I am currently preparing a campaign as a DM/PC (we're just a total of 3) and I am having trouble making a final boss or mastermind. Most of the campaign is water-based, it starts on a ship that get attacked by mind-controlled giant crabs, the players are going to fight kuo-toa's and merrows. and most of the player (me and another player) have backgrounds that connect to the ocean. but what's bugging me is the main baddy, my mind is leaning on either a aboleth since its vast intelligence, or a dragon turtle since it's (in my opinion) very cool looking. which is more ideal as the main boss? Or is there another monster that could be the main baddy?
PS. I am not a veteran DM or anything. This is actually my 2nd campaign I'm running as DM. any other tips other than the boss is very much welcomed
If you want a boss that is a mastermind, I advise against the dragon turtle, since it's not that smart. An aboleth or an amphibious dragon can be a good choice. Aboleth is more alien, dragon will probably be liked by your players. The other advantage of dragons is that there are quite a lot of different amphibious dragons which means it's easier to adapt to your campaign. The amphibious dragons are black (swamp, evil), green (forests, evil), bronze (coast, good), gold (forest, good). Blue dragon, which are coastal, can be a good choice. I would go with black though, since it has interesting lair actions.
Or the kraken, but it's quite strong!
If your players don't have any mean to breathe underwater, a fight with opponents grabbing and leading them towards the depths can be very scary for them, and add a lot of tension. Consider that the conditions are very favorable to the enemies, you should plan on something easier than usual. Remember that "When making a melee weapon attack, a creature that doesn't have a swimming speed (either natural or granted by magic) has disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon is a dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear, or trident.". Meaning that, even against small threats such as Giant Octopuses might cause some serious trouble to your party.
I think you have to make a decision on how much of the action will be "close to the water" (coastal areas, small islands, on ships etc.) and how much you want the action to be "in the water" (swimming, diving, in flooded caverns or sunken ships).
I DM'ed an island based campaign a few years ago and chose two "big bad factions" as my antagonists: 1. A demon, banished into the depths in the ancient demon war (think like Cthulhu), who acted as a "patron" to the Krait (my amphibious reptilian race); This one never came to encounter the party, but they found idols made for it and the Krait making sacrifices to the demon to gain more power. The demon granted them necromancy powers for the worship (the Krait started to create undead and attacked the settlers on the island). 2. A high level shaman of a ruthless tribe, who had discovered the "dark powers" that came from the same demon. He introduced the tribe to worshipping "The Scaled One" and it granted them strength and regeneration abilities. The snake tribe had started to take slaves from the other tribes on the island (and wanted the settlers to give them slaves too) for "their protection".
The party took a while to realize, that those two factions were connected by the same "boss" and worked hard to stop the two factions to unite against their settlement and allied tribes on the island.
Finding evidence for the demon's growing power was a lot scarier for the players than hurling themselves against a giant monster. It is kind of like Critical Role Camp 2, where U'katoa, the Leviathan patron of Avantica and Fjord is more menacing by showing up in dreams and granting powers, than actual surfacing.
Some good suggestions from other people. Personally I like a large sahaugin empire, though you may need to scale up the king. Other good options are storm giant, sea hag (will need to scale) morkoth, and marid
For a bit more context, I'll explain what the characters background.
- a wood elf druid outlander. her story is that her elvish city was completely destroyed by a mysterious tsunami, killing almost everyone in the city, including her parents except her little brother. Now the survivors from the city live in a small tribe very far from the city's remains. The city is now a swamp, overrun with bullywugs who works for the final boss or the boss's lesser that now lives on the ruins (I did not tell my player about the swamp and the bullywug infestation because I want to make it a surprise). She has a mentor who taught her the basics of being a druid. He then leave the tribe to find out what happened to the city. The player then leave the tribe to find her mentor with her little brother. (This is her first character she made by herself, when she finished telling me this, I was COMPLETELY stunned by the depth she put in her character)
- A white dragonborn fighter sailor (my character). His story is that he came from a dragonborn town (100% dragonborn population) that is near the coast. The town then notice hostile creatures appearing in the water. These creatures stop the town's fishing ships from coming to the ocean and attack trading ships from other countries to come to the docks. Cutting off the town's main food source and economic source. The town's 4 clan leaders decide to send some of their men and women to go out and find out if the rest of the world has the same problems and to see if theirs a way to find a way to solve said problems.
