Need Help with Homebrew Final Boss

[Arctic Wolf]

Here is a rough draft of his abilties and scores from the monster builder, what do ya think?

Nihilious, Demon Prince of Time Level 35 Solo Artillery
Medium elemental humanoid (demon) XP 235,000
HP 1150; Bloodied 575
AC 43; Fortitude 46; Reflex 49; Will 51
Speed 8, teleport 6
Immune dominate, stun, slow
Saving Throws +5; Action Points 2
Initiative +45
Perception +32
Darkvision, Truesight 20

Traits
O Nothing Stands the Test of Time • Aura 20 All resistances and immunities to any form of damage are negated while inside this aura.
O Reverse Time • Aura 10 Immediate Reaction: Whenever the enemy performs an action, that action is negated and they have to perform a different action. Any powers they would have used are not expanded and critical hits cannot be reversed. This can only be used once per round.

Standard Actions
Time Flashes Before Your Eyes (illusion) • Recharge 6
Attack: Touch (One Creature); +38 vs. Will
Hit: The target becomes unconscious (save ends).
First Failed Saving Throw: The target is reduced to 0 hit points.

Sphere of Ultimate Destruction (necrotic) • Encounter
Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends). If this attack kills the target, the target is erased from everyone's memory except the group's.

(basic melee) Time-Stealing Strike (necrotic) • At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (One Creature); +40 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is slowed (save ends).

(basic ranged) Timeless Bolt (necrotic) • At-Will
Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is stunned (save ends).

C Wrinkle in Time • Recharge 5
Attack: Close Burst 10 (All Creatures in Burst); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is slowed (save ends).

Rewind Time (healing) • Encounter
Effect: Nihilious spends a healing surge and regains 360 hit points. Nihilious gains +2 to all defenses until the start of his next turn.

Other Powers
Speed Up Time • At-Will
Trigger: Nihilious is subject to an effect a save can end.
Effect (No Action): Nihilious can make a saving throw to end the effect.

Skills Arcana +33, Athletics +32, Diplomacy +33, History +33, Insight +32, Religion +33
Str 30 (+27) Dex 33 (+28) Wis 30 (+27)
Con 27 (+25) Int 33 (+28) Cha 33 (+28)
Alignment unaligned Languages Abyssal, Supernal
Equipment staff implement

 

[the Jester]

A few things I notice:

1. His ability to shrug off action denial is decent, with his immunities; but he looks really vulnerable to daze (which isn't that rare of a condition).

2. His damage seems low- 2d10+15 is average 26 points; average damage for a single-target attack ought to come in at about 43 for him, so something like 4d10+21 seems more appropriate.

3. Reverse time shouldn't be an aura if it's not always on. Immediate actions are triggered actions. Just make the trigger "A creature within 10 squares takes an action Nihilous doesn't like".

4. A huge flaw for a campaign ending BBEG: he is NOT the equivalent of five monsters. He only gets one monster's worth of actions and attacks. Basically, he's just one monster with tons of hit points. ESPECIALLY with his rewind time ability- I see a fight with him as very long but not very dangerous.

I would recommend giving him one of the following or something similar:

-An ability that lets him make three basic attacks as a standard action, or five if he is bloodied;
-Multiple initiatives- three turns, going up to four if he's bloodied;
-"Recursive Damage"- when he hits you, you take equal damage at the start of your turn (save ends) combined with two basic attacks per round, three if bloodied;
-An aura about 3 squares in size that deals 35 damage plus an ability that lets him make two basic attacks per round, three if bloodied.

I'd also change his rewind time ability to remove all conditions instead of being a healing power, personally- that reduces grind and is a defensive ability that ratchets up the threat level he presents, because he's harder to weigh down with blind + dazed + ongoing 20 + ....

EDIT: Also, his at will stunned (save ends) might be a bit much, even at epic. Then again, a tpk should be a viable possibility in the finale.

 

[Nullzone]

Posting so I can remember to come back to this later. I have a module that has a "monster" that is an oracle of sorts who commands mastery of the past and the future; I'll see if I can't post some of it for adaptation.

Off the top of my head though:

- Epic or not, stunned at will is just going to suck the fun out. Find something else to do with this, if at all possible. While I can appreciate the idea that stun is equivalent to 'time stop', it doesn't change the fact that you are robbing players of interaction. An alternative would be to remove the player from existence, and they are placed in an extradimensional rift; they have to get out, either via puzzle or skill/combat, on their own turn. This provides them a means to keep playing while still accomplishing the goal of denying the PC from accessing the boss for a turn. Bonus points for theme if you do something like sending the character into a shadow of their own history; some array of significant events that the group previously experienced that they have to find their way out of. If you absolutely feel like it must have stun, then make it end of next turn (yes, this is arguably more powerful than save ends, but it's much easier to regulate and spread out so you're not locking out one player indefinitely).

