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The 4e Solo Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="(Psi)SeveredHead" data-source="post: 6245024" data-attributes="member: 1165"><p>Solo Fixes: For obvious reasons, do not try to apply all of these to a single monster.</p><p></p><p>Solos don't act off of their turns: there's numerous ways of fixing this.</p><p></p><p>Triggered actions, especially those that go off every time a PC starts or ends their turn, work well. The beholder's Random Eye Ray power (zap an enemy that starts close to the beholder, even if the beholder is stunned, is a great example of this).</p><p></p><p>Double Actions help too, plus they give a boss an extra save per turn (and if they have any effects that go off when it ends its turn, this helps too). I usually give this ability to solo skirmishers, as they need those move actions. I've seen a few monsters that get as many as four or five actions per turn, and one that gets one <em>per opponent</em>. Generally results in utter ridiculousness if you look at its speed ratings, so use with care.</p><p></p><p>An interesting take on "double actions" is the "Magic Shadow", which is basically a second creature "riding" the solo but sharing its hit point pool. It doesn't get move actions but it gets all other actions, rolls initiative separately, and does not share conditions. (Of course, PCs might be able to stun them both, but the chances are very unlikely.) I haven't been able to word that very well yet.</p><p></p><p>Here's what I have for Lucan and his soulblade (one of the first few Eberron adventures):</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The soulblade also had specific actions only it could use, and could use skills separately too (such as Perception).</p><p></p><p>Prone: Bosses are vulnerable to being knocked prone.</p><p></p><p>Monstrous Stability</p><p>When an effect forces the boss to move, it moves 1 less square (per tier) than the effect specifies. When an attack should knock the boss prone, it can roll a saving throw to avoid falling prone.</p><p></p><p>Note: my PCs hate it when I do this, but I use it a lot, especially for flying solos. It turns out they also like the -2 penalty to hit, which I hate.</p><p></p><p>Movement Restrictions: Bosses are vulnerable to mobility restrictions, specifically being knocked prone, immobilized, grabbed, restrained, or slowed.</p><p></p><p>Need for Speed: When immobilized, restrained, or slowed, the boss instead subtracts 2 from its movement speed.</p><p></p><p>Utility Power: Any effect that renders the boss immobilized, restrained, or slowed ends, and (describe attack)</p><p></p><p>Utility Power, or an Effect for an attack: The boss stands up if it is prone. It is no longer immobilized, restrained, or grabbed. (Many of Angry DM's monsters make a move action attack while prone, then use this effect.)</p><p></p><p>Action Limiters: Bosses are vulnerable to action limiters, specifically being knocked prone, dazed, stunned, or dominated.</p><p></p><p>Action Recovery (as dragon or Calastryx)</p><p></p><p>Clearheaded. Trigger: The boss becomes dazed, dominated, or stunned. Effect (No Action): The boss makes a saving throw against the effect. If the save succeeds, the triggering condition ends ends immediately even if it cannot normally be ended by a save.</p><p></p><p>Instinctive Assault (as dragon). I try to include a move in here. If a monster has an at-will trample attack, for instance, it'll be an instinctive trample.</p><p></p><p>Save Ends: Bosses are vulnerable to save ends powers.</p><p></p><p>Double Actions - see above</p><p></p><p>Brutal Shakeoff/Shake it Off (this ability lets a monster take 5 damage per tier to make saving throws or simply end a condition)</p><p></p><p>End of Turn Conditions: Bosses are vulnerable to "end of turn" conditions.</p><p></p><p>Brutal Shakeoff - see above.</p><p></p><p>Dark Transfer: Trigger: This creature begins its turn. Effect (No Action): This creature can pass one [per tier] current [status] effect to a non-minion ally within 10 squares. // This requires allies. I used it to pretty good effect on a psionic controller (leader) solo. His allies were artillery ... swarms. It also meant he had to stay near his allies, which the PCs could take advantage (either force move him or his allies).</p><p></p><p>Implacable: as the death knight ability. The creature gets an immediate save as a "no action" against <em>any</em> condition. Death knights are only elites!</p><p></p><p>Indomitable: If the boss suffers from an effect that ends at the end of a creature's turn, the effect ends at the end of the boss’s next turn. (This is especially handy if a creature has multiple turns.)</p><p></p><p>Player Resistance</p><p>Heroes tend to buff with resistance effects against bosses.</p><p></p><p>Mounting Power/Rage: While bloodied, the boss adds +5 damage (per tier) to all attacks.</p><p></p><p>Mounting Aura: Increase an aura by 5 damage, or more.</p><p></p><p>Long-Ranged Attacks</p><p>Donut aura versus ranged attacks...</p><p></p><p>This aura is inactive within 10 squares of the boss. The active aura is difficult terrain and heavily obscured. Any enemy that ends its turn in the active aura takes X damage and, if flying, falls prone.</p><p></p><p>Warning: Brutally effective against unconscious PCs. Maybe you could only make it affect PCs that can see it (and unconscious PCs cannot see), or something along those lines.</p><p></p><p>Conditions in General</p><p>While dazed, stunned, unconscious, dominated, blind, or weakened, the boss instead grants combat advantage and is vulnerable 5 per tier to all damage.