TEXT: LIVING GREYHAWK™ DM'S CHALLENGES™ HIGH−LEVEL OPTION RULES 
   
   
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  Welcome to What’s Next 
  So, your character started as a wide-eyed neophyte, 
  evolved into to a seasoned adventurer, and finally 
  triumphed as a world-affecting hero all in the matter of a 
  few years of exciting DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® roleplaying 
  in the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign. Now, the character’s 
  reached the dizzying heights of high-level status, and has 
  said a fond goodbye to the comforts of old. What's next 
  for your intrepid adventurer? DM'S CHALLENGES await! 
   
  This document is designed to introduce you to DM'S 
  CHALLENGES high-level option for LIVING GREYHAWK. It 
  contains everything you need to convert your character 
  to high-level play, and what you can expect from 
  adventures in this new option. 
   
  The Basics 
  DM'S CHALLENGES is an adventure series designed for the 
  flexibility that true high-level adventuring demands. 
  Many of the rules that govern the base campaign (the 
  regular LIVING GREYHAWK campaign, for characters 
  levels 1-15) are relaxed or removed here. This option is 
  designed more for the established player who plays with a 
  regular group, and wants to continue to play with the 
  same basic adventuring party through the remaining 
  levels. At the same time, DM'S CHALLENGES offers players 
  of high-level characters a chance to get together once a 
  year to play in a convention atmosphere, just like the old 
  days. 
   
  Adventures are far more freeform than what you’ve 
  seen before in the LIVING GREYHAWK campaign. The DM 
  is presented with a set of guidelines for creating a custom 
  adventure, often tailor-made to a specific group of players. 
  These guidelines, called DM’S CHALLENGES, are available 
  three times a year. The guidelines give a synopsis of key 
  points to cover in the current DM'S CHALLENGES 
  adventure, guiding the DM towards a common storyline. 
  In addition, DM'S CHALLENGES each have detailed 
  information on the final encounter of that particular 
  installment, as well as establishing hooks for the next 
  DM'S CHALLENGES. An adventure record is provided in 
  DM'S CHALLENGES to reward characters with the hard-
  earned spoils of their adventure. At DDXP (formerly 
  WINTER FANTASY) each year, the plot arc culminates in 
  the DM'S CHALLENGES special, where the high-level 
  characters return to the spotlight to play in a multi-round, 
  high-risk, high-reward adventure. 
   
  Each year, DM'S CHALLENGES will have another plot 
  arc, ensuring that new characters entering won’t have to 
  wait long to get in on the fun. DM'S CHALLENGEs will be 
  released one per season (spring, summer, and autumn), 
  with the finale adventure premiering at WINTER 
  FANTASY. Then, a new story arc starts up again in the 
  spring. All of it begins in the fall of 2006 with the first 
  DM'S CHALLENGES adventure. 
   
  Campaign Rules 
  Whereas the base campaign has a great deal of rules 
  guiding play balance in a massive organized play 
  experience, DM'S CHALLENGES are meant to be played 
  primarily in the privacy of a home or at a small gathering. 
  As such, there are certain changes that are necessary for 
  DM'S CHALLENGES to function in this highly flexible 
  model. The golden rule is simply this: if your question 
  cannot be answered in this rules document, use the most 
  current version of the Living Greyhawk Campaign 
  Sourcebook for guidance and as a default. 
   
  Entering and Exiting DM'S CHALLENGES 
  A character that reaches 16th level in the base campaign 
  has essentially three options: 
  • The character can retire from play permanently, 
  becoming an NPC in their home region (with triad 
  authorization only). 
  • The character can retire from all play. 
  • The character can retire from the base campaign, and 
  continue to play in DM'S CHALLENGES high-level 
  option. 
   
  You cannot choose to retire your character from play 
  permanently to become a triad-controlled NPC and 
  continue to play in the DM'S CHALLENGES high-level 
  option under any circumstances. Any violation of this 
  rule may result in your character being removed from 
  DM'S CHALLENGES, and is considered cheating and 
  subject to disciplinary action under the RPGA Penalty 
  Guidelines. You can choose to retire your character from 
  all play, and later join in DM'S CHALLENGES, so long as 
  you haven’t become an NPC in the base campaign. 
   
  Once a character has entered DM'S CHALLENGES, 
  there is no turning back. They cannot return to the base 
  campaign, under any circumstances. Even if a 16th-level 
  character dies and goes back down to 15th level, the 
  character must either remain in DM'S CHALLENGES or 
  retire from play. 
   
