Alternative Solo: 250 sq Progenitor Wyrm

[Pour]

I didn't want to hijack the Kronos thread, but in the same spirit of alternative solos, I've tried my hand at a home brew system I would utilize again.

In a Paragon capstone encounter with a monumental (250 square wide token on Maptool) green progenitor wyrm, I needed a different approach to solos. I basically expressed his various threats (body, head, claws, wings, tail) as separate stat blocks, and dictated certain attacks and conditions on where the party was in relation to the dragon's token: whether they were under him, on him (via skill checks), or level/above him (flying PCs).

The head and body were 'Vital', and if either were reduced to 0 hp, all the appendages would also be reduced to 0 (which is actually how the group won). The head was difficult for most PCs to reach, 150 ft. up, but had less hp. The easy-to-reach body became their main damage vector.

We had a really dynamic combat that was, refreshingly, not very dependent on the combat grid at all- the map was just used for initial placement and the occasional escape/climb. The dragon's scope and movement really nullified most of the RAW forced movements and made the dragon kind of like a living battlefield. We entered into some interesting, imaginative territory where the players interpreted their attacks given the dragon part targeted/hit by. I wouldn't recommend it for all combats, as I felt as DM I had to keep track of more hypothetical space, but for a boss battle like this it was the perfect departure. I would use this method again, especially since a complicated foe was broken down and represented throughout the battle on different initiatives to create a really encompassing experience.

Here's my stat blocks if you're curious.

Body: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6620994661_e4156558a4_b.jpg
Head: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6620995365_13ccb0581b_b.jpg
Claws: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6620996549_4453ee85cc_b.jpg
Wings: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6620996279_6b11480c74_z.jpg
Tail: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6620995687_7a09ea65a2_b.jpg

 

[Quickleaf]

Really cool idea! A question I had about "The Mountain That Moves" trait of the body which says creatures knocked prone/forced to move must save or fall. How did that work in play? For example, trample allowed your solo to make an attack against all PC each round which could potentially knock them prone. Were PCs constantly falling in the fight?

 

[Pour]

Really cool idea! A question I had about "The Mountain That Moves" trait of the body which says creatures knocked prone/forced to move must save or fall. How did that work in play? For example, trample allowed your solo to make an attack against all PC each round which could potentially knock them prone. Were PCs constantly falling in the fight?

I treated the battlefield on three planes, the ground level, the dragon's body, and in the air. 'The Mountain that Moves' was meant for PCs on his body, which was predominantly just the warden. He managed all of his skill checks to remain mounted on the dragon, while also climbing from the tail to the body.

I actually did play 'Trample' as damaging ground level and dragon body level PCs both, and combined with the wings and tail conditions, there were a lot of people being pushed and knocked prone throughout, but it was neither overdone or unimaginable fighting this massive thing. I had a long discussion with the group afterward regarding this approach the a solo- mentioning prone conditions, massive damage expressions (really upped damage of things like breath), and the idea of appendages vs. vital, and the response was very positive- one of the better fights of the Paragon tier, maybe the campaign.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy Pour!

Interesting stuff but I think there is too much redundant material. For instance why does his Tail section need an Intelligence?

Personally I think you can treat seperate body parts as seperate hit point totals without requiring an additional full stat-block.

Still pretty cool monster though.

 

[wrecan]

That's pretty much what I did with Piecework Creatures