An idea I had for a BBEG 3.5 (I need opinions)

**Sharkman1231** · 2009-10-17, 10:18 AM (ISO 8601)

I DM a campain where almost all of my players have memorized almost all of the MM. I want to knock them for a loop. So I had an idea of a BBEG getting special abilities based of an insane physical score (instead of mental(spells)) I was thinking STR, and he/she/it would do less regular attacking and use more of the specially made abilites.

So... what do you think, okay idea, or not?.
And any ideas for abilites?
Lvl is 5th
I just relized this kinda sounds 4e-ish, hmm...

**PinkysBrain** · 2009-10-17, 11:02 AM (ISO 8601)

Well for 3e there is an entire book for abilities which work off physical scores (mostly) and are a little like 4e :) (Generally more powerful/flexible/complex though, like everything else in 3e.) Tome of Battle.

For a CR5 BBEG you can just make a high reach tripper/disarmer though ... an Ogre Fighter 2 with a spiked chain should do nicely. Give him combat expertise, improved trip, combat reflexes (it's a BBEG so use the elite array to give him a positive dex modifier) and Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain).

**KillianHawkeye** · 2009-10-17, 08:17 PM (ISO 8601)

Depends what kind of abilities you give him.

**Ernir** · 2009-10-17, 08:23 PM (ISO 8601)

Illumians (Races of Destiny) can get their bonus spells based off their Strength.

Many monsters' natural poison attacks, and stuff like oozes' acid have the save DCs set by the monster's Constitution.

**UserClone** · 2009-10-17, 11:28 PM (ISO 8601)

In the Dawnforge game, there's a class called the Spirit Adept which is along these lines.

**Xenogears** · 2009-10-17, 11:50 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Ernir

Illumians (Races of Destiny) can get their bonus spells based off their Strength.

Many monsters' natural poison attacks, and stuff like oozes' acid have the save DCs set by the monster's Constitution.

For some reason there are a bunch of constructs and undead whose entries contain the line "DC based on constitution." This confounds me.

**jiriku** · 2009-10-18, 12:18 AM (ISO 8601)

Meta-game their metagaming. Use a typical monster from MM1 and advance the heck out of it for a nasty surprise. I once sent players questing for a gem that had been swallowed by a bulette. They were levels 12-14 at the time, and wondered why all the NPCs quavered in terror at the mention of the creature. After all, it was just a bulette.

With 27 hit dice. And the snatch, rend, rapidstrike, and improved rapidstrike feats. They got a nasty shock after assuming they knew what they were facing.

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