- Time Stealing Strike and Wrinkle In Time are essentially the same thing, which strikes me as boring (no offense). Wrinkle In Time I think could be a lot more interesting as a sort of 'dominate' effect; every hit target moves up to their speed and makes an at-will attack against a target of your choice, and the time lord also teleports a large number of squares. Flavor wise, this is essentially like the party rushes in to attack the time lord, and suddenly finds their friends on the other end of their blade, completely unsure how exactly they got there.

- Good action recovery, but straight up immune is kind of cheesy, depending on your players' power choices; if you have a character who has built around action denial, then making this guy immune is basically slapping him in the face. Consider possibly giving him a no-action power that is either recharge or 1/round that lets him end a negative effect immediately; this will deliver a bit of a shock to the players but still potentially allow them to peg him with those effects by spending more costly resources.

- And yes, he definitely needs more power to act as the equivalent of multiple monsters; multiple initiatives is probably ideal given his theme. Spread them out at automatic values to make it easy, using rough high/medium/low rolls for his init check. In addition to this, he should be capable of hitting at LEAST two creatures with every standard action he takes; whether that means a simple double attack, or an at-will burst/blast power, or whatever. A minor action or reactionary attack is also prudent.

- Rewind Time is just going to drag out the fight. Make it a power that ends all effects on him, removes all zones from the combat area, and immediately recharges all of his powers.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

Nihilious, Demon Prince of Time​

Level 35 Solo Artillery
Medium elemental humanoid(demon) XP 235,000

HP 1250; Bloodied 625​

AC 46; Fortitude 46; Reflex 49; Will 51

Speed 8, teleport 12

Saving Throws +5; Action Points 2

Initiative+30

Perception+32

Darkvision, Truesight 20

Traits

Nothing Stands the Test of Time • Aura 20 All resistances and immunities are negated while inside this aura.

Boon of Time

Nihilious can spend action points regardless of whose turn it is.

Master of Time
At the start of combat, Nihilious takes three initiative checks at 45/30/15. He takes a turn on all initiative counts and Nihilious' ability to take immidiate actions refreshes.

Standard Actions​

M Time Flashes Before Your Eyes (illusion) • Recharge 6​

Attack: Touch (One Creature); +38 vs. Will
Hit: The target becomes unconscious (save ends).
Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is reduced to 0 hit points.

R Sphere of Ultimate Destruction (necrotic) • Encounter​

Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is slowed (save ends) and all beneficial effects end. If this attack kills the target, the target is erased from everyone's memory except the group's.

m Time-Stealing Strike (necrotic) • At-Will​

Attack: Melee 1 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 13 necrotic damage and the target is slowed (save ends).

r Timeless Bolt (necrotic) • Recharge 5 6​

Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 13 necrotic damage. The target is then removed from play and sent back in time to a random event that they have to complete.

C Wrinkle in Time • At-Will​

Attack: Close Burst 10 (All Creatures in Burst); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: Nihilious teleports his speed away, then he teleports each enemy so that they are adjacent to each other and make a basic attack toward the nearest ally of theirs. Nilhilious chooses which ally they attack and where they teleport to.

Rewind Time(arcane) • Encounter​

Effect: Nihilious removes all conditions a save can end. Nihilious gains +2 to all defenses until the start of his next turn.

C Time Rip (necrotic) • At-Will​

Effect: Close Burst 20 (All Creatures in Burst); 5d8 + 13 nectoric damage and the target is slowed (save ends).

Triggered Actions​

Speed Up Time • At-Will 2/round​

Trigger: Nihilious is subjected to an effect a save can end.
Effect (No Action): Nilhilious is no longer subject to that effect.

R Reverse Time • At-Will 1/round​

Trigger: Nihilious takes ongoing damage.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Nihilious makes a saving throw against the effect.

Time Stop • At-Will 1/round​

Trigger: A slowed enemy attacks Nihlious.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The enemy's turn is now over and they are no longer slowed.

Skills
Arcana +33, Diplomacy +33, History +33, Insight +32, Nature +32, Religion +33​

Str 30 (+27) Dex 33 (+28) Wis 30 (+27)

Con 27 (+25) Int 33 (+28) Cha 33 (+28)

Alignment unaligned　　Languages Abyssal,Supernal

 

[Quickleaf]

Boon of Time

Nihilious can take two standard actions per turn but not the same action unless it is a basic melee or ranged attack.

