Boss Music

[walfulninja]

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a soundtrack for the boss/bosses in my campaign. Any suggestions?

[Extra Anchovies]

What sort off boss are they? Oppressive kings would have different soundtracks from secret cult leaders, who would in turn have different soundtracks from elder evils, who would have different soundtracks from the Tarrasque.

[Red Fel]

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a soundtrack for the boss/bosses in my campaign. Any suggestions?

It really depends on two things: What kind of boss is it? What is the purpose of the music?
First: What kind of boss is it? The music has to fit the boss' personality. Not every boss deserves a symphonic organ suite or One-Winged Angel treatment. Some need more of a mad clown, Kefka-meets-the-Joker theme. Others need a crisp military march. Still others merit a soft, sad vocal arrangement. It depends on the image of the person you want to convey.

Second: What is the purpose of the music? Boss fight music, for example, should be climactic and thrilling - but not every boss culminates in a fight. And some involve non-fight encounters. Establishing a boss as a recurring figure means establishing a leitmotif - a short, recurring musical phrase - or a longer musical theme. It's fantastic for setting a mood. Establish musical motifs for different characters. Then, when the PCs reach the nerve center of the mysterious evil overlord's castle, they hear a musical theme before they see a face - "Oh, no... it's him!" You need to figure out what use you need from the music before you can pick out a tune at random.

So what kind of boss is it, and for what do you plan to use the music?

[walfulninja]

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a soundtrack for the boss/bosses in my campaign. Any suggestions?
Ah good point. The final boss fight will be a series of dragons leading to one final big "f*** you I'm a dragon bitch" elder wyrm.

Edit: I really want to sell that this dragon isn't just any dragon, he's a "eats Tarraques for snacks" dragon.

[Extra Anchovies]

Establishing a boss as a recurring figure means establishing a leitmotif - a short, recurring musical phrase - or a longer musical theme. It's fantastic for setting a mood. Establish musical motifs for different characters. Then, when the PCs reach the nerve center of the mysterious evil overlord's castle, they hear a musical theme before they see a face - "Oh, no... it's him!"

Very true. For this sort of thing, it's good to use a lengthy multi-part classical piece, because they have those recurring themes/phrases built in already. A requiem mass could give you a nice mix of dramatic quiet stuff and dramatic epic stuff.

[Red Fel]

Ah good point. The final boss fight will be a series of dragons leading to one final big "f*** you I'm a dragon bitch" elder wyrm.

So, boss fight music, bunch of dragons. Good so far. Are they recurring antagonists or one-time baddies? Do they engage in psychology and taunting, or go straight to the action? Are they sinister, silly, tragic, brutal? Does the fight take place on a vast plain, in a massive cavern, in a twilight dimension, underwater?

[walfulninja]

Thanks for all of the swift reply! Allow me to clarify somethings.

1. The dragons sent reacuring per say, but the adventures know they're going to fight them in the end. It's like in Lord of The Rings with the eye of Sauron. It's this big looming threat that will eventually have to be faced.
2. The final boss fight will take place on the peak of a mountain that the players have been climbing the whole adventure. The twist is the final dragon IS the mountain. They have no clue about that. They simply expect to fight some dragons on top of a pesudo-mount Everest
3. An air of ”oh s***" is what I'm going for, like when you first fight the collosi in Shadow of the Collosus

[Snowbluff]

I suggest the Dragon's Dogma sound track in general. It's got a good variety of pieces.

The Dark Souls OSTs are (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAVCkVclNR4) almost entirely (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgpYfCnLhAo) boss music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWp5-OP11KM). Lots of chanting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9wEYvgQjSk) and wails. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqih8hXmDBI)

[lytokk]

My first suggestion would be In tenebreis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlvyHD4-Bjs) by rhapsody of fire. There's actually a lot of good music on that album. Since this is the dragon to end all dragons, gothic chant is very common to differentiate between a normal end boss and and "HSWTFBBQ-IT" boss

[Beardbarian]

Guile's Theme goes with everything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGw8DWctAts

[Extra Anchovies]

My first suggestion would be In tenebreis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlvyHD4-Bjs) by rhapsody of fire. There's actually a lot of good music on that album. Since this is the dragon to end all dragons, gothic chant is very common to differentiate between a normal end boss and and "HSWTFBBQ-IT" boss

Rhapsody of Fire does have some pretty nice stuff; the intro tracks for their first few albums are some fun little orchestrals.