  All characters, upon reaching twenty adventures 
  played in DM'S CHALLENGES or 21st level (whichever 
  comes first), are permanently retired from all play, NPC 
  status in the base campaign, and DM'S CHALLENGES 
  adventures. They are no longer an active part of the 
  LIVING GREYHAWK campaign in any fashion (although 
  their accomplishments and deeds may become legends). 
   
  Campaign Documentation 
  The flexibility and more sporadic play opportunity of the 
  DM'S CHALLENGES option allows for a more relaxed 
  method of character documentation. The following items 
  are all features of the DM'S CHALLENGES high-level 
  option: 
  • Characters retain most previous access to LIVING 
  GREYHAWK campaign options. Characters are still 
  full members of any metaorganizations they were in at 
  the time they finished the base campaign, and continue 
  to derive any applicable benefits. All characters 
  entering from the base campaign retain access to rules 
  items that are any, core, regional, or metaregional. 
  Characters lose access to any rules items that are listed 
  as adventure, even if they earned them within the last 
  four adventures. 
  
  LIVING GREYHAWK™ DM'S CHALLENGES™ HIGH−LEVEL OPTION RULES 
   
   
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  • Characters have no time units. Characters have no 
  need to record time units in DM'S CHALLENGES, as at 
  most, they’ll be partaking in four adventures a year. 
  Time unit costs for metaorganizations and other 
  activities are also waived (although gold piece costs still 
  must be paid). 
  • Characters do not need to record upkeep. Legends 
  such as the characters in DM'S CHALLENGES can find 
  food and lodging almost anywhere they roam for free. 
  Most common folk are more than happy to house and 
  feed these powerful heroes, as it is a mark of status to 
  host persons of such renown.  
  • Benefits from nonadventuring activity (see the 
  Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook, Chapter 
  5) cannot be used. 
  • Item creation feats are changed. Characters no 
  longer use an Item Creation Logsheet to record the 
  creation of magic items after an adventure. Instead, 
  characters that meet the prerequisites (the exact ones 
  defined in the description of the item, not mimicked 
  via other means such as the Use Magic Device skill or 
  the limited wish, wish, or miracle spells) for creation of a 
  magic item pay 75% of the item’s market value, instead 
  of full value for it (this also applies to upgrades). A 
  character can, of course, sell back the item, but they do 
  so at half the discounted price. Any other discounts a 
  character might have once possessed for item creation 
  purposes are void. 
  • Access to rules items is simplified into two 
  categories. All characters in the DM'S CHALLENGES 
  high-level option have the same level of access to rules 
  items (feats, spells, prestige classes, and base classes) 
  presented in the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook. 
  If the rules item is listed as open or if it comes from one 
  of the books listed at the beginning of Appendix 4 in 
  the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook (and not listed 
  as closed), it is now considered “open” – meaning that a 
  character can choose that rules item when appropriate. 
  They must still meet any special requirements the rules 
  item might have. If the rules item is listed as closed, it 
  is now considered “closed” – meaning that a character 
  cannot choose that rules item. All rules items to which 
  a character had any, core, regional, or metaregional 
  access are considered open as well. 
  • Positive 
  effects 
  may 
  have 
  their 
  durations 
  modified. If a positive effect lists an expiration in 
  terms of adventures played or TUs spent, you should 
  count each DM'S CHALLENGES high-level option 
  adventure played as 4 adventures or TUs with regards 
  to those positive effects. 
  • Curses are removed. All characters have all curses 
  from the base campaign removed automatically when 
  they are converted for the DM'S CHALLENGES high-
  level option. 
  • Cohort rules are slightly modified. Cohorts may be 
  used in the DM'S CHALLENGES high-level option (even 
  if they are less than 16th level).  They follow the same 
  rules presented in the Living Greyhawk Campaign 
  Sourcebook, including sharing the same item access as 
  their PC leader, with one exception – use Table 5-1 
  instead of Table 4-23 to determine their total character 
  worth. 
  • Retraining cannot be used. 
  • You may treat all spellbooks you own as mastered. 
   
  All other rules are still per the Living Greyhawk Campaign 
  Sourcebook. In specific, your character still uses adventure 
  records and still maintains a master item logsheet (but see 
  Character Conversion below). 
   
