High Lv play, items, some advice in general

[Bobur]

Hello everyone this is going to be a bit longer:

I DM my grp for the last 8 or so years, I do feedback loops and all in all everyone is happy playing. Good.

Now, my grp is Lv18/ 3.5e/ Dragonlance setting/ and since I never played in that Lv area, there is a lot to read up on and take into account. Most of all the crazy power of casters in 3.5 on that level. Especially if he knows what he is doing. I kind of gave up on the "balance" thought because of this and just try to make it fun for everybody, switching attention from 1 player to the other, depending on the chapter.

My current thought is that I want my players to get some more interesting loot. The dragonlance world is rather low magic to a +2 weapon of acid/fire is the highest they found, even on that level. Relics aside. And everything else is just being tossed on the money bin unless it is a numerical improvement.

Sometimes I do this with roleplaying additions. Like a powerful wizard robe, but it is made of elvish skin - will the elve use it?

Currently we are in a ogre city, where one of my players gets a lot of attention. He is a minotaur warrior priest of an evil god of revenge and power (Sargonas), send into the city to bring the slum ogres their revenge on the upper class, for which they pray to him. So obviously our minotaur can shine a bit more here and I would like to have an interesting item at the end of it.
I just dont know what that could be yet.

There is the sword of tears in the books, which is made by his god but it is a bit meh. Even though it is a +5 weapon I doubt that he would use it, since it is just a 1H keen longsword of life stealing. Compared to his current +2 greatsword of acid/flaming that is a lot less dmg... hmm.

Or something new?
The PC has something like 28 STR/ ~30AC and is a god-like grappler already.
The player is a huge He-man fan so maybe something with a transformation effect? There isnt really a point in making him even stronger it terms of STR.
Or a sword that can be switched to a reach weapon? Like a D10 for close combat and with a mov-act you switch to 15ft (kind of like a whip) with no AOOs, but lethal dmg. Maybe d6? + a flaming burst effect? This could also have a bonus on intimidation.

I am still brainstorminng the possible items, as well as how to possibly bring it into the game.
The big bad guy is an ogre god of sorts, so he is crazy strong as well. If given the situation he might shatter the old weapon ? For dramatic effects? ...

I am open for all ideas and thoughts.

[MeimuHakurei]

Your PC has 28 Strength and ~30 AC at that level? Don't worry about that character grappling down big monsters anytime soon, especially without much in the way of magic items. For reference, a Storm Giant (a CR 13 monster, aka appropriate for a 13th level group) has 39 Strength and +26/+21/+16 on his greatsword attack. So you may wanna take a closer look and see how strong the monsters around that level are (most CR 18 monsters can hit 30 AC on a 2).

[Bobur]

Your PC has 28 Strength and ~30 AC at that level? Don't worry about that character grappling down big monsters anytime soon, especially without much in the way of magic items. For reference, a Storm Giant (a CR 13 monster, aka appropriate for a 13th level group) has 39 Strength and +26/+21/+16 on his greatsword attack. So you may wanna take a closer look and see how strong the monsters around that level are (most CR 18 monsters can hit 30 AC on a 2).

I play the "Price of courage" adventure. Lets just have a look at the strongest enemy they can face right now in the chapter:
Which is the emperor, a CR21 ogre titan: At best he gets a +20 on his first attack (no buffs) The AC is buffed already and comes with a solid 36. (Most enemys Have 26 or far less) and +31 grp, since he is huge. So from my experience he would have at least a chance. ^^

As for the player: BAB 17 (1 or 2 Monk Lvs) + 9 Str (or so) + 4 improved gr. +4 (hulking brute feat, counts him 1 size larger) = ~34 + 1d20. I might be wrong and it is higher.

The game somewhat expects you to change the stats, since you can go through the chapters in different orders. Which doesnt help me a lot since I dont know what is normal for that level.
There is aCR20 knight in there (sort of a paladin) with 25AC and +15 in his best attack... so, yea.

Anyway, this is not so much about the enemies, most of them dont stand much of a chance. This is about interesting ideas and items.

[MisterKaws]

I play the "Price of courage" adventure. Lets just have a look at the strongest enemy they can face right now in the chapter:
Which is the emperor, a CR21 ogre titan: At best he gets a +20 on his first attack (no buffs) The AC is buffed already and comes with a solid 36. (Most enemys Have 26 or far less) and +31 grp, since he is huge. So from my experience he would have at least a chance. ^^

As for the player: BAB 17 (1 or 2 Monk Lvs) + 9 Str (or so) + 4 improved gr. +4 (hulking brute feat, counts him 1 size larger) = ~34 + 1d20. I might be wrong and it is higher.

The game somewhat expects you to change the stats, since you can go through the chapters in different orders. Which doesnt help me a lot since I dont know what is normal for that level.
There is aCR20 knight in there (sort of a paladin) with 25AC and +15 in his best attack... so, yea.

Anyway, this is not so much about the enemies, most of them dont stand much of a chance. This is about interesting ideas and items.

Huh.

Dragonlance is kinda imbalanced, I guess. That'd be a CR13-15 on Forgotten Realms.

Well, just get the Magic Item Compendium and look around. There's items that change size and all that, and there's also rules for adding effects. You could just make a shape-changing size-changing weapon that gives you 1/day Bite of the Werebear.

Though I think even that would be too overpowered for your CR1318 Campaign...

[Bobur]

The books says that it is written for LV20 grps and has to be toned down since you start the adventure on LV15... But I am starting to think that it is the other way around and most enemies have to be powered up from LV15 XD Or its is written so that even bad grps with weak characters and inexp. players have a shot.

A rather simple item from the MIC: Deathstriker bracers might be neat. He loves his crits and allowing him to crit oozes and alike isnt much on that level.
If I want to make it more interesting I could mix this into a weapon, maybe mixed with a spear of retribution and some fire effects:

+1(?) flaming burst greataxe "Deathstriker" - Retribution: You gain +1 against enemies that dealt dmg to you/ keen property after you recieved a crit. Allows you to crit oozes, plants....
I dont think making this +2 would make much of a difference.

[Bphill561]

Hammer of Kharas maybe, although it is an artifact and I am not sure it got translated into 3rd edition. I believe it multiples your strength modifier and can be used to make dragonlances.