Super-Mobile Epic Weretiger BBEG

[MortalPlague]

I just whipped up the stat block for the BBEG for my upcoming game. The PCs should be 20th level when they confront her. My party consists of a tempest fighter, a battle cleric, an archer ranger, a storm sorcerer, and an artful dodger rogue.

Farina and her band of lycanthropes have been a thorn in the rogue and ranger's side for a while, so they decided to take her down for good. This is our prelude adventure into epic tier, giving them a chance to settle an old score before they move on to grander things. I decided to give Farina some really crazy mobility, partly to make her different from her allies, but also to let her compensate for a lack of ranged attacks. Anyway, let me know what you think; any criticisms would be very helpful.


Farina (Hybrid Form) L23 Elite Skirmisher
Medium natural humanoid (shapechanger), human - XP 10,200
AC 39; Fort 35; Reflex 38; Will 37
HP 432; Bloodied 216
Initiative +23; Perception +23
Speed 8, climb 8
Saving Throws +2, Action Points 1

--Traits
_ Regeneration
Farina regains 10 hit points whenever she starts her turn and has at least 1 hit point. When Farina takes damage from a silvered weapon, her regeneration does not function on her next turn.

_ Mobile Threat
If Farina moves at least four squares on her turn, she gains +2d8 damage on all attacks until the start of her next turn.

_ Slippery
Farina gains a +4 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.

--Standard Actions
Furious Claws * At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +28 vs. AC
Hit: 4d6 + 17 damage.
Effect: Farina shifts 2 squares.

Quick Striker * At-Will
Farina makes two Furious Claws attacks.

Dancing Through The Melee * Recharge [5], [6]
Farina makes four Furious Claw attacks in succession.

Tiger Snarl (fear) * At-Will
Attack: Close Blast 3 (enemies only); +26 vs. Will
Hit: 3d8 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

Pounce * Recharge [5], [6]
Farina shifts 8 squares and makes the following attack:
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +28 vs. AC
Hit: 6d8 + 19 damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Miss: Half damage.

--Move Actions
_ Coiled Tiger Spring * Recharge [4], [5], [6]
Farina's moves up to 12 squares.

--Minor Actions
_ Pain Can't Slow Me * Recharge [4], [5], [6]
Requirement: Farina must be dazed, slowed, immoblized, or restrained.
Effect: Farina takes 10 damage and ends the effect.

_ Change Shape (polymorph) * At-Will
Effect: Farina alters her physical form to appear as a Medium tiger, unique human, or hybrid.

 

[Mentat55]

Just from a math standpoint, her defenses are very high, in line with MM1/DMG1 guidelines for building elites and solos.

Since MM2, elite and solo defenses have been lower -- I would peg her at AC 37, Fort 34, Ref 36, Will 35. This is especially important, since your PCs will be 3 levels lower than her.

Otherwise, she does look quite mobile. Perhaps having something change when she is first bloodied (e.g., bonus damage, lower defenses, higher movement speed) would add some spice.

 

[OnlineDM]

I like the flavor a lot! A few suggestions:

For flavor, have the Coiled Tiger Spring allow Farina to jump 12 squares horizontally, going no higher than 1 square off the ground. This is more flavorful to me, and it would also let her get over difficult terrain and, if she's willing to take some opportunity attacks, leap over enemies.

Pain Can't Slow Me is good, but Farina can still be stunned or dominated, correct? Maybe that's not a problem with your particular party, but it's a problem for lots of parties with high-level solos. I'd rephrase it to say that she shakes off one condition of her choice, in which case it would have to be a once-per-round No Action rather than a minor (which wouldn't really matter since she doesn't have any other minors that she would use during battle). Check out the solos from the Monster Vault to see how this sort of thing is being handled lately in solos. Farina needs a way to get out of a stun lock.

Since Farina is epic level, I think her regeneration should be 15 rather than 10 (5 per tier).

With Dancing Through the Melee, is there any intended requirement that Farina spread these attacks out, or can she just stand there and beat the crap out of one PC? I'm assuming the latter, but based on the name of the power I wasn't sure.

I'd suggest giving Farina some kind of nasty minor action. You could consider making her Tiger Snarl a minor, for instance. Edit: I thought this was a recharge rather than an at-will. Too nasty for an at-will, I think.

I'd also suggest something cool happening when she becomes bloodied. Have her transform into full-on tiger form, shake off all conditions, get a bonus to damage until the end of the encounter, and immediately recharge and use Dancing Through the Melee, perhaps.

Please don't take these suggestions as criticism; I really like the flavor of Farina and thing she has a lot of potential to be very cool and very scary.