- A forest gnome bard acolyte. Her story doesn't really connect to the ocean theme. It's ummm...
Weird. Not in a bad way, and I really don't want to change it THAT much. I am going to see if we can add in something to sorta connect with the world's ocean problem. Their really are just 2 words to describe her story.
Talking. Tree.
I hope this sorta help in anyway possible. and I like to thank those who have gave me these wonderful advice.
I’d read the description of the Kraken. What you just described is almost exactly what happens when a Kraken awakens and starts to spread its influence throughtout the world. Plus they’re powerful enough to take a campaign to level 20 before being able to successfully defeat one.
This reminds me of an Epic Monster my PC's will have to hunt around the end of my campaign
His name is Bahkari, he's and elder ancient sea dragon (once my dragons reach elder stage, they focus less on combat and more on magic) that's super duper old. Can speak several languages and can control a giant wirlpool called Maelstrom.
Sneakier still, some dragons pursue other means of immortality than becoming a dracolich. Bahkari has mastered an ancient ritual that allows him, should his dragon body perish, to be forcible reincarnated in a humanoid body. So at that point your player's would be fighting a dragon so old and smart, that he's ascended to godhood by not being bound by death.
And as a human, he levitates slightly things instead of standing which looks cool.
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...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
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I am currently preparing a campaign as a DM/PC (we're just a total of 3) and I am having trouble making a final boss or mastermind. Most of the campaign is water-based, it starts on a ship that get attacked by mind-controlled giant crabs, the players are going to fight kuo-toa's and merrows. and most of the player (me and another player) have backgrounds that connect to the ocean. but what's bugging me is the main baddy, my mind is leaning on either a aboleth since its vast intelligence, or a dragon turtle since it's (in my opinion) very cool looking. which is more ideal as the main boss? Or is there another monster that could be the main baddy?
PS. I am not a veteran DM or anything. This is actually my 2nd campaign I'm running as DM. any other tips other than the boss is very much welcomed
Hi,
If you want a boss that is a mastermind, I advise against the dragon turtle, since it's not that smart. An aboleth or an amphibious dragon can be a good choice. Aboleth is more alien, dragon will probably be liked by your players. The other advantage of dragons is that there are quite a lot of different amphibious dragons which means it's easier to adapt to your campaign. The amphibious dragons are black (swamp, evil), green (forests, evil), bronze (coast, good), gold (forest, good). Blue dragon, which are coastal, can be a good choice. I would go with black though, since it has interesting lair actions.
Or the kraken, but it's quite strong!
If your players don't have any mean to breathe underwater, a fight with opponents grabbing and leading them towards the depths can be very scary for them, and add a lot of tension. Consider that the conditions are very favorable to the enemies, you should plan on something easier than usual. Remember that "When making a melee weapon attack, a creature that doesn't have a swimming speed (either natural or granted by magic) has disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon is a dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear, or trident.". Meaning that, even against small threats such as Giant Octopuses might cause some serious trouble to your party.
My homebrew feat for thrown weapons, feat to help DMs extend Sorcerer's spells known list, and my homebrew combo monk subclass (diablo inspired)!
I think you have to make a decision on how much of the action will be "close to the water" (coastal areas, small islands, on ships etc.) and how much you want the action to be "in the water" (swimming, diving, in flooded caverns or sunken ships).
I DM'ed an island based campaign a few years ago and chose two "big bad factions" as my antagonists:
1. A demon, banished into the depths in the ancient demon war (think like Cthulhu), who acted as a "patron" to the Krait (my amphibious reptilian race); This one never came to encounter the party, but they found idols made for it and the Krait making sacrifices to the demon to gain more power. The demon granted them necromancy powers for the worship (the Krait started to create undead and attacked the settlers on the island).