</p><p></p><p>Being Flanked: Solos are very vulnerable to this, as the melee heroes can easily surround a single creature.</p><p></p><p>Anytime they are attacked (miss, hit, or even either), the monster should either be able to shift, or slide an adjacent enemy. Makes a lot of sense for martial artist-flavored enemies.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(Psi)SeveredHead, post: 6245024, member: 1165"] Solo Fixes: For obvious reasons, do not try to apply all of these to a single monster. Solos don't act off of their turns: there's numerous ways of fixing this. Triggered actions, especially those that go off every time a PC starts or ends their turn, work well. The beholder's Random Eye Ray power (zap an enemy that starts close to the beholder, even if the beholder is stunned, is a great example of this). Double Actions help too, plus they give a boss an extra save per turn (and if they have any effects that go off when it ends its turn, this helps too). I usually give this ability to solo skirmishers, as they need those move actions. I've seen a few monsters that get as many as four or five actions per turn, and one that gets one [i]per opponent[/i]. Generally results in utter ridiculousness if you look at its speed ratings, so use with care. An interesting take on "double actions" is the "Magic Shadow", which is basically a second creature "riding" the solo but sharing its hit point pool. It doesn't get move actions but it gets all other actions, rolls initiative separately, and does not share conditions. (Of course, PCs might be able to stun them both, but the chances are very unlikely.) I haven't been able to word that very well yet. Here's what I have for Lucan and his soulblade (one of the first few Eberron adventures): The soulblade also had specific actions only it could use, and could use skills separately too (such as Perception). Prone: Bosses are vulnerable to being knocked prone. Monstrous Stability When an effect forces the boss to move, it moves 1 less square (per tier) than the effect specifies. When an attack should knock the boss prone, it can roll a saving throw to avoid falling prone. Note: my PCs hate it when I do this, but I use it a lot, especially for flying solos. It turns out they also like the -2 penalty to hit, which I hate. Movement Restrictions: Bosses are vulnerable to mobility restrictions, specifically being knocked prone, immobilized, grabbed, restrained, or slowed. Need for Speed: When immobilized, restrained, or slowed, the boss instead subtracts 2 from its movement speed. Utility Power: Any effect that renders the boss immobilized, restrained, or slowed ends, and (describe attack) Utility Power, or an Effect for an attack: The boss stands up if it is prone. It is no longer immobilized, restrained, or grabbed. (Many of Angry DM's monsters make a move action attack while prone, then use this effect.) Action Limiters: Bosses are vulnerable to action limiters, specifically being knocked prone, dazed, stunned, or dominated. Action Recovery (as dragon or Calastryx) Clearheaded. Trigger: The boss becomes dazed, dominated, or stunned. Effect (No Action): The boss makes a saving throw against the effect. If the save succeeds, the triggering condition ends ends immediately even if it cannot normally be ended by a save. Instinctive Assault (as dragon). I try to include a move in here. If a monster has an at-will trample attack, for instance, it'll be an instinctive trample. Save Ends: Bosses are vulnerable to save ends powers. Double Actions - see above Brutal Shakeoff/Shake it Off (this ability lets a monster take 5 damage per tier to make saving throws or simply end a condition) End of Turn Conditions: Bosses are vulnerable to "end of turn" conditions. Brutal Shakeoff - see above. Dark Transfer: Trigger: This creature begins its turn. Effect (No Action): This creature can pass one [per tier] current [status] effect to a non-minion ally within 10 squares. // This requires allies. I used it to pretty good effect on a psionic controller (leader) solo. His allies were artillery ... swarms. It also meant he had to stay near his allies, which the PCs could take advantage (either force move him or his allies). Implacable: as the death knight ability. The creature gets an immediate save as a "no action" against [i]any[/i] condition. Death knights are only elites! Indomitable: If the boss suffers from an effect that ends at the end of a creature's turn, the effect ends at the end of the boss’s next turn. (This is especially handy if a creature has multiple turns.) Player Resistance Heroes tend to buff with resistance effects against bosses. Mounting Power/Rage: While bloodied, the boss adds +5 damage (per tier) to all attacks. Mounting Aura: Increase an aura by 5 damage, or more. Long-Ranged Attacks Donut aura versus ranged attacks... This aura is inactive within 10 squares of the boss. The active aura is difficult terrain and heavily obscured. Any enemy that ends its turn in the active aura takes X damage and, if flying, falls prone. Warning: Brutally effective against unconscious PCs. Maybe you could only make it affect PCs that can see it (and unconscious PCs cannot see), or something along those lines. Conditions in General While dazed, stunned, unconscious, dominated, blind, or weakened, the boss instead grants combat advantage and is vulnerable 5 per tier to all damage. Being Flanked: Solos are very vulnerable to this, as the melee heroes can easily surround a single creature. Anytime they are attacked (miss, hit, or even either), the monster should either be able to shift, or slide an adjacent enemy. Makes a lot of sense for martial artist-flavored enemies. [/QUOTE]
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