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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mesh Hong" data-source="post: 5074369" data-attributes="member: 73463">Cool, it sounds like the fight went well and was reasonably threatening. Now that my group is into Epic level my opinions on solo design have changed. At Epic levels the PCs have so much going for them, they can take a real pounding while putting out massive damage themselves, they also have access to multiple status effects and tactical quirks. All this means that a Solo needs to be so much more serious. Last session ended in the climax of a side quest for my group which culminated in them facing an Exarch of Gruumsh that had been altered in a forge designed to manipulate Primal Matter. The resulting creature was a hideous mutation of its previous form and through an accident during forging it had also subsumed some of the mages that were manipulating the forge. I designed this creature with the very real thought that I might kill one or two of my PCs, my group is 6 level 22 characters and the solo is a 26 brute. In the end the group killed it without too many problems, but a couple of them were close to death an one time or another. I must also state that the rest of the side quest was fairly dangerous, the first encounter they faced upon teleporting in turned out to be the first two encounters rolled into one which bumped it to a level +5 encounter and worked really well. Here is the end boss:- Enraged Primal Exarch of Gruumsh Level 26 Solo BruteHuge Immortal Magical Beast (angel) XP 45,000 Initiative +20 / +10 ( / +0) Senses Perception +19, darkvision, truesight 5Will of Gruumsh aura 4; All non bloodied enemies inside aura take a -2 penalty to saving throws, all bloodied enemies inside the aura take a -4 penalty to saving throwsHP 1,000; Bloodied 500; see Multiple ActionsAC 38; Fortitude 40, Reflex 36, Will 38Immune charmSaving Throws +5Speed 6, fly 6 (clumsy)Action Points 2, also see Slaughter Gods Glory <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/bm.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bmelee:" title="Basic Melee    :bmelee:" data-shortname=":bmelee:" /> Massive Punch (Standard; at-will)Reach 3; attack +29 vs. AC; 4d6+10 damage <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Tear Up and Throw Away (Standard; at-will)2 attacks against the same target; Reach 3; attack +29 vs. AC; 3d6+10 damage; if both attacks hit the target takes the following secondary attack; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+10 damage; on hit target is thrown (slide) 10 squares and knocked prone <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/r.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":ranged:" title="Ranged    :ranged:" data-shortname=":ranged:" /> Fused Brain (Minor; at-will) ♦ special, 1/turnThe Exarch has 6 attached Brains as a result of a catastrophic experiment with primordial matter; each turn the Exarch can activate one random Brain attack; 1: Force Missile - Range 10/20; attack +29 vs. AC; 3d6+10 force damage; on hit target is pushed 4 squares 2: Acid Spray - Close blast 3; attack +27 vs. Reflex; 1d10+8 acid damage; on hit target takes 10 ongoing acid damage (save ends) 3: Hold Ray - Range 10; attack +27 vs. Will; 1d6+6 damage; on hit target is immobilised (save ends) 4: Frost Ray - Range 10; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+8 cold damage; on hit target is slowed (save ends) 5: Life Drain - Range 10; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; on hit target loses a healing surge 6: Heal - Exarch regains 100 HPs <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Call of Gruumsh (Standard; encounter) ♦ thunderBurst 10; attack +27 vs. Fortitude; 5d12+10 thunder damage; on hit target is dazed and takes 15 ongoing thunder damage (save ends); on miss target takes half damage <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/c.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":close:" title="Close    :close:" data-shortname=":close:" /> Summon Slaughter (Standard; recharge 56) ♦ psychicBurst 10; attack +27 vs. Will; 1d10+8 psychic damage; on hit target must make an immediate free "at-will" attack against a valid target of Exarch's choice (this action is considered domination) Threatening ReachExarch has threatening reach (3) with its Massive Punch attack Multiple ActionExarch acts twice each round on initiative +20 and +10; each turn Exarch may take a standard and a minor action; when bloodied Exarch acts three times each round on initiative +20, +10 and +0; if stunned Exarch loses 1 of its initiative actions for the required duration Slaughter Gods GloryWhen an enemy that Exarch can see is reduced to 0 HPs the Exarch regains an action point (its cannot have more than 2 action points at any time) Alignment Chaotic Evil Languages supernalSkills Athletics +28, Endurance +28, Intimidate +26Str 30 (+23) Dex 22 (+19) Wis 12 (+14)Con 30 (+23) Int 8 (+12) Cha 26 (+21)  Lessons learned. 1000 HPs is not really that much for a level 22 group to dish out in a short period of time, (in the actual encounter it managed to heal twice so it actually had 1200 HPs). I am coming to the conclusion that Epic Solos should have at least 150% HPs to make them viable. During the combat I made it so that the “head” actions didn’t provoke opportunity attacks and if the Exarch was blinded the heads could still see to perform their actions when appropriate. With a previous important Solo that also was supposed to have 1000 HPs I actually fudged it having a heal for 250 HPs and then secretly gave it an additional 500 HPs to buy it a few more rounds. My players didn’t notice until I told them later, and they all agreed that it was a good fight. This reinforces my feeling that Epic Solos should have more, not less HPs (contrary to the MMII philosophy). I wonder if any other DMs have come to similar conclusions once their group has reached Epic tier play?</blockquote>

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