  Game Play 
  In general, game play is very similar to the base 
  campaign. Except where noted below, the most current 
  version of the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook 
  should be consulted if there is a question. 
  • Online play. DM'S CHALLENGES high-level option 
  adventures may be played online. 
  • XP costs for spells are converted to gold. Instead of 
  paying XP for spells that require an XP component, a 
  character pays five times the XP cost in gold pieces. 
  Characters are not limited to the number of spells they 
  may cast that have an XP component. 
  • NPC spellcasting now reaches 17th level. The level 
  of caster available at the conclusion of any DM'S 
  CHALLENGES adventure is always of 17th level (of 
  course, characters can have spells cast upon them at a 
  much lower effective level, if they so desire). During 
  the adventure itself, spellcasting services available are 
  determined by either the DM's Challenges or the DM 
  at the table. In addition to the spells listed in Chapter 5 
  of the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook, characters 
  may have the true resurrection spell cast on them. The 
  cost for this service is 26,530 gp. 
  • Characters have access to many items in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. Characters may purchase 
  any item they have open access to through past game 
  play (or from DM'S CHALLENGES adventure records). In 
  addition, all items that are not specifically closed in the 
  base campaign (this includes items that use closed 
  spells) with a value of 27,800 gp or less in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide are open for purchase. 
  • Your DM is the final authority on all rules matters. 
  Since many of the high-level adventures will have a 
  vast majority of the encounters drawn up by your DM 
  (rather than having them published in a standard 
  adventure), the DM at your DM'S CHALLENGES session 
  is the final authority on all rules calls. There is no 
  appeals system, except for the special adventure (where 
  the normal appeals system applies). Of course, any 
  player or DM in violation of the RPGA General Rules is 
  subject to disciplinary measures. 
  • DMs have expanded rules access. With regards to 
  creating 
  DM'S 
  CHALLENGES 
  high-level 
  option 
  adventures or choosing adventure record rewards for 
  those adventures, DMs may use the following in 
  addition to the sources listed at the beginning of 
  
  LIVING GREYHAWK™ DM'S CHALLENGES™ HIGH−LEVEL OPTION RULES 
   
   
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  Appendix 4 in the Living Greyhawk Campaign 
  Sourcebook: Dungeon Master’s Guide II, Magic Item 
  Compendium, Monster Manual, Monster Manual II, 
  Monster Manual III, Monster Manual IV, Fiend Folio, 
  Planar Handbook, Draconomicon, Libris Mortis, Lords of 
  Madness, Fiendish Codex I, Fiendish Codex II, Cityscape, 
  Dungeonscape, Heroes of Battle, Heroes of Horror, Dragon 
  Magic, Tome of Magic (Pact Magic and Shadow Magic 
  only). 
   
  Character Conversion 
  Bringing an existing character that’s retired from the base 
  campaign into DM'S CHALLENGES has a relatively 
  straightforward process for conversion. 
  Character Conversion 
  Conversion of an existing character is simple and without 
  many constraints. Follow these steps to bring your 
  character in-line with the DM'S CHALLENGES high-level 
  option: 
  1. 
  Retool your character. You may change any aspect 
  of your character with the exception of the following: 
  race, level (and current XP total), equipment, and 
  name. 
  Classes, 
  feats, 
  spells, 
  familiars/animal 
  companions, deities, and other aspects of your 
  character may be changed. Access to these items is 
  determined by consulting the most current Living 
  Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook. All rules items (feats, 
  spells, base classes, and prestige classes) that are 
  listed as open are now open to you. If item creation 
  feats are removed, you must pay the difference for 
  any items you keep that you created using the 
  removed feat (see step 5). When retooling your 
  character, you must choose only legal combinations 
  of classes and valid selections for feats and spells (for 
  example, you cannot take a feat which has a 10 rank 
  skill prerequisite at 1st level). Use the conversion AR 
  provided to fill in the details. You may only retool 
  your character upon entering the DM'S CHALLENGES 
  high-level option and just prior to beginning a new 
  story arc in the DM'S CHALLENGES high-level option 
  (in other words, you may not retool each and every 
  time a new rules update appears, allowing more rules 
  options into the campaign; just as noted above). 
  2. 
  Record starting XP. Record your XP total upon 
  retirement from the base campaign in the box 
  labeled “XP Total before Conversion or after 
  Creation” on the conversion AR. 
  3. 
  Determine new wealth. Add up the purchase price 
  of all the equipment, magic items, and other 
  valuables (gems, jewelry, gold, art objects, etc.) your 
  character possesses. You should write out your math 
  on the back of your existing master item list. On the 
  front of your MIL, write the total in gold in the upper 
  right hand corner and circle it. Your first DM'S 
  CHALLENGES DM will verify the total and initial the 
  MIL. Write your total character wealth in the box 
  labeled "Total Wealth in gp before Conversion" on 
  the conversion AR. If you have a total character 
  wealth of less than 170,000 gp, then you receive an 
  amount of gold equal to the difference between your 
  total wealth and 170,000 gp. Write that difference on 
  the first line of the “Items Sold” section on the 
  conversion AR. It should read “Adjustment”, and to 
  the right, the total gold you received as part of this 
  adjustment. If you have items with a total value more 
  than 170,000 gp, simply write that total in the box 
  labeled "Total wealth in gp before Conversion" on 
  the conversion AR. If you’ve removed item creation 
  feats, for each item you are keeping (which means 
  you’ll be paying the difference between your creation 
  cost and the market value), count that item as a full 
  value item for determining wealth. If you plan on 
  selling the item anyway, for half of what you paid to 
  create it, count the item’s value as what you paid to 
  create it. 
  4. 
  Record your gp total. On the conversion AR, record 
  your total gold (that is actual cash) in the box labeled 
  “gp Total”.  
  5. 
  Sell equipment/magic items. You may sell 
  equipment normally (that is, half the price you paid 
  for the item). Write the items you sold and the gold 
  you received from their sale in the “Items Sold” 
  section on the conversion AR. If you need more 
  room, use the back of the conversion AR. Total up all 
  sales and record the number in the “gp Gained” box. 
  Add the number from the “gp Total” box and the “gp 
  Gained” box into the “Subtotal” box below the “gp 
  Gained” box. 
  6. 
  Determine access and purchase new equipment. 
  Your existing character has open access to all items 
  on ARs they possess from the base campaign labeled 
  any, core, metaregional, or regional access. The 
  character also has open access to any item in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide with a market value of 27,800 
  gp or less (excluding closed items or items that used 
  closed spells). In addition, you may choose three 
  non-closed items (including weapons, armor, or 
  shields with multiple upgrades on them) or 
  individual upgrades, each of up to 50,000 gp value, 
  from the sources listed at the beginning of Appendix 
  4 in the Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook. You 
  now have open access to those items. Write those 
  items in the gray areas of the “Items Purchased” box 
  on the conversion AR. Record the value of each item 
  to the right of that item if you wish to purchase it 
  now; otherwise, simply put the word “Access” in the 
  space provided (you may then purchase the item at a 
  later time, but you must select the access at the time 
  of conversion). You can also purchase upgrades to 
  which you currently have open access at this time.  
  Record all your purchases in the “Items Purchased” 
  box, and then enter the total in the “gp Spent” box. If 
  you need more room, use the back of the conversion 
  AR. Subtract the amount in the “gp Spent” box from 
  the “Subtotal” box to get your final gold in cash. 
  Record that number in the “Final gp Total” box. 
  7. 
  Take the conversion AR and put it in your AR 
  stack, write out a new master item list, and get 
  ready to play! 
  
