Guys, tips for designing boss fights? I love the simplicity of monster design but I'm gonna run Castle Gargantua with custom enemies and bosses and would like to know how to make them more interesting.
Make them a puzzle: give them weaknesses, add obstacles and interesting decor that'll give tactical options.
And unless the PCs are well prepared or a bunch of superpowered killers, don't make fighting an obligation. Boss monsters have needs and goals and personalities, and they rarely feel like risking their life needlessly.
One of my best fights (not MM) was interesting because: there were refugees running towards the PCs; there were some badass supersoldiers in the way, going to kill the refugees; the PCs had mega-powerful turret weapons. Do they fire and kill refugees? Send PCs out to defend the refugees while they fire? Distract the soldiers? What? HOW?
Arnold K. did something reaaaaally good
ReplyDeletegoblinpunch.blogspot.fr - Boss Mechanics from World of Warcraft
Make them do things that are not just damage.
ReplyDeleteMake them a puzzle: give them weaknesses, add obstacles and interesting decor that'll give tactical options.
ReplyDeleteAnd unless the PCs are well prepared or a bunch of superpowered killers, don't make fighting an obligation.
Boss monsters have needs and goals and personalities, and they rarely feel like risking their life needlessly.
One of my best fights (not MM) was interesting because: there were refugees running towards the PCs; there were some badass supersoldiers in the way, going to kill the refugees; the PCs had mega-powerful turret weapons. Do they fire and kill refugees? Send PCs out to defend the refugees while they fire? Distract the soldiers? What? HOW?
ReplyDelete