Master of Time
At the start of combat, Nihilious makes two initiative checks. He takes a turn on both initiative counts and Nihilious' ability to take immidiate actions refreshes.

So Nihilious gets two turns each round? And during each he can take two standard actions, a move action, and a minor action? So 4 standard actions per round for the entire combat? That's a bit much even at epic, isn't it?

An interesting thing about giving him two turns is that there's the chance for (save ends) powers to effect him twice. It looks like you've given him some abilities to mitigate this, but just pointing it out.

M Time Flashes Before Your Eyes (illusion) • Recharge 6​

Attack: Touch (One Creature); +38 vs. Will
Hit: The target becomes unconscious (save ends).
Second Failed Saving Throw: The target is reduced to 0 hit points.

Being unconscious mid-battle is boring. Remember my advice upthread about stunned PCs and an "alternate reality/timeline"? Same applies here.
Timeless Bolt does something like this.

R Sphere of Ultimate Destruction (necrotic) • Encounter​

Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 15 necrotic damage and the target is weakened (save ends). If this attack kills the target, the target is erased from everyone's memory except the group's.

Since the idea is that the PC's impact on history is being erased (right?), I would consider replacing weakened with ending all buffs on that PC as well as any ongoing powers/effects they have. I think it fits what you're going for better, plus I try to avoid weakened unless there's no alternative or it fits just perfectly.

r Timeless Bolt (necrotic) • Recharge 5 6​

Attack: Range 10 (One Creature); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 5d10 + 13 necrotic damage. The target is then removed from play and sent back in time to a random event that they have to complete.

Awesome How will you run this in play? Do you have "random event table" and several encounters from old sessions prepared? Or does it go back to childhood or non-combat encounters?

C Wrinkle in Time • At-Will​

Attack: Close Burst 10 (All Creatures in Burst); +40 vs. Fortitude
Hit: Nihilious teleports his speed away and teleports each enemy adjacent and then they make a basic attack toward the nearest ally of theirs. Nilhilious chooses which ally they attack and where they teleport to.

Ambiguous language. Is it that first Nihilous teleports then enemies he ends adjacent to are targeted? Then why the need for close burst 10?

Rewind Time(arcane) • Encounter​

Effect: Nihilious removes all conditions a save can end. Nihilious gains +2 to all defenses until the start of his next turn.

I'm not convinced he needs this power when he has Speed Up Time as a "no action." And in general powers which boost monster defenses or heal are a pain.

Speed Up Time • At-Will1/round​

Trigger: Nihilious is subjected to an effect a save can end.
Effect (No Action): Nihilious can make a saving throw to end the effect.

I would power this up so that either it automatically works or he can use it once per each of his turns (i.e. 2/round).

R Reverse Time • At-Will 1/round​

Trigger: Range 10; The target takes an action Nihilious doesn't like.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Range 10; The target has to redo that action but differently.

Not sure....

Time Stop • At-Will 1/round​

Trigger: A slowed enemy attacks Nihlious.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The enemy is now stunned until the end of it's turn and is no longer slowed.

Man I really like the image this power evokes. I just don't like stunned.

It'll take some adjudication on your part, but the recursion loop idea could work great. This would be a good place to put it to work. Or, since I noticed Nihilious doesn't have any "when bloodied" condition, you could make it some kind of hazard which triggers mid-fight.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

Yea so far I am working on his Spellcaster form and then will put some effort into his demon form. How does this look for a mental image: he has a wolf head, gauntlet looking claws, a human body, bat-wings, and a tail? I'm not sure what kind of attacks he would do in this form since he uses melee attacks but I will worry when I get to it.

So Should I just let him have one standard and just have another turn so its 3 turns total or is 2 good enough? And yea save ends moves will be a bit more effective too.

You think I should just have Time Flashes Before Your Eyes the deadly version of Timeless Bolt in terms of effect? That would seem the best to me and if they can't beat the puzzle they just die in front of the other PCs. How does that sound?

I think I might make Sphere more deadly by having it do damage that could reach the bloodied value and maybe make it remove buffs seems or give them a -penalty to saving throws to make his other attacks deadly.

When I do Timeless Bolt, I may use a past encounter or something from their childhood when I do it. So basically they will get blasted with this attack and when they open their eyes wonder how they got there.

