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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6862722" data-attributes="member: 4937">So, as a general rule, at 1st level, the PC's probably shouldn't face anything that can do more than about 1d4.... maybe 1d4+1 damage in a single attack.  And preferably the creature if it has multiple attacks (which a boss will need) is constrained not to attack a PC more than once a round.  Big bursts of damage just result in stupid unavoidable deaths where a PC dies despite the player not making any mistakes.The goal of any boss fight should be to get the PC's down near the single digits, before they by dint of resourcefulness and teamwork manage to eck out of a victory.  At 1st level, this historically hasn't left you with much room to work with.Any boss worth the name can either take multiple actions in a round or use an area of effect attack, and is capable of resisting damage in some fashion, and of hindering or debuffing the PCs so that they lose actions.I doubt there is anything that meets all the qualifications for a good boss in the MM.  You'll have to make one up.So mix and match between the following:Offence: Multiple attacks OR Area of Effect Attack.  Either should do about 1d4 damage.  If multiple attacks, make sure it has a radial body plan or multiple serpentine heads.  Limit attacks to 1 per PC.Defense: Damage Resistance OR Fast Healing OR Summons 1/2 HD Minions to Act as ShieldsDebuffing: Retributive Attack (thorns, spines, spurts acidic or flaming blood/ooze, body is electrified) OR has an aura that causes choking/nausea OR gaze attack shakes/demoralizes foes OR causes icy/greasy patches to appear OR conjures flimsy walls/barriers that split up party OR spits webbingThink up an appearance.  Give it a fairly low AC but a pretty big bag of hit points, calculated based on how much damage you figure the party can do in a round and how many rounds they can probably survive, preferably with a little margin for bad luck.If I needed a 1st level boss fight, I'd make up some sort of bone spirit, possessing a jumble of bones.  Or I'd do some sort of possessed animated object, or pile of such objects.  Or I'd do some sort of alien escapee from the Far Realms.  Or I'd make the boss a column of sentient telepathic rats with glowing red eyes that act as a single organism.  Or maybe the same thing with plate sized spiders.  In general though, I try to get PC's to around 2nd level before presenting a boss fight.  At first level, they are just way too fragile and even a small streak of bad luck can put the party into a death spiral.</blockquote>

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