Edit: I just realized that Farina was an elite, not a solo. My comments were written with a solo in mind. So, you can ignore most of them! She doesn't need to be pumped up as much if she's not a solo. But given her description as the BBEG, I'd suggest you consider making her a solo.

 

[Saagael]

I noticed some points already mentioned, so I'll reiterate.

Defenses are too high; My level 22 PCs would have trouble hitting those defenses, so I could suggest lowering them by 2 or 3 for each. Note that the math is such that AC is Level + 14, and Non-AC-defenses are Level + 12.

Not sure if I'm just blind, but I can't find her hit points.

Dazing (save ends) at-will with Tiger Snarl seems like it would lead to a really grindy session. All the enemy has to do is snarl at the party and move away 8 squares, making it so that melee characters can't even reach her, and ranged characters can't move. That just seems excessive. I would change that to a recharge bloodied power and have it be close burst 5 or 10, so it makes for a scary round or two, but not a grindy encounter (its also a nice power if she needs to REALLY get out of there quick).

As has been stated, make her change at bloodied. In fact, I would go so far as to say the first half of the encounter is its own encounter, and the second half is another. Example:

The PCs face Farina, 2 artillery and a dozen minions at first (more if the PCs are very good at slaughtering minions, as I expect they are with a sorcerer and a ranger). When Farina becomes bloodied (at around 200 hit points), she transforms into her pure tiger form, going from a skirmisher, to a powerhouse brute.

At this point, you might shift her into a solo creature if you want, upping her hit points to 400 out of 800 (so she's still bloodied), though you can do without this easily. As a brute, lower her defenses, up her damage, and change a few powers so that she's less about mobility and much more about throwing PCs around (powers that push 5 squares, or throw them at another character). Maybe look at the monk for some inspiration on powers.

 

[MortalPlague]

Just from a math standpoint, her defenses are very high, in line with MM1/DMG1 guidelines for building elites and solos.

Her defenses are high, but she's also the final villain. I'm going to gauge how the PCs are doing in the fights leading up to the encounter and see if a drop in defenses are warranted. She'll often by in combat advantage, due to the rogue, and I suspect they'll be hitting her with all kinds of debuffs throughout the fight.

For flavor, have the Coiled Tiger Spring allow Farina to jump 12 squares horizontally, going no higher than 1 square off the ground. This is more flavorful to me, and it would also let her get over difficult terrain and, if she's willing to take some opportunity attacks, leap over enemies.

That I might do. The point of the power is so that she can get to the ranger or sorcerer, but if the fighter's on her game, Farina can be stopped in her tracks.

Pain Can't Slow Me is good, but Farina can still be stunned or dominated, correct?

Correct. In the final fight, the plan is she'll be paired with her surviving lieutenant, also an elite. So if one or the other get stunned or dominated, that's all part of the game.

With Dancing Through the Melee, is there any intended requirement that Farina spread these attacks out, or can she just stand there and beat the crap out of one PC? I'm assuming the latter, but based on the name of the power I wasn't sure.

The intent is definitely to let her attack the whole party, but if she really, really needs to take down a single target, she could spend all those attacks on the tank. The fighter will punish her for the shift, so her mobility is not without cost.

Please don't take these suggestions as criticism; I really like the flavor of Farina and thing she has a lot of potential to be very cool and very scary.

Not at all! I really appreciate the feedback. There are some clever minds on these boards, who can spot things I'd miss.

But given her description as the BBEG, I'd suggest you consider making her a solo.

In my experience, solos usually make for a long, grindy, boring fight. I prefer to use solos for things like dragons or beasts, rather than for people. That way, I can pair Farina with her surviving lieutenant.

Not sure if I'm just blind, but I can't find her hit points.

Oops. Fixing that now.

Dazing (save ends) at-will with Tiger Snarl seems like it would lead to a really grindy session. All the enemy has to do is snarl at the party and move away 8 squares, making it so that melee characters can't even reach her, and ranged characters can't move. That just seems excessive. I would change that to a recharge bloodied power and have it be close burst 5 or 10, so it makes for a scary round or two, but not a grindy encounter (its also a nice power if she needs to REALLY get out of there quick).

I'll consider that one. She still has to hit for tiger snarl to daze, and she uses that, a lower damage attack, in place of dancing through the melee (much higher damage). I think the trade-off in damage means she won't be using it very often to begin with. Recharge bloodied is an option, though if that's the case, I might make it a free action and a burst.

As has been stated, make her change at bloodied. In fact, I would go so far as to say the first half of the encounter is its own encounter, and the second half is another.

I'm going to give some thought to a change-up at bloodied. It might wind up being purely an environmental change, too.

 

[sophiasmith941]

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