Yea with Wrinkle in Time I meant for him to teleport away and all the enemies to suddenly appear next to each other and make a basic attack. Need to fix the language on it xD

How about I have Rewind Time as a minor action that removes zones and buffs for the PCs? Would it be good for once per turn or is that OP?

Yea twice per round makes sense and an auto-save works well too. Maybe I should keep this as Rewind Time and have Speed Up Time as the effect above?

How about I get read of Reverse Time and call it Recursion Loop and have them repeat the attack but they attack an ally instead since it will teleport one PC in the same square as Nihilious teleports out and whoever last attacked him attacks the PC with an at-will?

How about I have Time Stop end their turn instead of stun them? The stun was only going to stop the attack and fade at the end of their turn anyways.

 

[Quickleaf]

So Should I just let him have one standard and just have another turn so its 3 turns total or is 2 good enough? And yea save ends moves will be a bit more effective too.

3 turns sounds good to me.

You think I should just have Time Flashes Before Your Eyes the deadly version of Timeless Bolt in terms of effect? That would seem the best to me and if they can't beat the puzzle they just die in front of the other PCs. How does that sound?

Tell me more about this puzzle? Death as a consequence for failing a puzzle is pretty steep unless your players are into puzzles.

I think I might make Sphere more deadly by having it do damage that could reach the bloodied value and maybe make it remove buffs seems or give them a -penalty to saving throws to make his other attacks deadly.

Well since Sphere of Ultimate Destruction is an encounter power upping damage by 25% makes sense. So if you're using the base damage is 8 + monster damage.... so 55 average damage would be good.

How about I have Rewind Time as a minor action that removes zones and buffs for the PCs? Would it be good for once per turn or is that OP?

A minor action at-will useable twice per round (because Nihilious gets 2 turns) which removes zones and buffs is too much.

From a flavor/story standpoint, Rewind Time doesn't really feel demonic to me, maybe coming up with a bit of description and an evocative name for these powers will help suggest ideas.

For example, what if you went with a theme of "regrets", so that when a PC struck by Timeless Bolt is sent back in time to a moment where they have doubts about the decision they made? Just one idea.

How about I get rid of Reverse Time and call it Recursion Loop and have them repeat the attack but they attack an ally instead since it will teleport one PC in the same square as Nihilious teleports out and whoever last attacked him attacks the PC with an at-will?

I think part of your difficulty is a disconnect between story concept and mechanics of Nihilious. I would really encourage you to write up some flavor text for each of your proposed powers. At the least it would help us help you.

How about I have Time Stop end their turn instead of stun them? The stun was only going to stop the attack and fade at the end of their turn anyways.

Yes, that works great.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

Nothing Stands the Test of Time aura to me is suppose to show that any sort of boon to resist and be immune to certain types of damage will eventually fail and fade away.

Boon of Time means that he can act even when the enemy thinks they have the advantage so he can surprise them.

Master of Time shows that he can be anywhere since he has 3 initiatives.

Time Flashes Before Your Eyes is where Nihilious appears in front of you and just touches your forehead and it seems as if the PC is reliving their life. In reality, Nihilious is taking this precious time and adding it to his collection of time that he has stolen from people by letting them rewrite an important part of history in their life. I hope this helps.

Sphere of Ultimate Destruction is basically a condensed sphere of time energy that is meant reduce their impact on history if they die like you said. I like the effect you suggest for it too and changed it to do that.

Time-Stealing Strike is basically a melee attack he uses to steal some of the targets time, hence the slowing effect. You think I should add that he can shift or teleport away since in this phase he is suppose to be a spellcaster?

Timeless Bolt is a bolt of energy that mentally sends the target back in time to relive an event and make sure things stay as they were prolly by doing a few skill checks or maybe fighting against their self for something they could of saved but feel grief about. How does that sound?

Wrinkle in Time is how you described it where Nihilious teleports away but that teleportation causes a time lapse and the PCs end up hitting each other and wondering what the hell happened.

Rewind Time is when Nihilious uses the time energy he has gained through the years to rewind an effect. How about I make it a minor action that can be used once per round, that way he can't use it every turn, and it gets read of a zone or area effect or I could use it so he alters a section of terrain to become difficult terrain?

How do ya like what I did with the triggers now? Also thanks again Quickleaf

 

[the Jester]

The "can spend action points during anyone's turn" clause is awesome.

 

[Arctic Wolf]

The "can spend action points during anyone's turn" clause is awesome.

Thank you . I thought that would make since so that way the PCs aren't really sure when he will use his power. How do you like hos this guy is developing?