Random boss ideas

[Zonk]

What about random bosses which are actually, you know, generated with semi-random stats and talents?
Say, named ancient demons/wyrms/undead ....?

No comments on this? I was thinking that their ego drops should be fitting - say the shadow of a powerful archmage should drop a greater ego staff, a random boss warrior would drop a weapon and/or armor, and so on.
Ideally, to make them something more interesting than simply mega-powerful standard monsters with drops, they should also have some special abilities picked from a list.

[Feanor.81]

they should also have some special abilities picked from a list.

Strongly agree on this. A great example is the Phoenix boss; its unique ability makes it the most intriguing npc in the whole game.

[Zonk]

Also something I've considered but which might be just too painful/awkard to code...basically, player 'ghosts', a bit like Nethack. Still worth mentioning...

If one of your characters (a powerful one)dies on a dungeon level, perhaps an appropriate monster based on him/her could be generated on later games - say, 'Shade of <char
acter name> the <race> <class>'(or maybe instead of shade have actual undead races?).
It would have the same talents/base stats as the player(plus some generic undead ones) and SOME(say 2-3 pieces)of the equipment - no artifacts, though.

[Repton]

My attempt at partial code for a mold boss.

When into a room I plunge, I
Sometimes find some violet fungi.
Then I linger, darkly brooding
On the poison they're exuding.

Code: Select all

newEntity{
   define_as = "MOLD_SKELETON",
   type = "undead", subtype = "skeleton",
   name = "Z'quikzshl the skeletal mold",
   display = 'm', color=colors.PURPLE,
   desc = [[Steeped in fungal malevolance, this mold refused to die.  How a mold becomes a skeleton, though, is beyond you.  Are those its own bones, or the bones of hapless adventurers?]],
   never_move = 1,
   
   resolvers.talents{
      [Talents.T_BONE_GRAB]=3,
      [Talents.T_SPORE_BLIND]=5,
      [Talents.T_SPORE_POISON]=5,
      [Talents.T_ROTTING_DISEASE]=5,
      [Talents.T_DECREPITUDE_DISEASE]=5,
      [Talents.T_WEAKNESS_DISEASE]=5,
      [Talents.T_GRAB]=5,
   }
}

[darkgod]

AHAHAHAH ok

[Final Master]

Code: Select all

newEntity{
	define_as = "MOLD_INVISIBLE",
	type = "immovable", subtype = "molds",
	name = "Xelilc, the Black Cheese",	display = "m", color=colors.BLACK,
	desc = "A black mold of cheese. It is only known in folk-lore and no one has ever seen one.  No one will probably ever see one...",
	level_range = {10, 35}, exp_worth = 2,
	rarity = 40,
	max_life = 200,
	body = { INVEN = 10 },
	autolevel = "warrior",
	ai = "dumb_talented_simple", ai_state = { talent_in=1, },
	stats = { str=5, dex=10, mag=3, con=3, cun=10 },
	energy = { mod=0.5 },
	infravision = 30,
	combat_armor = 5, combat_def = 1,
	never_move = 1,
	blind_immune = 1,
	fear_immune = 1,
	rank = 4,
	size_category = 1,
	resolvers.talents{
		[Talents.T_SPORE_BLIND]=5,
		[Talents.T_SHRIEK]=3,
		[Talents.T_SILENCE]=2,
		[Talents.T_INVISIBILITY]=5,
		[Talents.T_PHASE_DOOR]=1,
		on_melee_hit={[DamageType.ACID] = 20}
		on_melee_hit={[DamageType.BLIGHT] = 20}
		on_melee_hit={[DamageType.DARKNESS] = 20}
}

If I did this right, it'll be a mold that is represented by a black 'm', that will be capable of going invisible, blinding and silencing the player, able to call nearby npcs in to help, and phase door about to reposition itself (preferably after it's gone invisible). It doesn't have a very good offensive capability but if it does hit it could crit rather easily. Instead of offense, it relys on defense, with it's constant acid/blight/darkness shield doing 60 damage per melee hit. My ideal way for this boss to work would be that it's invisible and the player bumps into it, being dealt 60 damage and then being either blinded or silenced. It will then phase about shrieking for help, and the player will randomly bump into it being dealt more damage. The only real way of dealing with it should be through summons/archery.

[darkgod]

Moooarrrr

[Zonk]

No proper stats yet, but..here are some ideas.

The Iron-crowned Tyrant
A weakened rip-off of Morgoth, this was some sort of god or divine spirit that was cast down from Heaven, although it still retains fearsome power.
Type would me major demon, he would resist blight(say 50%, or even 100%), the elements(say, 25%), and be VERY powerful in melee(maybe he should have Death Dance too, just because it's fun to have him attack you, your summons/allies AND other monsters ).
Should use a greater ego two-handed weapon(not necessarily a hammer).

The Mad Alchemist
Needs a better name(maybe Accursed Alchemist? Alliteration rules). A kind of evil Doctor Frankenstein, he started as a 'regular' Alchemist but turned to necromancy/blood magic. Throws special alchemist bombs which cause blight damage, and could perhaps be escorted by 'The Creature', another boss(a golem-like abomination with undead aspects, very powerful in melee - although it should perhaps be possible to find them separately...)

The Trickster
Needs a better name, again. Kinda gimmicky - basically a teleporting/stealthy boss that would debuff and use ranged attacks on you, and flee instead of fighting if wounded enough. It might also flee if YOU are wounded enough - it wants to play, not outright kill you(but if other monsters are around...)
Yes, it's MEANT to be annoying. If it stays out of LOS for a whole, it should disappear to fight another day. Should drop some powerful jewelry/magical item as a reward for actually managing to kill him.

