Solo Boss Template

​*Solo bosses are powerful creatures that stand above all others, even normal bosses can't compare to a Solo Boss in strength. Solo Bosses fight alone, like lone wolves on the battlefield and can defeat entire armies. Solo bosses are terrifying and costly encounters guaranteed to force heroes to expend most if not all of their resources in trying to surpass them.*​

**CR:** +1/4 HD of base creature. (Challenge Rating is somewhat difficult to determine for the Solo Boss template, however +1 for every 4 hit dice the creature possesses may be fine. It is usually only used for exceptionally strong parties or against high level players.)

**Type:** Unchanged, but gain the Boss Subtype

**Size:** Same as the base creature.

**Speed:** A Boss's speed stays the same, however a Boss can take a 10 foot step instead of a 5 foot step.

**Ability Scores:** A Boss gains a +4 bonus to all ability scores and an additional +4 bonus to one score of it's choice. The boss gains a +2 bonus to any ability score it chooses for every 4 HD it possesses.

**Hit Points:** A Solo Boss gains hit points and takes damage differently than other characters. Solo Bosses gain 1 hit point for every hit dice it possesses. In addition a Solo boss gains 1 additional point per hit dice if it's constitution is 30 or better, and one more if it's 50 or better. When a Solo boss takes damage, first apply damage reduction, resistances, and immunities. For every 50 points of damage the remaining amount deals, the boss takes 1 point of damage. (For strong parties this can be altered to be for every 100 points of damage or more, and for weaker parties it can be dropped to 25 or lower if needed).

**Armor:** A Boss Gains a +6 bonus to armor class, as well as a +1 Boss bonus to Armor class for every 3 HD it possesses.

**Bonus to Hit:** A Boss gains a +1 Boss bonus to it's attack rolls for every 4 HD it possesses.

**Bonus to Saving throws:** A Boss gains a +4 bonus to all of it's saving throws, in addition they gain a +1 Boss bonus to it's Saving throws for every 4 HD it possesses.

**Damage Reduction:** A Boss gains Damage reduction 5 overcome by nothing. The Solo Boss also gains Energy resistance 5 to all energy types (Excluding force, disintegration, positive, negative etc.) This DR and energy resistance increases by 5 for every 4 HD the creature possesses. (If the opposing party is exceptionally strong, the creature applies it's Energy resistance to ANY form of energy damage that effects it).

**Fast Healing:** A Boss gains Fast Healing 5, This increases by 5 for every 5 levels it possesses.

**Skills:** A Boss gains a +2 boss bonus to all skills, in addition one of its skills has maximum ranks.

**Immunities:** A Boss is immune to Death effects, paralysis, staggering, and petrification. If effected by one of these effects, the creature dealing it instead deals an additional 5d6 of whatever kind of damage they were dealing.

**Weakness/Unique attack:** Solo bosses are very resilient and difficult to kill, however most have a weak point or a way to deal additional damage to them. This can vary from having a chandelier knocked on them or being struck with a holy arrow. In these situations the attack deals an additional 10d6. If combined with something from the bosses immunities above, the damage stacks. Using a unique attack or exploiting a boss's weakness however only works once in a round.

**Special Abilities:**

**Solo Pool (Su):** A Solo Boss possesses a solo pool. This pool posses 3 points +1 point for every 5 HD the boss monster has. By spending points from this solo pool it can gain the following effects.

⦁ Take 1/2 damage even on a failed saving throw. (If the monster possesses an ability similar to this it's effects stack cutting the damage in half again)

⦁ Take no damage on a successful saving throw. (If the monster possesses an ability similar to this it can move up to it's speed when it evades, provoking no AOO)

⦁ Negate one attack roll.

⦁ Make a single attack against a creature within your reach as an instant action.

⦁ Perform a combat maneuver as part of a normal attack.

⦁ Deal Half damage even on a missed attack.

⦁ Double energy resistance and damage reduction for 1 round.

⦁ Add +1d10 to any d20 roll or to armor class.

⦁ Choose to make a different saving throw in place of another (I.E. Fortitude save instead of a Reflex Saving throw).

⦁ Choose to make an ability of theirs require a different saving throw in place of another (I.E. A breath weapon that requires a Fortitude save now instead of a reflex saving throw).

⦁ Choose to cast a spell on themselves that they do not possess, of up to a spell level they could perform if they had class levels in that class (A 20th level fighter boss spends a point to cast a Miracle spell as if he were a 20th level Cleric).

**Second Wind (Ex):** A Solo Boss monster gains two saving throws against any effect that would give it a status ailment. The monster takes the highest of the results.

**Accelerated Capabilities (Ex):** A Solo Boss monster gains an additional initiative round during combat. As such when combat begins, roll initiative twice, the second initiative roll takes a -5 penalty. If facing a party of more than 6 characters, roll initiative a third time. This means it has a number of Immediate actions as initiative rounds and can use them between each round. When effected by abilities or buffs, a boss counts each of it's initiative rounds as 1 round to determine durations. (If a boss is stunned for 1 round, it is only stunned for 1 initiative round, but not the second.) In addition a boss cannot be effected by the same status effect twice in the same round.

**Accelerated Movement (Ex):** A Boss can choose to take an extra move action once per battle. If it has more than 10 hit dice it can take an extra standard action and an extra move action once per battle, and if it has 15 HD it can take an extra full round action in a battle.

**PHASES (Ex)**: A Solo Boss is a powerful creature that must be battled in separate phases. On the first phase of combat the Solo Boss will fight similarly to it's normal statistics block, However once defeated, it changes into a secondary phase and the battle continues.

These phases are up to the DM, however they should cause the battle to become more intense or sometimes completely different. here are examples of Phases that the boss can have.

*Phase 1:* The boss should fight normally and work as it's usual self doing whatever it does best, maybe with some additional abilities. Once it's hit points reach 0, Phase 2 begins.

The following are examples of abilities some Solo Bosses may possess at this Phase.

⦁ Block an attack roll once per initiative round.

⦁ Deal normal damage to a creature that strikes it in combat once per round.

⦁ Gain a minor miss chance.

⦁ Gain a specific attack method (Summoning minor creatures, damaging bull rush, ect...)

⦁ Deaththroes of some sort once it's defeated.

⦁ Ability to move it's move speed without attacks of opportunity as an immediate action.

*Phase 2:* Upon Reaching Phase 2, the Boss returns with it's second pool of hit points. At this point the boss could instantly change the environment or possibly gain several new methods of attack. These could be used as attack or swift actions to allow them more actions within a single turn. At this point the boss should be at their prime, having realized their enemy means business and is trying much harder to defeat the enemy. Here are some examples of abilities a boss may have at this phase.

⦁ Block attacks twice per initiative round.

⦁ Make an enemy attack one of it's allies.

⦁ Gain a moderate miss chance.

⦁ Gain stronger specific attack (Breath weapon, summoning moderate creatures, damaging bull rush)

⦁ Ability to make turns when charging.

⦁ Cause some of the area to be rough terrain.

⦁ Terrain traps or hazards (Acid pit, Fire geysers, Etc...)

⦁ Avoid AOO's

*Phase 3:* Upon entering phase 3, the Boss returns with it's final hit point pool. The Boss may change the environment again, or simply gain more power. Now is when the boss should be at it's strongest, it is desperate and in it's last moments of life, fighting to try and be successful, The boss will do anything in their power to reign supreme and stand atop a pile of their enemy's corpses. Here are some examples of abilities it may possess in it's 3rd phase.

⦁ Block attacks three times per initiative round.

⦁ Some form of enemy disabling ability (Paralysis, stunning, ect...)

⦁ Gain high miss chance.

⦁ Create rough terrain in the entire combat area and some battlefield hazards.

⦁ Summon strong monsters or gain a stronger weapon.

⦁ Ultimate attack when he hits 0 hp, works as death throes.