   
   
   
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  gp
  Total Wealth in gp 
  before Conversion 
  + 
  gp
  gp Gained
   
  gp
  Subtotal
  - 
  gp
  gp Spent
   
  gp
  FINAL gp TOTAL 
  Items Sold (½ price paid) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Total Value of Sold Items: 
   
    
   
   
  Items Purchased (First three items listed are considered open access) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Total Cost of Purchased Items: 
   
  Subtract this value from your gp value  
  XP Total before 
  Conversion 
   
   
  XP 
  Adventure Record #
  DM’S 
  CHALLENGES 
   
  CONVERSION 
   
  Character Information 
   
  Race: ____________________________________________________ 
  Alignment: ____________________________________________________ 
  Deity Worshipped: ____________________________________________________ 
  Ability Scores: (base values before level bumps) 
   
  STR: 
  ___________ 
   
  DEX: 
  ___________ 
   
  CON: 
  ___________ 
   
  INT: 
  ___________ 
   
  WIS: 
  ___________ 
   
  CHA: 
  ___________ 
  Level Bumps: 4th: ______ 8th: ______ 12th: ______ 16th: ______ 
  Total Character Level: _____________  
  Character Classes/Levels after Conversion: 
   1st: _____________________________ 
  10th:  __________________________ ___ 
   2nd: _____________________________ 
  11th: __________________________ ___ 
   3rd: _____________________________ 12th: _____________________________ 
   4th: _____________________________ 13th: _____________________________ 
   5th: _____________________________ 14th: _____________________________ 
   6th: _____________________________ 15th: _____________________________ 
   7th: _____________________________ 16th: _____________________________ 
   8th: _____________________________ 
  17th: _____________________________ 
   9th: _____________________________ 18th: __________________________ 
  17th and 18th levels for characters retired before the 
  end of Year 5 only. 
    
  Conversion Record for 
  ___________________________________________________
   
  Played by:_________________________________________
   
   
   
  Player  
   
   
   
  RPGA # 
   
  Home Region:__________________________________________________ 
   
  DM:______________________________________________________
   
   
   
  Signature 
   
   
   
   
  RPGA # 
   
  gp
  gp Total
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Campaign Docs/High Level/DMs Challenges High Level Option - Rules.pdf