Also, film soundtracks. The Inception soundtrack is a favorite of mine; if you ever want a really intense fight song, try Mombasa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUwszL6J81I). Works well for fight/chase hybrids, too.

[Svata]

Large, dark, and intimidating? Golbez- Clad in Darkness is a good one. Don't have a link atm, though.

[lytokk]

Large, dark, and intimidating? Golbez- Clad in Darkness is a good one. Don't have a link atm, though.

Here ya go (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkx3KcO7TCs) Also a very very good one.

[Red Fel]

Here ya go (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkx3KcO7TCs) Also a very very good one.

A lot of FF boss battles are perfect for this. Dragons on a mountaintop? FF characters fight those all the freaking time.

I happen to be a fan of Seymour's Theme (FFX) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWE0nlhpdq8), Clash on the Big Bridge (FFV, Black Mages ver.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbYIbleQP8), and Battle with the Four Fiends (FFIV, Black Mages ver.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPi89gzpvK8), for this particular purpose. The first gives you the appropriate sense of awe and terror, the second offers you the sense of an epic battle, and the third takes one of Uematsu's great battle themes and brings it into the age of metal. But really, almost any FF boss battle music (except perhaps Kefka or Kuja) will do nicely here, particularly if it was redone by the Black Mages.

[lytokk]

A lot of FF boss battles are perfect for this. Dragons on a mountaintop? FF characters fight those all the freaking time.

I happen to be a fan of Seymour's Theme (FFX) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWE0nlhpdq8), Clash on the Big Bridge (FFV, Black Mages ver.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHbYIbleQP8), and Battle with the Four Fiends (FFIV, Black Mages ver.) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPi89gzpvK8), for this particular purpose. The first gives you the appropriate sense of awe and terror, the second offers you the sense of an epic battle, and the third takes one of Uematsu's great battle themes and brings it into the age of metal. But really, almost any FF boss battle music (except perhaps Kefka or Kuja) will do nicely here, particularly if it was redone by the Black Mages.

May be a personal opinion, but sephiroth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLI3fSgccZU) is played out. Dancing Mad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLI3fSgccZU), or kefkas theme, works great if you happen to have a completely insane. But that may be because of personal memories of the game and the fact that the man looked like a CE court jester.

[Yael]

Just one question, here: BBEG about to take over the world? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atc51MxhoAE)
#PraiseClamp

[SwordChucks]

For creepy music for a horror game try the silent hill sound track. Any of them really but number 2 in particular.

For dragons I suggest a classic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YOYlgvI1uE).

[walfulninja]

For creepy music for a horror game try the silent hill sound track. Any of them really but number 2 in particular.

For dragons I suggest a classic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YOYlgvI1uE).

Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit!

[Azoth]

For the final boss I have to recommend Das Omen by Enomine. Just an epic tune for an ominous final boss of legends.

I also recommend Nightwish songs in general. Opera Metal can be creepy and haunting. Ninth Man Down and i think it is Planet Hell especially.

Sorry I am on my mobile or I would link them for you.

[Tragak]

My go-to recommendations are

Asturias (Leyenda), by Isaac Albéniz (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRJN6RzlJbY) for a focus on power and drama
Hello Zepp, by Charlie Clouser (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5NzpMYmfNQ) for a focus on violence and desperation
Requiem for a Dream, by John Murphy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag-q1FexDd4) for a focus on majesty and superiority

Would any of these work?

[Val666]

In a current campaign im running, Im going to use some Metroid boss fights themes for Far Realms bosses and other for more..."mystical" bosses. Examples:

Far Realms Stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3D1dI_yjTY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXbDCF7IHoU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pug7eKPcRb4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnAm2mItdIc

Mystic Stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMFLquJeCc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzUkyik4J4A


And much more...Im just a big fan of metroid.

[Uncle Pine]

An elder bitch wyrm living on a mountain? The PCs are going to battle him in a fiery battle? I suggest Brandon Strader's take on the classic Dovahkiin song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW7EnixZVNI)!

[FabulousFizban]

Erdenstern. You're welcome.

[georgie_leech]

It may be the nostalgia talking, but I've always been a fan of the classics. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUHjdq6SFkQ)

[thisisnotspam]

How 'bout the final fight theme from Rocky 4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e-57jmOjjg) :smallbiggrin: