As the title suggests, I am looking for a way to challenge a group of PCs with a single bad guy. I really like the classic one BBEG vs a party of good, whether its a giant monster or a powerful caster. I am looking for good ways (other than HP bloat) to run a single BBEG encounter. I am leaning more towards a giant version of a normal animal rampaging the countryside. Just to be clear I know it'll be difficult since the PCs have the advantage of more actions than a single person, but I still want to do it. So no advice saying "Don't do it." Thank you.
DON'T DO IT!
Ok with that out of the way and what you've already said in mind here's what I got for you:
Half-wyvern tatzlwyrm, advanced by 5 hit dice and given the giant template.
For half-wyvern just add the half dragon template, but instead of the breath weapon give a tail sting with poison and two wing attacks.
XP 600
N Huge dragon
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, -2 size)
hp 100 (8d12+48)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8
Immune dragon traits
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. flight 30 ft.(average)
Melee bite +14 (2d6+8 plus grab), claw +14 (2d6+8), claw +14 (2d6+8), tail +14 (2d6+8 plus poison), wing +12 (1d8+4), wing +12 (1d8+4)
Special Attacks poison gasp, pounce, rake (2 claws +5, 1d4+2), poison
Str 26, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +8; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 29
Feats: fly by attack, power attack, multi-attack, snatch
Skills Climb +20, Intimidate +13, Perception +13, Stealth +5 (+11 in dense vegetation), fly +9; Racial Modifiers +6 Stealth in dense vegetation
Languages Draconic
Poison Grasp (Ex)
A tatzlwyrm’s breath is poisonous, but rarely fatal. While grappling, instead of making a bite or rake attack, a tatzlwyrm can breathe its poison into its victim’s face. A tatzlwyrm must begin its turn grappling to use this ability—it can’t begin a grapple and use its poison gasp in the same turn.
Tatzlwyrm poison: Breath—inhaled; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/ round for 2 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Poison (Ex)
Sting—injury; save DC 20; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Constitution damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
That should put the fear of -- well everything -- into them.
A lot of it would depend on what party you have. In the current game that I am in, I play a witch who focuses on de-buffing the monsters: sleep, fatigue, blindness etc. HP increase will improve it's survival chances, but feats like iron will, etc will give it a better defence against these types of powers.
Other methods to make the party think is the terrain. Rough terrain, height changes, line blockers that make the party have to adapt are good. This means that though it blocks you, it makes it less of a stand still encounter. Small drops, say ten feet that takes a move to get back out from when used with bull rush stop flanking as people start to avoid that side (though they might use it back on you)
Other good tactics, though requires an intellegent creature are things like disarm, grapple, and trip. These are things that players can do, so do them back. It slows down the speed of the attacks when the party suddenly has a fighter with no weapons. Don't use these tactics too often, but for a BBEG, it should cause some concern and make it more exciting.
I personally haven't tried these in pathfinder, but should move it away from a baddy with lots of HP, to one that is smart and adpative. Not sure how this will effect your party (and CR), but its only a suggestion :D
As the title suggests, I am looking for a way to challenge a group of PCs with a single bad guy. I really like the classic one BBEG vs a party of good, whether its a giant monster or a powerful caster. I am looking for good ways (other than HP bloat) to run a single BBEG encounter. I am leaning more towards a giant version of a normal animal rampaging the countryside. Just to be clear I know it'll be difficult since the PCs have the advantage of more actions than a single person, but I still want to do it. So no advice saying "Don't do it." Thank you.
What is the level of the party? You can't handle low and high level parties the same way.
@ Abraham, that looks good, though perhaps I should have explained a bit better. Im looking less at monsters that can do it and more for ways to make a monster do it, such as tactics, special abilities, etc. Thanks for that build though.
@ Thoss, I like those ideas. Basically
I am looking at a party at somewhat lower level (5-6 ish). The PCs don't exist, but I know the group and they make really well rounded characters and teams.
Try to find a way to give it extra actions per round. Are there any swift or free actions it can use? Spring Attacking or Fly By attacks to and from inaccessable locations might work, until the PCs learn to ready an attack. A inaccessable location might be in difficult, too far away for the speed of the fastest PC to get there, up in a tree the PCs have to climb, incorporeally within the ground, etc. etc.
Reach and Combat Reflexes can get some extra hits in if the party is not careful. Maybe combine with some terrain you can't 5-foot step in? And maybe some way to foil ranged attacks (cover, concealment, Deflect Arrows, water, etc.).
DR/-, Fast Healing, Energy Resistance, Spell Resistance, Fire Shield/spines/anything that punishes using a non-reach weapon, etc., can also help foil the PCs' attacks. Maybe an ability that disarms opponents if they hit the monster (like the Beast of London in Neverwhere that was that giant boar stuck full of weapons from past skirmishes--also a cool way to give treasure to the PCs when fighting a beast that normally wouldn't collect treasure). Maybe if you hit it your weapon is sundered? Or you get bullrushed?
Maybe give it special abilities that do battlefield control stuff when it hits an opponent, like a wolf's trip attempt, a free grapple or bullrush or disarm check? Repositioning an opponent into a difficult situation, hazard, or trap can make the fight memorable. Maybe implant the PC with a magic seed that grows into a tree in 1 round, leaving the PC high and dry?
Maybe give the PCs conditions that reduce their actions per round, like slowed, nauseated, staggered, dazed, or stunned? A super high AC that forces the PCS to Aid Another and flank to hit?
Maybe have some minor traps or hazards in the terrain.
Actually, I think terrain might be one of the biggest influences in single BBEG vs party interactions.
@ Abraham, that looks good, though perhaps I should have explained a bit better. Im looking less at monsters that can do it and more for ways to make a monster do it, such as tactics, special abilities, etc. Thanks for that build though.
@ Thoss, I like those ideas. Basically ** spoiler omitted **.
I am looking at a party at somewhat lower level (5-6 ish). The PCs don't exist, but I know the group and they make really well rounded characters and teams.
Using monster such as outsider than are good at combat, but have spell like abilities helps. Changing out their spell like abilities is useful also.
Caster's do this a lot better than melee brutes.
1.Don't give the party a chance to run to the bad guy on round 1. Have creatures presummoned if you have to so you can block the path.
2.Be buffed at least a little.
3.Disable the cleric/healer. Nothing is more annoying to the evil bad dude than the cleric who completely undoes all the bad stuff he just did. Then take care of that annoying arcane caster. Or course all this is easier said than done. :)
With the beast I presented above I would use fly by attack to snatch a single opponent -- then either drop them in the air, or take them off to chomp at your leasure. If you get a chance pounce with all those attacks, you don't have to take the full attack at one opponent so spread the love out just a little -- use the bite attack against someone that looks like you could grab, and use the tail (and the poison) against someone that looks all wizard like, while pouring the claws and wings on a fighter type (or flanker) to really hurt them. Power attack would be very useful for this (and you do have it), if you raise him one more hit dice I would suggest powerful blow -- the knock back can be really useful to prevent yourself from being full attacked in return, and gives you clearance to fly off the round afterwards.
The key is to not give them a chance to predict what you are going to do, and keep them all busy thinking about themselves instead of how to take the thing down -- if the rogue is worried about being grappled, and the wizard is going down to Con poison, while the fighter and cleric are having to deal with both if these, and being attacked without being able to get a bead on the monster for more than a round (if that) and having to move back into position the players will be in half a panic -- when the rogue disappears with the monster over the forest they'll be in a full blown panic.
And such a beast is going to be a hunter -- not a drag out fight, so if the party puts up stiff resistance -- run away. Come back at night and steal the horses and fly off again -- the horses are bigger and tastier anyways.
Maybe fill the battlefield with mist (sandstorm, snowstorm, torrential downpour, burning forest fire of smoke) for concealment or full concealment, and give the monster either blindsight or tremorsense or blindsense and blindfight.
I think (THINK) the OP wants advice for a beastly monster, like an animal or magical beast, not an evil mastermind with minions (summoned or not).
Thanks for that build of the troll. Ill have to use it one of these days. Though SmiloDan is right. Im looking for something beastial. Here is something I've been working on today:
Brimfang, the Beast of the Greenbelt, CR 9
N Advanced Huge animal (Wolverine)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 8, flat-footed 15; (+2 Dex, +8 natural, –2 size, -2 rage)
hp 125 (10d8+80; Fast Healing 5
Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +6
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +18 (1d8+13), 2 claws +18 (2d6+14) with Grab
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks: Brimstone Breath, rage, razorback
STATISTICS
Str 36, Dex 15, Con 27, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +22; CMD 34
Feats: Iron Will, Power Attack, Improved Initiative, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow
Skills Perception +16, Climb + 15
Special Abilities:
Brimstone Breath (Ex): (40 ft Cone, 5d10 Fire Damage, DC 23, every 1d6 Rounds
Razorback: An enemy attacking with a melee weapon without reach takes 1 damage.
Tactics: Basically will attack the closest thing to it, unless something does 15 or more damage in one round to it. Then it Awesome Blow that person. Grab with claws and eviscerate and disable. Unleash the fire breath if I can get most of the party with it. The cave will be filled with difficult terrain (rubble in the cave) that it can traverse (havent figured that out yet...) and possibly smoke from it constantly spewing ash from its mouth. So Possibly Partial concealment if attacking from afar.
Basically, this is to replace the Owlbear fight in the end of Rivers Run Red for Kingmaker. The things I am afraid of is 1) the DC of the Breath Weapon, while entirely correct, seems to high. I made the damage low and put the 1d6 round limitation for it 2) lower AC and health total than the owlbear though I gave it Fast Healing and 3) the strength is very high, but I suppose its ok since he is all about melee. I made by increasing the Racial HD of a Dire Wolverine to about 8 CR (10 HD) then gave it the Advanced Template.
So what do you think?
I would give it rend, and up the damage on the razorback ability. That's just too low, and the razorback ability should hit anything that it grapples as well (most such abilities do).
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As the title suggests, I am looking for a way to challenge a group of PCs with a single bad guy. I really like the classic one BBEG vs a party of good, whether its a giant monster or a powerful caster. I am looking for good ways (other than HP bloat) to run a single BBEG encounter. I am leaning more towards a giant version of a normal animal rampaging the countryside. Just to be clear I know it'll be difficult since the PCs have the advantage of more actions than a single person, but I still want to do it. So no advice saying "Don't do it." Thank you.
+4 to hit on all attacks and double the damage.
I would give it rend, and up the damage on the razorback ability. That's just too low, and the razorback ability should hit anything that it grapples as well (most such abilities do).
Alright fair enough. maybe 3 damage? I felt it would really affect the fighters who would already be taking damage from the massive strength of his attacks and I didn't want to punish them too hard. Also, I didn't quite understand the rules behind rend. How does it work?
I would give it rend, and up the damage on the razorback ability. That's just too low, and the razorback ability should hit anything that it grapples as well (most such abilities do).Alright fair enough. maybe 3 damage? I felt it would really affect the fighters who would already be taking damage from the massive strength of his attacks and I didn't want to punish them too hard. Also, I didn't quite understand the rules behind rend. How does it work?
Meh, I would cut the strength by six points and have the razorback deal about... 1d8+strength damage (again pretty regular for such abilities).
You know, if you have the bestiary 2 there is a magical beast in there that might work better for what you want:
The Aurumvorax is a nasty beast to start with (page 35) giving it the giant template and the razorback ability would make it hurt things pretty well... alternatively having it be a bloody skeleton would work as well.
I would give it rend, and up the damage on the razorback ability. That's just too low, and the razorback ability should hit anything that it grapples as well (most such abilities do).Alright fair enough. maybe 3 damage? I felt it would really affect the fighters who would already be taking damage from the massive strength of his attacks and I didn't want to punish them too hard. Also, I didn't quite understand the rules behind rend. How does it work?Meh, I would cut the strength by six points and have the razorback deal about... 1d8+strength damage (again pretty regular for such abilities).
You know, if you have the bestiary 2 there is a magical beast in there that might work better for what you want:
The Aurumvorax is a nasty beast to start with (page 35) giving it the giant template and the razorback ability would make it hurt things pretty well... alternatively having it be a bloody skeleton would work as well.
I took a look at it and it doesn't really fit what I had imagined, though it did give me a good guideline to fit with DR. I already have fast healing 5 so I think I will replace Fast Healing with DR 10/piercing for thick skin, like the Aurumvorax)
Also, how does rend work again?
Avoiding Kingmaker spoilers, so I hope I'm not missing too much...
Weather, and lots of it. Torrential downpour gets this thing riled (encounter excuse). Low visibility, slick (difficult) terrain, wind to punish/check flyers.
Since I don't know what it is, can it knock over terrain? Bury one of them in rubble/a tree that this beast smashes into to remove a pair of combatants for a round and deal damage. Not to mention, terrain to force player movements, or for fun and games with Awesome Blow and cliffs/pits/rivers.
Does it have some sort of natural mobility that can be used/abused?
Avoiding Kingmaker spoilers, so I hope I'm not missing too much...
Weather, and lots of it. Torrential downpour gets this thing riled (encounter excuse). Low visibility, slick (difficult) terrain, wind to punish/check flyers.
Since I don't know what it is, can it knock over terrain? Bury one of them in rubble/a tree that this beast smashes into to remove a pair of combatants for a round and deal damage. Not to mention, terrain to force player movements, or for fun and games with Awesome Blow and cliffs/pits/rivers.
Does it have some sort of natural mobility that can be used/abused?
** spoiler omitted **
Well the only KM spoiler is that it replaces an encounter that I wont say, so I can tell you what it is. It is a Huge wolverine that can breathe fire. I am definitely having difficult terrain up the wazoo and possibly smoke constantly spewing out of his mouth to give him 20% concealment from ranged attacks.
I took a look at it and it doesn't really fit what I had imagined, though it did give me a good guideline to fit with DR. I already have fast healing 5 so I think I will replace Fast Healing with DR 10/piercing for thick skin, like the Aurumvorax)Also, how does rend work again?
Generally put if you hit with two claws you get extra damage:
If it hits with two or more natural attacks in 1 round, a creature with the rend special attack can cause tremendous damage by latching onto the opponent’s body and tearing flesh. This attack deals an additional amount of damage, but no more than once per round. The type of attacks that must hit and the additional damage are included in the creature’s description. The additional damage is usually equal to the damage caused by one of the attacks plus 1-1/2 times the creature’s Strength bonus.Format: rend (2 claws, 1d8+9); Location: Special Attacks.
It causes more hurt for those you hit more than once.
If you tell us more about your party we can help tweak whatever you send at them to make it a challenge -- but one they should live through.
Without knowing the specifics of how your party is set up and how they tend to work we could unwittingly give you a TPK (hopefully you as a GM would notice before such happens and fix it, but the value of our advice is in specifics).
I took a look at it and it doesn't really fit what I had imagined, though it did give me a good guideline to fit with DR. I already have fast healing 5 so I think I will replace Fast Healing with DR 10/piercing for thick skin, like the Aurumvorax)Also, how does rend work again?
Generally put if you hit with two claws you get extra damage:
If it hits with two or more natural attacks in 1 round, a creature with the rend special attack can cause tremendous damage by latching onto the opponent’s body and tearing flesh. This attack deals an additional amount of damage, but no more than once per round. The type of attacks that must hit and the additional damage are included in the creature’s description. The additional damage is usually equal to the damage caused by one of the attacks plus 1-1/2 times the creature’s Strength bonus.Format: rend (2 claws, 1d8+9); Location: Special Attacks.
It causes more hurt for those you hit more than once.
If you tell us more about your party we can help tweak whatever you send at them to make it a challenge -- but one they should live through.
Without knowing the specifics of how your party is set up and how they tend to work we could unwittingly give you a TPK (hopefully you as a GM would notice before such happens and fix it, but the value of our advice is in specifics).
Well currently, there isn't a party. I am planning on running the KM campaign in the coming weeks so admittedly, it is hard to kinda figure out what would go well against them, but I do know what the guys like to play and they make fairly well rounded characters.
One guy loves Paladins (and to a lesser extent Cavaliers now)
One guy is always the caster, usually a wizard or sorcerer
One guy only plays bards. Ever.
One guy plays Fighters and barbarians
And the last guy I dont know well enough in terms of playstyle since he is currently our GM.
I know it'll be a long time before they get to this, but I really did want to get some good ideas for setting this up ahead of time. I didn't expect to fully make this creature (got a little too into it i suppose lol). Just getting some good ideas for having a solo fight.
Well the only KM spoiler is that it replaces an encounter that I wont say, so I can tell you what it is. It is a Huge wolverine that can breathe fire. I am definitely having difficult terrain up the wazoo and possibly smoke constantly spewing out of his mouth to give him 20% concealment from ranged attacks.
Fire is great! Burn their stuff! [/goblin] Seriously though, if you opt against the massive rainstorm, have this Dire Pyroverine start their non-combat things on fire. Let them know that stopping the fire might be just as important as killing the beast.
The best way to make this fight awesome is to draw it out, which means you need to minimize damage dealing actions that the party wants to do. There is a certain measure of restricting what they can do as well, but the more you make it their choice, the better it will go over.
If the party is attacked on their terrain, make it as much an attack against the location as the characters.
I get the sense, however, that the critter is not visiting town, though.
How fire resistant/immune is this big guy? Could he start an entire prairie/forest fire and walk out of it? Might add a level of tension, and allow you to create non-magical walls of fire to control movement without slowing the baddie.
Not covered in the base rules, but let the BBEG take 2 turns, spaced a couple of PCc apart (not one right after another). It would be interesting...
Avoiding Kingmaker spoilers, so I hope I'm not missing too much...
Weather, and lots of it. Torrential downpour gets this thing riled (encounter excuse). Low visibility, slick (difficult) terrain, wind to punish/check flyers.
Since I don't know what it is, can it knock over terrain? Bury one of them in rubble/a tree that this beast smashes into to remove a pair of combatants for a round and deal damage. Not to mention, terrain to force player movements, or for fun and games with Awesome Blow and cliffs/pits/rivers.
Does it have some sort of natural mobility that can be used/abused?
Just read this and though of how about a hill side? A steep-ish hill side with water cascading down it makes difficult terrain, but make it one directional. The party move slower up the hill, but faster down it, and have a chance of falling over. I'm not sure if a wolverine gets a burrow speed, but means that it can move up and down faster as it goes through the hill. Knocking people prone with a trip attack can send them down the hill, possibly knocking others over. It slows the party down. The weather will limit ranged attacks, and flying, so that is less one sided. The party will probably start to group together to stop them splitting up, but a good swipe could knock them down the hill :D
And what is more scary than fighting in the dark, in a thunder storm, whilst trying to get up a hill to help people out.
Your beast concept is sounding pretty, well, beast so far. As usual, magic will probably end up being your largest problem, in which case you'll need to take a number of measures. As others have said, limiting the PC's actions by using the environment to your advantage can make the encounter quite challenging.
The smoke concealment should give you some coverage from ranged attacks - this might challenge the party more if they don't have a good way of managing their light sources, otherwise they will have to deal with the smoke on top of total darkness. Alternatively, you could associate some kind of save with the smoke; perhaps if the PCs fail to make a Fortitude save, they breathe in too much of the smoke and get nauseated or something.
Considering that you're fighting in a cave, flight is already pretty much countered, unless they happen to lure the monster out. If the beast has some type of roar, perhaps it could trigger a cave-in, putting the pressure on the PCs to divide their attention between getting the heck out and the monster itself.
[bad joke]If all else fails, tantalize the PCs with the moral issue of dealing with the monster's newborn cubs, which would all one day grow to become the monsters their mother did. And then have them all attack the party >:D [/bad joke]