Boss Battles.

[Yael]

I am running a multiverse campaign where the players visit several planes of existence (those of the different settings by WotC and others, such as Zelda-verse). I am the kind of player/gamer who likes to have a good boss battle that do challenge my abilities to the top when I play a game, so I wanted to make out boss battles for the campaign I'm running.

The sumary of the campaign is that currently they are stucked inside The Legend of Zelda dimension, more exactly at the Ocarina of Time > Child Era (7 years before the split of timelines), and they have messed up things... For their doing, Hyrule is covered in water (due to a misuse of the Song of Storms), Hyrule Castle Town was destroyed seven years before (because they broke the main door and undead commenced to enter the city catching everyone flat-footed), and because of their carelesness, they allowed Ganondorf to discover the different dimensions, so he poisoned each other plane of existence in front of the players, then proceeded to return them to TLoZ, I must point that the party is mostly good-aligned, and they did save the Great Deku Tree, tried their very best to do not have bloodshed because the Chaotic Evil wizard that is a murderer.

The party consists of a level 5 human Wild Shape Ranger, a level 5 Qnari Crusader of Din (from the Dragon Age universe, he fell as a paladin and became a crusader by the will of Din), a level 6 human Evoker, a level 6 Monk/Human Paragon, a level 6 cucco rogue, a level 6 zora warblade, and a level 7 human wizard.

The main topic to discuss in this thread is the use of boss battles, for their last encounter with a boss, they faced King Dodongo, and because it isn't homebrew as such, here's the statblock.Dodongo, King.
Gargantuan Magical Beast (Fire)
HD: 10d10+15 (125 hp)
Init: +2
Speed: 10 ft (2 squares); 20 ft. (rolling)
AC: 27 (+1 Dex, +20 natural, -4 size), touch 8, flat-footed 26
BAB/Grapple: +10/+33
Space: 20 ft./30 ft.
Attacks: Bite +18 melee (2d8+11)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d8+11), and tail slap +13 melee (1d10+5)
Space / Reach: 10ftx20ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Self-Destruct, breath weapon
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, immunity to fire, resistance to ice 15, weak spot
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 32, Dex 12, Con 25, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 5
Skills: Listen +6, Survival +7
Feats: Empower Breath Weapon, Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Maximize Breath Weapon, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Climate / Terrain: Depths of Dodongo's Cavern.
Organisation: Only One.
Challenge Rating: 8
Alignment: Neutral Evil.

Breath Weapon: King Dodongo can breath a 20 ft cone of fire once every 2d4 rounds. King Dodongo must charge this ability for 1d4-1 rounds. This attack deals 43 fire damage. A DC 25 reflex save halves damage. The save DC is Constitution based. This ability only works as such 3/day, after three uses, it deals 6d8 fire damage.

Clutch: King Dodongo may clutch and roll, rolling effectively grants him the effects of the Improved Overrun feat and +10 enhancement bonus to its movement speed. Overruning this way has a +8 bonus on the Strength check and if successful, deal automatic Trample damage (2d8). Dealing explosive damage while he rolls may cause him to lose stability and fall prone. It takes King Dodongo 1d3+1 rounds to stand up correctly.

Self-Destruct: Due to the chemical make up of Dodongos they explode upon their death. When killed a young Dodongo self-destructs. This explosion deals 4d10 fire damage within a 10 foot radius of the body one round after death. A DC 22 reflex save halves the damage taken. The save DC is Constitution based.

Weak Spot: King Dodongo's mouth is its only weak spot, and it can only be achieved by throwing a bomb while he breathes to unleash a Breath Weapon. Throwing a bomb into King Dodongo's mouth requires a ranged throw attack (AC is 20 for this attack). If successful, King Dodongo will be stunned by 1d4 rounds and its mouth will be open for direct attacks, mouth's AC is 7. Another way to achieve this exploit is to cast a cold spell or explosive-effect spell into King Dodongo's mouth, doing so requires a Concentration check (DC 20), and King Dodongo is entitled to a Reflex save with a +4 bonus on the roll.

As you can see, King Dodongo's statblock is a challenge for the entire party (7-man), and one of them died (he was resurrected later that same day). They told me they had fun and they liked the battle, the scenario was also part of the battle, as it was around a lava pit and the boss rolled around the place, overruning and trampling people, they exploded with a bomb several times and used that to their advantage.

I'm thinking of making same kind of bosses for the next encounters, which include Barinade (maybe), Twinrova, Morpha, Volvagia, and Bongo Bongo. What are your thoughts on boss battles, also, any tip for this kind of roleplaying, and to build such characters?

[arixe]

Well lets see the main part of legend of zelda bosses they are in them selves puzzles its been years sense i played ocarina but id say treat bong bong as a debuff bard of sorts damaging players with his slam attacks as he preforms. As i remember the hardest bosses in loz are humanoids dark link the two witches gannon but avoid making that one a tenis match. My ultimate advice would be if they changed the time line make new epic bosses to match like make this big ass undead that gards hyrule or baby dargons that gaurd the mountain. Hell make the zoras corrupted or something get creative

[Thealtruistorc]

Let's try and mix it up a bit

The bosses that link faced in OoT were all tied to specific obstacles and mental barriers that he and the player overcame, so what say that we try something like that for each of the players.

Why did your crusader fall as a paladin? Maybe that could be implemented somehow into an enemy (for example, him failing to defend the innocent could manifest as a giant funeral pyre come to life)

The evoker could face something that their traditional spells wouldn't be able to properly stop (maybe something with high energy resistance and access to disintegrate). Maybe it would force him to find an oblong solution to his problem.

Likewise with the warblade. I envision she would be going in expecting her combat mastery to win out, but what about a monster that doesn't do traditional melee? (hides behind illusions, able to teleport and regenerate, etc.)

The wizard is odd, but something similar to the evoker's foe that tampers with magic could work. Imagine him having to relearn how to apply spells in combat.

Finally, the ranger could face a foe that his animal abilities could not properly oppose (maybe a guy who fights from range). He would have to employ new strategies and thus overcome himself.

Also, items. Give them plenty of neat items to futz with.

[atemu1234]

Let's try and mix it up a bit

The bosses that link faced in OoT were all tied to specific obstacles and mental barriers that he and the player overcame, so what say that we try something like that for each of the players.

Why did your crusader fall as a paladin? Maybe that could be implemented somehow into an enemy (for example, him failing to defend the innocent could manifest as a giant funeral pyre come to life)

The evoker could face something that their traditional spells wouldn't be able to properly stop (maybe something with high energy resistance and access to disintegrate). Maybe it would force him to find an oblong solution to his problem.

Likewise with the warblade. I envision she would be going in expecting her combat mastery to win out, but what about a monster that doesn't do traditional melee? (hides behind illusions, able to teleport and regenerate, etc.)

The wizard is odd, but something similar to the evoker's foe that tampers with magic could work. Imagine him having to relearn how to apply spells in combat.

Finally, the ranger could face a foe that his animal abilities could not properly oppose (maybe a guy who fights from range). He would have to employ new strategies and thus overcome himself.

Also, items. Give them plenty of neat items to futz with.

Neat items are very important in D&D. Too many times have players been given bad or useless items, or even worse, an uncarryable amount of gold.

[Nibbens]

Regardless of what you decide to do, if you've never read this (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nx-o8VAjhUwh3nnfzDQT-JA5eFLnN_BZJiBitGjBMDg/edit) guide, you're doing yourself a disservice. Regardless if you play PF 3X or anything, the concepts expressed within stand regardless. I live and die by this guide now.