Great Ideas Of Premade Encounters For High Level Parties In DND

Random encounters allow adventuring parties in Dungeons & Dragons to experience unique events outside of plot hooks and campaign events that give them the opportunity to use their abilities and role-playing skills. Even as characters reach max levels, random encounters remain an important part of play.

However, these encounters need to adapt to advancing characters, as bandit ambushes and goblin raids can feel like a waste of time that’s easily solved. High-level random encounters take into account powerful party members and their many spells and features available to them.

9

Dragon’s Prey

Spotting a band of tasty-looking adventurers sporting gold and magical loot to add to its ever-growing hoard, a scouting dragon begins to circle the skies above the party. Should they spot the fire-breathing wyrm, the party must decide whether to flee or fight.

Depending on the environment, they might be able to hide among the trees or rocks, but they may be forced to wait until nightfall to continue their journey. As long as they remain in the dragon’s territory, it’s unlikely that they will give up the hunt without a fight.

8

Rival Party

Closing on a rewarding bounty, a rival band of opportunistic adventurers has been tracking the party for days. Whether through previous misdeeds, an anonymous villain, or a greedy lord, this bounty promises a small fortune to anyone who brings the party’s heads.

This rival party should be close in level to the main party members, offering a decent fight that would be expensive to avoid outright. Even if they are defeated, the survivors might escape only to plot ways to capture their payday in the future, becoming a recurring villain.

7

Magical Weather

While intense storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes can be significant obstacles for most parties attempting to travel, higher-level parties need stronger events to slow them down. Luckily, rare, magical storms can add unique worldbuilding opportunities and real danger.

A swarm of meteors rains down across the plains, causing freezing, blue flames to roar through the fields and towards the party. Bolts of lightning from a thunderstorm crystallize and explode outwards, sending thorny shards in all directions, spearing those away from cover.

6

Planar Portal

Coming upon a small ruin that can be seen from the road, the party spots a sticky fungus wrapped around a crumbling window. This alkilith has grown undisturbed long enough to create a portal into the abyss, which allows demons to walk through unhindered.

The party must fight the effects of the alkilith’s confusion and close the portal to prevent a small invasion from destroying nearby towns and villages. While attempting to destroy it, demons pour from the abyss and threaten the party.

5

Demonic Bargain

Noticing the strength of the party and their potential to aid the never-ending Blood War, a devil makes contact with the party. Under the guise of a lord or wealthy merchant, the devil attempts to make attractive bargains in return for their souls.

Even if discovered, the devil can merely applaud the party’s skills and make the offers far more rewarding, giving players a difficult decision to make. The devil might also offer a game of sorts, allowing characters to attempt to outwit or overpower the devil, despite tricks of his own.

Players making demonic bargains with their souls won’t be able to be revived after death, since their souls are condemned to the Nine Hells.

4

Curses For Sale

Traveling merchants are often found wandering the roads attempting to hawk their wares. Especially devious fey wanderers might pose as these kinds of merchants, offering unique bobbles and oddities that promise great strength and wondrous power.

Unknown to the party, these wares are also cursed, which is only discovered after attuning to them. This forces the party to spend resources or spell slots to remove them. Upon returning to the merchant, the party only discovers a ring of mushrooms where they stood.

The fey merchant can also offer false potions, which, when imbibed, tend to poison the drinker or have the opposite effect as expected.

3

Oozing Inn

At the end of a long day of traveling, the party discovers a convenient inn on the side of the road. Empty of visitors and home to a sweaty-looking tavern owner, the party is offered free rooms in exchange for stories of their adventures.

Beneath the slats of the floor, an oblex snakes its tendrils through to create the image of this friendly simulacrum gathered from devoured memories. Should the party fail to notice the ooze’s presence and fall asleep in their rooms, the oblex will attempt to devour their memories as well.

2

Monster House

In an abandoned village destroyed by unknown forces, one of the homes seems relatively untouched amidst the debris. Investigating this structure, the party notices a sticky residue across most surfaces and nonsensical decorations atop awkwardly shaped furniture.

As eyes appear on the walls and teeth form across doorways and windows, it is revealed that they are inside the body of a mimic colony. Many mimics spring from the walls, floors, and furniture to attack the party, which they trapped in their amorphous goop.

Though uncommon, the house could be an abnormally large mimic, swallowing the party whole.

1

Holy Boon

As the party gains notoriety and has accomplished many great deeds, they are likely to gain the attention of the gods themselves, especially if a party member is a cleric or paladin. A planetar or solar agent of this god visits the party when they are alone to test their resolve.

Able to detect lies and judge intent, this agent proposes a test of righteousness and purity for these heroes to take part in. Should they succeed in their task, they will be rewarded with a holy boon from the god they pleased, and be smote by the agent should they prove their wickedness.