The MMA King of the Cage contest of Character Optimisation.

[excommunicated]

I'm considering running a game at a local convention where players are encouraged to try for the title of "Most Broken" character, highest "Hitpoints in one round" or "Big Cheese":smallbiggrin:. I will buy some cheap trophies and get the titles engraved. Players would be required to generate their own character or two of about 11th level and take part in a published module designed for characters of about 15th level. Players can use resources from any Wizards of the coast D&D 5E material including UA material.
I'd like to eliminate some of the obvious overpowered builds to encourage creative character design. Initial house rules:
⦁ No Mystics
⦁ Great Weapon Master becomes -3/+6 adjustment for to-hit and to-damage
⦁ Sharpshooter becomes -3/+6 adjustment for to-hit and to-damage.

Any suggestions of other 'House Rules' I should impose?
Suggestions of a definition of 'Broken' I can work with?

[alchahest]

if you're tweaking GWM, you should also tweak sharpshooter, as it's the same feat but coupled with a fighting style that makes up for the weakness.

[excommunicated]

if you're tweaking GWM, you should also tweak sharpshooter, as it's the same feat but coupled with a fighting style that makes up for the weakness.

Good point.

[Regius]

You might want to impose some limits on class combos like sorcadin, and come up with a hard and fast rule for action surge+spell, since those are really the only ways to really throw out insane combos, SCAG sorcadin being especially potent for a gish at 11th level onward

[excommunicated]

SCAG sorcadin being especially potent for a gish at 11th level onward

Is there a particular feature for SCAG sorcadin that makes them so potent? I took a look but nothing jumped out at me.

[PloxBox]

Is there a particular feature for SCAG sorcadin that makes them so potent? I took a look but nothing jumped out at me.

I imagine it has something to do with "cast big spell/attack twice in a round, then quicken bb/gfb."

I've never played a sorcadin, personally, but that seems like the go to because it would allow you to smite on the BA bb/gfb since those are weapon attacks as well.

EDIT: unless there's some wording somewhere that says otherwise. Afb at the moment

[Regius]

I imagine it has something to do with "cast big spell/attack twice in a round, then quicken bb/gfb."

I've never played a sorcadin, personally, but that seems like the go to because it would allow you to smite on the BA bb/gfb since those are weapon attacks as well.

EDIT: unless there's some wording somewhere that says otherwise. Afb at the moment

You are entirely correct, even just two BB/GFB with smite can be bad enough, I don't have my maths right now, but it outstrips extra attack by a good two or three damage dice and at 11th level you're looking at about 4/5 goes per long rest

[excommunicated]

Suggestions of a definition of 'Broken' I can work with?
Something short and succinct, that wont trigger endless arguments.

For 'Big Cheese' I'm thinking. "Most gross abuse of verisimilitude of a magical medieval world."

[Citan]

I'm considering running a game at a local convention where players are encouraged to try for the title of "Most Broken" character, highest "Hitpoints in one round" or "Big Cheese":smallbiggrin:. I will buy some cheap trophies and get the titles engraved. Players would be required to generate their own character or two of about 11th level and take part in a published module designed for characters of about 15th level. Players can use resources from any Wizards of the coast D&D 5E material including UA material.
I'd like to eliminate some of the obvious overpowered builds to encourage creative character design. Initial house rules:
⦁ No Mystics
⦁ Great Weapon Master becomes -3/+6 adjustment for to-hit and to-damage
⦁ Sharpshooter becomes -3/+6 adjustment for to-hit and to-damage.

Any suggestions of other 'House Rules' I should impose?
Suggestions of a definition of 'Broken' I can work with?
I'd suggest, to define Broken, "manages to be far better in one particular aspect than what should be normally achievable (without magic items obviously, but including spells)".
Like: single-target damage, chance to apply debuff, most damage in a single turn/round, highest AC, highest saves, highest Stealth/Perception etc.

[excommunicated]

I'd suggest, to define Broken, "manages to be far better in one particular aspect than what should be normally achievable (without magic items obviously, but including spells)".
Like: single-target damage, chance to apply debuff, most damage in a single turn/round, highest AC, highest saves, highest Stealth/Perception etc.

Interesting. I was thinking along the lines of character that breaks the game and makes it unworkable from the perspective of the GM, say for example a character that somehow reliably gives all monsters disadvantage on all attacks that are not against it, then has AC 26 and resistance to all damage and an insane number of hit points, or maybe can reliably cast hold monster every round all day with disadvantage on the saving throw and save DC 18.