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View Full Version : Miniboss Design Help [3.5]



Duke of URL
2009-12-24, 08:02 AM
Okay, so I'm setting up a solo "gauntlet"/"shooting gallery" style game here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136059). (The link contains the relevant rules.)

In short -- it's a single encounter (for encounter-based mechanics purposes) done in ten waves/stages. The odd number stages just have waves of low (but increasing) CR creatures swarming the PC (they are, essentially, "clay pigeons" meant less to be a threat [although they can be, if the PC completely neglects defense], and really there just to be mowed down), where the PC must kill as many as possible in 4 rounds or less, gaining score for each enemy killed.

The even number rounds have a single "miniboss" that can act more intelligently, but is required to spend its time attacking, not playing defense. No score is awarded here (currently, but I'm considering changing that), the point is attrition.

It's on this latter point that I'm looking for assistance. I'm not trying to be mean, petty, or vindictive, but I do want to ensure that a build that is too focused on maximized scoring is going to have problems with the minibosses. That is, even before accepting character sheets, I see multiple variations of "spiked chain/whirlwind attack/size increase" being thrown around. I'd like to ensure a little more variety than that for viable builds, and that's the main purpose of having the minibosses.

So, on to the actual request... at each boss CR (CR2, CR3, CR4, CR5, and CR6) I'm looking for a variety (at least four per CR) of minibosses, who are roughly equal in power, albeit with different abilities and tactics. The PC's ECL will be 10th (easy), 8th (standard), or 6th (hard). Each contestant will face one boss of the specified CR at the appropriate stage, randomly selected. The boss creation rules are:


The boss must be a single creature with the specified CR.
Sources allowed to the players (see link above) are allowed for the minibosses
Monsters with class levels use the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) for stats
Monsters use NPC wealth by level (consumables at normal cost)
Unlike the "mob"/"swarm" rounds, bosses may rely on special attacks and/or abilities
Bosses must actively attack in some fashion each round
Bosses are assumed to have been observing the PC and are granted a "buff round" (abilities/effects/spells with unlimited duration or duration measured in hours or longer are also assumed to be in effect)


Fully-detailed builds are not necessary... general outlines would be helpful as well.

deuxhero
2009-12-24, 08:05 AM
cr 2:Cleric 1 (use bless and other mass buffs) with 4 cats under her command.

Duke of URL
2009-12-24, 08:08 AM
cr 2:Cleric 1 (use bless and other mass buffs) with 4 cats under her command.

Forgot to mention (and edited in above): The boss must be a single creature with the specified CR.

And believe me, the spiked chain guys would chew through that without a sweat.

deuxhero
2009-12-24, 08:10 AM
What level is he? If he's finds CR2 to be mildly challenging, 4 cats are going to kill him unless he somehow has DR.

Emmerask
2009-12-24, 08:19 AM
One summoner type boss ie cleric or druid
One rogue type coming in with hide & move silently + sneak attack
A flying boss maybe a baby dragon or somesuch?
one Ooze boss because Ooze are fun :smallbiggrin:

and at last? an Ooze summuning sneak attacking levitating Ooze boss :biggrin:

Duke of URL
2009-12-24, 08:19 AM
Please read the full post above.

Believe me, the typical contestant will not find a "typical" CR 2 challenging (which is why I'm appealing to the deviousness of the playground) and the PC will likely have DR and/or easy healing via the Martial Spirit stance from ToB.

deuxhero
2009-12-24, 08:25 AM
I suggested cats because they have a VERY misleading CR.

They are tiny with good dex for an AC of 14 (you try hitting that at level 1 or 2), and if they are doing it right they start in stealth and makes a full attack (+3), then make another full attack (+3). If you survived (squishy types are already dead) then you attack and miss because of their great AC, they make another full attack and all but the heartist is dead.


Now do that with 4 and you are DEAD.

Duke of URL
2009-12-24, 10:42 AM
Read the full post in #1 above. Advice given is not helpful if it doesn't fit the criteria I'm laying out.

Cats are a trivial exercise for the contestants. What I need are cleverly designed minibosses who can at least inconvenience a higher-ECL PC who is expected to be designed as a one-person wrecking crew.

Squark
2009-12-24, 10:57 AM
Hmm... You might want to up the CR a bit. A CR 2 creature is really just not going to cut it without serious munchkinry.. Maybe CR 3 for the easiest, and consider giving some of them minions.

Duke of URL
2009-12-24, 11:08 AM
I don't mind serious munchkinry (though still must be legal), as I'm expecting the same from the platers. CR 2 might not inconvenience them much, but a well-designed CR 5 might, when they're already at stage 8 without having any rest.

I want to make it hard, but not impossible, for the ECL 6 group to make it through all 10 stages, reasonable for the ECL 8 group, and relatively easy for the ECL 10 group.

Draken
2009-12-24, 03:42 PM
Your CR 3 is the Air Element (Manual of the Planes) Squid progressed to 6 HD. It is incredibly fast (100 feet fly speed with perfect maneuverability), a respectable grapple modifier (very dangerous for a sole character), and something akin to constrict in its Improved Grapple.

I am away from my books so I can't confirm, but I think Air Element gives Flyby Attack as a bonus feat, with six HD the squid should take Dodge, Mobility and Improved Flyby Attack as the rest of the feats, so it can move around the battlefield incredibly fast without provoking attacks of opportunity, it is a nightmare for anyone without a half-decent ranged attack.