NPCs I build by comparing them to similarly CRed monsters and the PCs.
I rarely play as a player, but I recently had the chance to do so and I found out that friendly PvP skirmishes can help you and your allies to figure out if there are holes in your builds and tactics, assuming you all play smart and actually try to catch you opponents off guard.
If all else fails, just imagine how easily you'd dispatch a similarly CRed foe.

[KingSmitty]

I just recently ran an arena game styled game which had a grid in the middle surrounded by sand which was used as a chariot course
what I ended up doing was sending large amounts of mooks to assault my players creating my own mini games that styled upon the Roman gladiatorial fights and "historical battles"
as my characters leveled up I decreased the amount of enemies while slowly increasing their levels
my players had a lot of fun gathered a lot of practice with their abilities and learn their weaknesses very quickly. it helped promote tactical awareness and teamwork and all these other cool things that you can do

you'd be surprised at the amount of unknown and clever uses of skills and feats and the like
i must point out that it was a melee only campaign so your mileage may vary