Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 velkymx Feb 18, 2015 9:24:54	One of the things I’ve always had an issue with in all versions of D&D is the idea that everything is a “Monster”. Many of the monsters in the Monster Manual are unique and would not be encountered more than once in a player’s life time. Bosses should be epic creatures, Smaug the Dragon or Orcus the Demon Prince. These are not stat blocks, these are very special, very powerful and very one-of-a-kind. They should be removed and reframed as NPCs or Monster Bosses, not just XP dumps.   Read the full post at the blog...
#2 LuisCarlos17f Feb 18, 2015 10:15:29	I see three types of enemies: minions, leaders (=1 PC, with a 4th ed class template) and bosses (4 PCs to kill a boss, with stats like a 3rd Ed PC).   My house rule is when a nPC is really important, I use like a "template", with stats like from Storytelling system (from 0 to 5 stars), easy and fastly translated to d20 system...This allow to use the same template for higher or lower nPCs.
#3 Kayal Feb 18, 2015 10:46:58	velkymx wrote:
(Reply to #3) velkymx	Kayal wrote:
#5 FFSAA Feb 18, 2015 11:57:45	velkymx wrote:
(Reply to #5) Cyber-Dave	FFSAA wrote:
#7 Kayal Feb 18, 2015 14:17:49	velkymx wrote:
#8 velkymx Feb 19, 2015 17:00:51	@Kayal - then good on you. Many DMs don't play them as unique encounters and they are just one more thing to kill.
#9 Devils-Advocate Feb 19, 2015 17:16:04	velkymx wrote:
#10 Saelorn Feb 20, 2015 13:09:40	velkymx wrote:
#11 Xaspian Feb 20, 2015 14:22:58	Details like the regional effects for legendary creatures certainly help encourage more interesting "boss monsters". For example, a Vampire Lord isn't just a bag of HP, her home causes unnatural fog to cloak the region and attracts packs of wolves (presumably to howl in the background at appropriate dramatic moments) The presence of a Red Dragon in a region can cause earthquakes and portals to the plane of elemental fire;  That's not just a creature, that's a threat, and a story waiting to happen.
#12 Psikerlord Feb 20, 2015 17:40:48	velkymx wrote:
#13 Kayal Feb 21, 2015 13:41:49	Devils-Advocate wrote:
#14 caridhor Feb 21, 2015 17:30:20	Cyber-Dave wrote:
#15 BRJN Feb 22, 2015 18:27:00	The 3.0 Book of Aberrations kind of side-steps into this subject.  It suggests that if the PCs take time and resources to learn about the Mastermind BBEG, the fights to defeat it should be easier than if they do not.  (Not to say it ever gets EASY...)  If you collect lore on a lich, or aboleth, or research Religion / Arcana to figure out the secret knowledge, you can KO a few of his lieutenants - or demoralize a lot of his minions - or just skip entirely one of the big resource-consuming battles.  In the best case, you can neuter some strong power of MmBBEG or turn a little-known fact of physics against it.  (Ex: what if you wear a tin-foil hat vs aboleth's mind control?  What happens when you turn its pond into ocean (salty) water?) Also check in Rise of Tiamat, the stuff the PCs can do to weaken / delay Her arrival.  Somehow let the PCs know about this while they have enough time to take action.   If the PCs have to take time to learn enough to weaken MmBBEG and defeat his plots, he will be more special and remembered than if they just go in, beat him to a pulp, take some lumps, steal his stuff, and go back to town.
#16 Noon Feb 22, 2015 19:19:11	velkymx wrote:
#17 Kayal Feb 23, 2015 15:56:39	Noon wrote:
#18 FFSAA Feb 23, 2015 17:45:42	caridhor wrote: