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Crazy Video Game-Style Boss Battles

December 27, 2010 12:37 am / 1 Comment / Chris
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I’m the last guy who’s looking to make D&D more like a video game, but every once in awhile, it can be fun to throw in something nostalgic.

Here’s a table for creating ridiculous boss battles, inspired partly by the Zelda series of video games. Have the party battle your big bad, be he wizard, lich or whatnot. When the final blow is struck, everything goes quiet. The foe laughs, dispenses some cryptic last words and then transforms into something else.

Decide on a new HP level, AC and attack level. Then roll 1d12 three times to get a form, an attack and a weakness. The weakness is either apparent because of the monster’s aura or after some experimentation.  There should be some vulnerable moment after the monster attacks where the party can really exploit the weakness.

Rinse and repeat as long as it’s still fun! Please keep it as ridiculous as possible.

Roll 1d12FormSpecial AttackWeakness
1Spider or InsectFireballs (or, Iceballs, Lightning Balls, etc.)Blunt Missile Weapons
2Farm AnimalSonic Shriek (50% chance to paralyze)Arrows
3Gigeresque MonsterPounce or ChargeElemental based attack (1d4, earth, air, fire, water). Has Aura of the opposite element of its weakness.
4Demon FormTentaclesBlunt Melee Weapons
5BatDeath RaysSound-based Attacks
6Giant Elemental (Roll 1d4 - earth, air, fire, water) then roll again for shape of elemental.Breath WeaponIllusions
7SnakeFloor Smash Send Seismic WavesSoft Spot on Body
8Flower with Giant EyeQuillsEnvironmental Effect (Sunlight, Water, Lava, Vegetation)
9Giant CatEnergy DrainBlind
10Ghostly Version of Previous FormBiteEnraged After Hit, -2 on All Attacks
11Larger Version of Previous Form, but cracking part from massive power contained withinLightningAny Explosive or AOE Damage
12Dragon (Breath Weapon + 1 other special attack)Projectile WeaponsCalled Shot Damage

[update: changed a few words. I need to stop writing posts so late.]

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Posted in: content, humor, legacy D&D / Tagged: boss, tables, zelda

One Thought on “Crazy Video Game-Style Boss Battles”

  1. CK Hicks on December 27, 2010 at 1:29 am said:

    Nice, never thought to compile something like this before! I’m downloading and adding this to my long list of resources!

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