Single Enemy boss fighting encounter building question.

[Darksidebro]

Hey everyone. I'm needing to make an NPC that's sort of a Rival/Villian to the party, but am having trouble coming up with an appropriate challenge for them.

The party consists of 3 level 8 characters, 1 Transmutation Wizard, 1 Elemental Monk, and a Sword/Board Knowledge cleric/Fighter.

I want the encounter to be deadly, as in, they'll most likely be defeated without running away and coming back with a better plan. But I don't want it to be able to kill 1 or 2 within the first turn.

Currently I have whipped up a nasty level 15 Oathbreaker Paladin using GWF. He hits like a truck before smighting. Has a +1 Greatsword. I used the DMG to decide the XP threshold for the encounter, and came up with 6100 XP threshold... But that only makes a 5th level character if I'm using the PC class level up chart. So I kinda just picked level 15 as a number I thought would be good for my purposes. Am I wrong? Is this too strong?

[pibby]

If you're going to build a villain like that, it's a lot better to build one like a Legendary NPC like an Adult Dragon (with Lair Actions) or a Terrasque (who has a bunch of defensive abilities and features). Otherwise, your villain is going to get compromised by the party on the first round because bounded accuracy makes fights against even high level NPCs winnable if the NPC doesn't have Legendary abilities.

Just because a villain resembles a particular class doesn't mean it has to be built exactly like a player. I've personally never made a boss NPC in 5e but my advice would be to list down what sort of abilities you want your villain to have, and then browse the MM for a creature/NPC that is close to what you had in mind and then make adjustments from there. Playtest it with someone who isn't in your campaign, adjust if necessary and then bam, you should be good.

[Callin]

Legendary Actions are where its at when it comes to BBEGs. Since its a 3 man party give him 2 and 2 points. Say the first ability is Riposte 1 LP When missed with and attack he may make a counter attack. Second ability is 2LP and stronger, Steadfast- he may use the dodge action and heals himself for x. X being a reasonable number. Maybe give him 1 Legendary save, maybe.

Do that on a guy thats just a few higher and you should be ok. Bounded Accuracy is going to keep the AC, to hits, and damage in line

[Envyus]

Hey everyone. I'm needing to make an NPC that's sort of a Rival/Villian to the party, but am having trouble coming up with an appropriate challenge for them.

The party consists of 3 level 8 characters, 1 Transmutation Wizard, 1 Elemental Monk, and a Sword/Board Knowledge cleric/Fighter.

I want the encounter to be deadly, as in, they'll most likely be defeated without running away and coming back with a better plan. But I don't want it to be able to kill 1 or 2 within the first turn.

Currently I have whipped up a nasty level 15 Oathbreaker Paladin using GWF. He hits like a truck before smighting. Has a +1 Greatsword. I used the DMG to decide the XP threshold for the encounter, and came up with 6100 XP threshold... But that only makes a 5th level character if I'm using the PC class level up chart. So I kinda just picked level 15 as a number I thought would be good for my purposes. Am I wrong? Is this too strong?

Remember to use the creating a monster rules also in the DMG. So you can actually get it's CR and by extension xp value. Once you figure this out buff it or debuff it and give it some legendaries and you should be good.

You will have to use the full stat block rules and with a bit of work you should be good.

[Darksidebro]

So adding legendary actions really seems the way to go. I hadn't even thought of that. Do you think it's necessary for a Legendary Action to heal himself? He already had paladin casting and lay on hands.

[Callin]

Was just spitballing. Figure out what you want him to do and how you want him to fight.

[GiantOctopodes]

So adding legendary actions really seems the way to go. I hadn't even thought of that. Do you think it's necessary for a Legendary Action to heal himself? He already had paladin casting and lay on hands.

Yeah, but casting takes his action, as does lay on hands. If the party sees him ceasing offensive activity to heal, they will think (correctly) they have him on his heels (pun intended, sorry). If he gets healing outside of the normal action economy, they are far more likely to assess him as "scary" and the fight "unwinnable", and *hopefully* decide discretion is the better part of valor.

[Callin]

That was kind of the idea. He makes himself harder to hit AND heals up a bit. Makes the party think things. I also agree with not giving him Class Levels. Think of the Role you want him to fill in combat. Its a BBEG so probably Melee with a dash of Ranged. So give him d10 HD, Heavy Armor, and a Martial Weapon. Give him 2 Attacks with a melee weapon as an attack action or 1 (since you want that caster feel) Ranged Bolt of Magical Energy on par with a Wizards Cantrip using Charisma as its Casting Stat. You can also give him a few magical spells to cast. To round out the Martial Caster vibe. Or you could give him a Magical Super Ability that recharges on a 5-6. Round him out with some fluff and the Legendary Actions and you got a BBEG.

Example

Str 18 Dex 10 Con 16 Int 12 Wis 15 Cha 16
Prof in Str and Con saves
Hit Points 10d10+30 = 130 (I like max for BBEG)
Init +0
AC 18 Full Plate
Great Sword +8/+8 2d6+4+3 (Cha Mod)
Negabolt +7 2d10+3 Necrotic

Marcos adds his Charisma Modifier to his Attack Damage

Righteous Wrath recharge 5-6
10ft burst from Marcos
He shouts an Unholy Prayer and punishes enemies around him.
He has the choice of either dealing 5d6 Necrotic Damage or (/and ,depending on OP) Paralyzing them for 1 round DC 15 for half (and no Paralyzing). Based on Charisma. (this was based on the Silver Dragon and modified)

He has Casting as a 5th lvl Cleric DC 15

Legendary Actions 2
1-Parry
2-Steadfast

Legendary Resistance 1




This is just a rough idea

[mephnick]

It feels weird to me not to stat NPCs as you would a PC, like this human knight exists by a different set of rules than that human knight because he has the BBEG tag.

Though I suppose it's the easiest way to get a single boss battle, I think it would "break my verisimilitude" a bit to have an NPC be so much better than a PC could ever be, for seemingly arbitrary reasons.

[Callin]

I agree to an extent but PC Classes are meant to be part of a group. So you pretty much have to build a BBEG as a Stand Alone Monster. Now I wouldnt do this for just run of the mill baddies. Like a Lieutenant would be built with a PC class. Minions I would just refluff another monster (like Redcloak Ruffians) to fit my needs. Also that guy was built with him being a Solo Encounter. If he had minions with him I would build him differently.

[mephnick]

Yeah, I understand. I think it's still important come up with some fluff reason why this character is stronger than 3 PC's combined, when he's just some human guy. As a player I'd be wondering why this guy has legendary saves and special crazy AOE attacks when he's just supposedly a paladin, whereas if I made a paladin I wouldn't get those abilities. Having him be corrupted by an old god, or powered by strange artefact would give me an in-game reason for the special powers. I'm just suggesting not throwing out all these legendary abilities arbitrarily.

[Callin]

Well if he is a BBEG and an "Anti" Paladin then he probably has a pact with something or he could be High Ranking in his Clergy, or even just favored by his god. There are many ways to get Fluff to match the Crunch.