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D&D Older Editions
The 4e Solo Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6245540" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>Something I've found that is very central to having a rewarding Solo fight shows itself in 5e actually; The Lair as adversary. </p><p></p><p>Like pretty much all fights in 4e, the locale features are exceedingly important. In the case of Solos, the BBEG's lair is even moreso. Runes/Altars/Glyphs that buff/augment/force-multiply, mobile hazards and traps (of an energy type that the BBEG is resistant or immune to) that play off of debuffs (eg vuln) that the Solo inflicts and that are engaging for the PCs to attempt to either avoid or disrupt are a big of the artform of crafting memorable Solo battles. They avoid the HP system so the PCs will have to interact with them in other, more compelling ways (Countermeasures, Skill Challenges, Mobility/Forced Movement that costs Action Economy) than just stabbing a guard in the face or deploying a big AoE bomb to a horde of minions. They're resistant to punitive control effects. </p><p></p><p>All told, I put just as much focus on constructing a synergistic lair as I do on the Solo itself.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6245540, member: 6696971"] Something I've found that is very central to having a rewarding Solo fight shows itself in 5e actually; The Lair as adversary. Like pretty much all fights in 4e, the locale features are exceedingly important. In the case of Solos, the BBEG's lair is even moreso. Runes/Altars/Glyphs that buff/augment/force-multiply, mobile hazards and traps (of an energy type that the BBEG is resistant or immune to) that play off of debuffs (eg vuln) that the Solo inflicts and that are engaging for the PCs to attempt to either avoid or disrupt are a big of the artform of crafting memorable Solo battles. They avoid the HP system so the PCs will have to interact with them in other, more compelling ways (Countermeasures, Skill Challenges, Mobility/Forced Movement that costs Action Economy) than just stabbing a guard in the face or deploying a big AoE bomb to a horde of minions. They're resistant to punitive control effects. All told, I put just as much focus on constructing a synergistic lair as I do on the Solo itself. [/QUOTE]
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