The Mother of Monsters
Powerful nature type boss with summons/escort(snakes, worms..) and poison based attacks, also fast regeneration. As a downside, it could have a low movement speed. Inspired by [url=http://en.wikipedia.org%20wiki/Echidna_%28mythology%29]Echidna[/url].

Maybe killing her somehow affects other kinds of monsters(all appropriate monsters on the level rush to you to avenge their 'mother', or they become weaker or something else, to reuse my 'monster spawning affected by events' idea).

[darkgod]

I have added the prismatic wyrm that changes color & attacks and the tentacle horror, with a twist
They are quite cool!
Mooarr bosses !

[edge2054]

I have added the prismatic wyrm that changes color & attacks and the tentacle horror, with a twist
They are quite cool!
Mooarr bosses !

WOOT!!

[edge2054]

Here's a boss that could work either stand alone or as a Geomancer unlock.

The Fragmented Essence of Harkor'Zun

Harkor'Zun was some sort of minor earth deity or earth demon posing as an earth deity. At the time of the spellblaze his essence was fragmented into five pieces to limit his influence over the world.

The boss is basically a single unique essence fragment that spawns with four essence fragment escorts (all the same stats). When one fragment is destroyed the other fragments grow stronger. When only one fragment is left it is killed and summons Harkor'Zun.

As for stats.

The Fragments should be roughly as powerful as Xaren which alone is pretty scary considering there will be five of them spawning together. Each time a fragment dies the other fragments should receive a heal equal to 1/5th the dead Fragments hit points. They should also receive a max life buff equal to 1/5th the dead fragments max life and a stackable 20% damage buff. When it's down to two fragments they should have +80% hit points and be dealing +80% damage each.

When the second to last fragment dies the last remaining fragment will effectively kill itself and summon Harkor'Zun. (Have it despawn or whatever it needs to do to insure that it can't respawn again that game).

As for Harkor'Zun.

He should have double the hit points and double the physical damage of his Xaren like fragments. He should also have access to many earth and geomancer spells.

I'll see if I can get some base stats typed up once my son falls asleep but I probably won't be able to pu together the on death effects (though I think they'd be workable as a bleed type timed effect with the summon simply triggering once max life hit a certain threshold.)

[edge2054]

This will probably need some clean up but it should give you an idea of where I saw this going.

Code: Select all

newEntity{ base = "BASE_NPC_XORN",
	name = "The Fragmented Essence of Harkor'Zun", color=colors.WHITE, unique=true,
	desc = [[Fragmented essence...  maybe it'd be best if it stayed fragmented.]],
	level_range = {30, nil}, exp_worth = 1,
	rank = unique,
	size_category = 4,
	rarity = 50,
	max_life = 230, life_rating=12,
	combat_armor = 15, combat_def = 10,
	combat = { damtype=DamageType.ACID },
	
	stun_immune = 1,
	
	make_escort = {
		{type="elemental", subtype="xorn", name="The Fragmented Essence of Harkor'Zun", number=4, no_subescort=true},
	},
	resolvers.talents{ [Talents.T_CONSTRICT]=4, [Talents.T_RUSH]=2, },
}

Code: Select all

newEntity{ base = "BASE_NPC_XORN",
	name = "Harkor'Zun", color=colors.VIOLET, unique=true,
	desc = [[A gigantic demon composed of elemental Earth resembling a twisted Xarn but much much larger.  It doesn't seem pleased with your presence.]],
	level_range = {30, nil}, exp_worth = 2,
	rank = Unique,
	size_category = 5,
	autolevel = "warriormage",
	stats = { str=20, dex=8, mag=25, con=16 },
	max_life = 460, life_rating=24,
	combat_armor = 20, combat_def = 10,
	combat = { dam=resolvers.mbonus(46, 30), atk=35, apr=18, dammod={str=1}, damtype=DamageType.ACID },

	silence_immune = 1,
	stun_immune = 1,
	demon = 1,
	
	resolvers.talents{
	[Talents.T_CONSTRICT]=4,
	[Talents.T_RUSH]=4, 
	[Talents.T_EARTHQUAKE]=5
	[Talents.T_STALACTITIC_MISSILE]=5
	[Talents.T_CYRSTALLINE_FOCUS]=5
	[Talents.T_STONE_SKIN]=5
	[Talents.T_BODY_OF_STONE]=5
	},
	resolvers.sustains_at_birth(),
}

Note that stun immunity is in place to prevent circumventing the summon. Harkor'Zun has stun immunity so he can drop Earthquake right on top of himself and not get stunned.

[darkgod]

Neat!
Done!

[Repton]

The Rat King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_king_(folklore)

"This teeming pile of rats writhes chaotically, yet you sense a vile presence within it."

I'm imagining the rat king from _The Amazing Maurice_, or perhaps Many-as-one from Planescape: Torment. So:

- Immobile
- Spreads disease if at close range
- Cast confusion
- Psionic attacks (like psiren)
- Summon rats
- Perhaps make it telepathic and let it cast darkness? The darkness spell is obviously a bad idea if it won't be able to target the PC through the darkness, but maybe telepathy would help..?

[Final Master]

The Rat King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_king_(folklore)

I'm imagining the rat king from _The Amazing Maurice_, or perhaps Many-as-one from Planescape: Torment. So:

So no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Rat King? :(