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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BrokeAndDrive" data-source="post: 5251645" data-attributes="member: 89265">(note: this is actually a question, but by omitting the question mark this thread appears more authoritative <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devil.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":devil:" title="Devil    :devil:" data-shortname=":devil:" /> )With all the scattered tips and tricks for creating ye olde solo monster across several forums, it's hard to know what's good and what's bad in solo monster design anymore.Several that I can think of off the top of my head that I've gleaned from the aforementioned several forums, some of which can apply to normals/elites (some contradictory or an exception):<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Needs fewer hit points.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Epic solos don't have enough and die very quickly</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Needs protection from the dreaded stunlock/dazelock/domlock</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">High defenses make them more grindy<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Player powers that penalize defenses/attack bonuses turns solos into pudding</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Combat roles mean jack-all for solos</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">So they aren't boring, solos need to do a bunch of stuff, like multiple basic attacks, minor action attacks, auras, and interrupts/reactions<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Being able to act on multiple initiative counts for no reason (unlike Tiamat) is extremely lame</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Self-heals lead to grind</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Resistance/immunity is BAD<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">"Punishing" effects when hit with certain elements are more fun for players (such as "hit me with fire and I auto-kaboom you")</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Action points for solos higher than level 30 can be arbitrary if you want to give them an edge<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Even better, design powers that give them extra action points</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Solo leaders don't make a lick of sense, because then they aren't solo anymore</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They ought to have multiple "forms" like video game/anime bosses because that is pretty frickin' schweet</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">"Solo" really just means a normal monster nine levels lower (so if Vecna were a normal monster he'd be level 44 but he'd still be the same old Vecna), so if you want to toss a high level normal monster at your party, just make it nine levels lower and redesign it (from scratch if necessary) as a solo (but for all intents and purposes it's the exact same critter)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Similar deal for elites and minions, but I don't remember the levels; I think minions were five level higher than what they'd be normally? Meaning, if you wanted your late paragon party to face a nest of young white dragons, they'd be level 17 minions (from level 3 solo to level 12 normal, then from level 12 normal to level 17 minion), but storywise they're the same guys; likewise, doing this can let you face momma dragon (elder dragon brought from solo to elite), her oldest kids (adult solos turned normal) and her babies (young solos minionized)(</li> </ul></li> </ul>What tips do everyone have for solo monsters, so it's all in one place for everyone's benefit?</blockquote>

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