2. A high level shaman of a ruthless tribe, who had discovered the "dark powers" that came from the same demon. He introduced the tribe to worshipping "The Scaled One" and it granted them strength and regeneration abilities. The snake tribe had started to take slaves from the other tribes on the island (and wanted the settlers to give them slaves too) for "their protection".
The party took a while to realize, that those two factions were connected by the same "boss" and worked hard to stop the two factions to unite against their settlement and allied tribes on the island.
Finding evidence for the demon's growing power was a lot scarier for the players than hurling themselves against a giant monster. It is kind of like Critical Role Camp 2, where U'katoa, the Leviathan patron of Avantica and Fjord is more menacing by showing up in dreams and granting powers, than actual surfacing.
Some good suggestions from other people. Personally I like a large sahaugin empire, though you may need to scale up the king. Other good options are storm giant, sea hag (will need to scale) morkoth, and marid
Thank you for the advice.
I am leaning more on the black dragon now with it lair actions and it's characteristic.
If anyone else who which to give me more advice is very much welcomed.
Gorani, the 2 faction idea is very VERY cool and amazing in my opinion.
Thanks for the advice. :)
For a bit more context, I'll explain what the characters background.
- a wood elf druid outlander. her story is that her elvish city was completely destroyed by a mysterious tsunami, killing almost everyone in the city, including her parents except her little brother. Now the survivors from the city live in a small tribe very far from the city's remains. The city is now a swamp, overrun with bullywugs who works for the final boss or the boss's lesser that now lives on the ruins (I did not tell my player about the swamp and the bullywug infestation because I want to make it a surprise). She has a mentor who taught her the basics of being a druid. He then leave the tribe to find out what happened to the city. The player then leave the tribe to find her mentor with her little brother. (This is her first character she made by herself, when she finished telling me this, I was COMPLETELY stunned by the depth she put in her character)
- A white dragonborn fighter sailor (my character). His story is that he came from a dragonborn town (100% dragonborn population) that is near the coast. The town then notice hostile creatures appearing in the water. These creatures stop the town's fishing ships from coming to the ocean and attack trading ships from other countries to come to the docks. Cutting off the town's main food source and economic source. The town's 4 clan leaders decide to send some of their men and women to go out and find out if the rest of the world has the same problems and to see if theirs a way to find a way to solve said problems.
- A forest gnome bard acolyte. Her story doesn't really connect to the ocean theme. It's ummm...
Weird. Not in a bad way, and I really don't want to change it THAT much. I am going to see if we can add in something to sorta connect with the world's ocean problem. Their really are just 2 words to describe her story.
Talking. Tree.
I hope this sorta help in anyway possible. and I like to thank those who have gave me these wonderful advice.
I’d read the description of the Kraken. What you just described is almost exactly what happens when a Kraken awakens and starts to spread its influence throughtout the world. Plus they’re powerful enough to take a campaign to level 20 before being able to successfully defeat one.
Professional computer geek
Homebrew an aquatic Tarrasque. The end.
Or, you could homebrew an overpowered water elemental.
Or, you could use kraken. (Basically smart Tarrasque that swims and has magic water stuff. Tarrasque is better)
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
The island fish it touted as the villain, but it's actually the captain of the ship.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
This reminds me of an Epic Monster my PC's will have to hunt around the end of my campaign
His name is Bahkari, he's and elder ancient sea dragon (once my dragons reach elder stage, they focus less on combat and more on magic) that's super duper old. Can speak several languages and can control a giant wirlpool called Maelstrom.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways
Sneakier still, some dragons pursue other means of immortality than becoming a dracolich. Bahkari has mastered an ancient ritual that allows him, should his dragon body perish, to be forcible reincarnated in a humanoid body. So at that point your player's would be fighting a dragon so old and smart, that he's ascended to godhood by not being bound by death.
And as a human, he levitates slightly things instead of standing which looks cool.
...Ehhh, whatever. It was a dumb idea anyways