I'm about to run a boss battle for my campaign. Five level 7 PCs vs an Archmage (CR 12). It'll already be a hard battle and they're pretty drained of spell slots, but this is one they should lose, so I'm not worried about making this encounter even harder.
How to I stat out lair actions/other mechanics(?) for a collapsing building that won't kill them immediately, and also gives them the opportunity to escape (even if it means letting the bbeg go)?
Usually lair actions would go on a set initiative count, like 20. If you want the action to be the lair crumbling, I’d suggest you set up a chart for yourself. Cut the room into sections, then roll to see which section has falling debris. The more sections you have, the less likely you are to hit someone, of course. You could also mark a few zones as safe (like plan out 15, but say 3 are solid), and the BBEG knows which ones are safe. Per the DMG, a nuisance level threat (I’m using traps, but the hazards section could also work) would be a save DC of 12-14 and 2d10 damage. Nuisance feels right to me from what you’ve described. (If you want deadly, bump the DC to 14-17, and make it 4d10 damage) Anyone in a zone during a crumble makes a save.
I’d also say the same zone can’t crumble twice, and any zone where the crumbling happens becomes difficult terrain. And that also opens up the ceiling to the sky, so if that archmage can fly, now they have an escape route.
If you want the BBEG to escape (which it sounds like you do). I would do the classic:
1) building starts to crumble bad enough that the PCs try to avoid the crumbling -> use some 'safer' looking zones to guide the PCs away from the BBEG.
2) BBEG makes big speech and teleports / runs to a safe-zone far from the PCs and then attacks the building rather than the PCs.
3) The BBEG's attack creates a barrier between the PCs and BBEG for 1 round allowing the BBEG to escape.
The PCs can try to follow the BBEG and maybe get a hint of how the BBEG escaped, or might find something cool the BBEG dropped during their escape. But the PCs risk more damage/getting trapped under the rubble to do so. Or the PCs can escape by flying / running out of the collapsing building with less risk of damage / getting trapped.
If you want the BBEG to escape (which it sounds like you do). I would do the classic:
1) building starts to crumble bad enough that the PCs try to avoid the crumbling -> use some 'safer' looking zones to guide the PCs away from the BBEG.
2) BBEG makes big speech and teleports / runs to a safe-zone far from the PCs and then attacks the building rather than the PCs.
3) The BBEG's attack creates a barrier between the PCs and BBEG for 1 round allowing the BBEG to escape.
The PCs can try to follow the BBEG and maybe get a hint of how the BBEG escaped, or might find something cool the BBEG dropped during their escape. But the PCs risk more damage/getting trapped under the rubble to do so. Or the PCs can escape by flying / running out of the collapsing building with less risk of damage / getting trapped.
This is super helpful actually!! I really needed the step-by-step, this is great, thank you :)
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:)
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I'm about to run a boss battle for my campaign. Five level 7 PCs vs an Archmage (CR 12). It'll already be a hard battle and they're pretty drained of spell slots, but this is one they should lose, so I'm not worried about making this encounter even harder.
How to I stat out lair actions/other mechanics(?) for a collapsing building that won't kill them immediately, and also gives them the opportunity to escape (even if it means letting the bbeg go)?
:)
Usually lair actions would go on a set initiative count, like 20. If you want the action to be the lair crumbling, I’d suggest you set up a chart for yourself. Cut the room into sections, then roll to see which section has falling debris. The more sections you have, the less likely you are to hit someone, of course. You could also mark a few zones as safe (like plan out 15, but say 3 are solid), and the BBEG knows which ones are safe. Per the DMG, a nuisance level threat (I’m using traps, but the hazards section could also work) would be a save DC of 12-14 and 2d10 damage. Nuisance feels right to me from what you’ve described. (If you want deadly, bump the DC to 14-17, and make it 4d10 damage) Anyone in a zone during a crumble makes a save.
I’d also say the same zone can’t crumble twice, and any zone where the crumbling happens becomes difficult terrain. And that also opens up the ceiling to the sky, so if that archmage can fly, now they have an escape route.
If you want the BBEG to escape (which it sounds like you do). I would do the classic:
1) building starts to crumble bad enough that the PCs try to avoid the crumbling -> use some 'safer' looking zones to guide the PCs away from the BBEG.
2) BBEG makes big speech and teleports / runs to a safe-zone far from the PCs and then attacks the building rather than the PCs.
3) The BBEG's attack creates a barrier between the PCs and BBEG for 1 round allowing the BBEG to escape.
The PCs can try to follow the BBEG and maybe get a hint of how the BBEG escaped, or might find something cool the BBEG dropped during their escape. But the PCs risk more damage/getting trapped under the rubble to do so. Or the PCs can escape by flying / running out of the collapsing building with less risk of damage / getting trapped.
This is super helpful actually!! I really needed the step-by-step, this is great, thank you :)
:)