1st time DM- fallen angel aberration campaign?

[UnwiseAlistair]

So I'm building a high-level campaign, but I've never DMed before and I was hoping for some advice on how to make a campaign. My concept is that the party has been working together for a while, and they'll be starting at the end of a quest on their way back to town. They'll see a bright light in the sky and what looks like two meteors falling and clashing together like they're fighting. Those meteors are two angels locked in combat that somehow shifted to this plane. One will be killed, the other will fall. When they land a wave of horrid energy washes over the land, corrupting creatures and objects, creating an abundance of aberrations to be spawned. I was hoping for advice on what level to start the players at,(the BBEG will either be a fallen deva or planetar depending on what level I decide on making the campaign) how to plan for the chaotic ideas of pcs, and just general advice for DMing. Sorry for the long post, just hoping for some good advice.

[the_david]

This depends on the encounters you've got planned for them. You should start planning your campaign by making a list of enemies that you want your players to fight, list them by dungeon and CR and go from there.

Here's an idea to start your campaign. Let them start with the boss battle of their previous quest. It doesn't really matter what they're fighting. (Although a dragon is always nice.) It's a nice intro to your campaign, and you're players will feel more accomplished compared to "you just finished a quest and you're on your way home".

[UnwiseAlistair]

Thank you for that idea, I'll definitely use that! I'm not sure exactly how many encounters, but I know that the main adventure before going to fight the fallen angel they will need to find something that will help them kill it. That's at least one fairly large dungeon to get this thing. I'm not sure to make it some kind of feindish weapon or spell on a scroll or a celestial-made "break glass in case of homicidal fallen", but that's one. Another arc will likely be dealing with some aberration-y cult or organization that follows the fallen. So probably 2-3 dungeons and a fair bit of role play. So the objectives should be in the order of kill the cultists, fetch the weapon, kill the ex-angel. Nota very long campaign.

[RickAllison]

Thank you for that idea, I'll definitely use that! I'm not sure exactly how many encounters, but I know that the main adventure before going to fight the fallen angel they will need to find something that will help them kill it. That's at least one fairly large dungeon to get this thing. I'm not sure to make it some kind of feindish weapon or spell on a scroll or a celestial-made "break glass in case of homicidal fallen", but that's one. Another arc will likely be dealing with some aberration-y cult or organization that follows the fallen. So probably 2-3 dungeons and a fair bit of role play. So the objectives should be in the order of kill the cultists, fetch the weapon, kill the ex-angel. Nota very long campaign.

Might I suggest a creature for a dungeon that IS the dungeon. Ever play God of War? Get some enemies that can rank along the outside and a few for "internal affairs" and you have something your players will remember for a long time. For an item, you can plant it in the Heart of the beast, give them an appropriate riddle, and sit back as they figure out how to scale the creature and get into its heart.

[UnwiseAlistair]

I haven't played God of war, so could you explain what you mean by a creature that is the dungeon?

[RickAllison]

I haven't played God of war, so could you explain what you mean by a creature that is the dungeon?

In the first game, about half of the game takes place in a temple on the back of the Titan Kronos. It was a massive complex that actually had bosses inside that are Gargantuan size on their own. In Ascension, a large portion of the game takes place inside the hecatonchire Aegaeon.

The dungeons in Legend of Zelda games? Imagine those as creatures in and of themselves and that is a good indication of the scale.

[UnwiseAlistair]

Ok thank you.

[MrStabby]

So if you are new to DMing I would suggest lower level is an easier place to start.

Given the nature of your campaign you will not be wanting to start too low though. If you can work in a more investigative stage at the start of the campaign or some other set-up suitable for lower level players it gives you a chance to get into the swing of things.

Would 8th level be too low?

[UnwiseAlistair]

8th sounds perfect, since a deva is CR 10 and that means they should level up twice. Or only once and make the final boss a bigger challenge.