Author Topic: Boss  (Read 12327 times)

Offline oslecamo

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Boss
« on: March 08, 2015, 10:34:36 PM »
Boss

(long monologue)
Were you listening to me?
I'm going to cut you down here, and you'll meet your end.


A Boss is one prepared to fight against many. Usually heroes. Although sometimes a Boss can face groups of villains, or just greedy drunk mercenaries.

Prerequisites:
-One level of something else.
-Must have an awesome personal theme music and title.
-Cannot be somebody else's minion/companion/follower/cohort.

HD:d12
Level Bab Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +1+2+2+2Boss Body, One of a Kind, Magus Rule, Try to keep up with me I, This isn't over yet, Authority Equals Asskicking, Plot Power
2 +2+2+3+3Try to keep up with me II,  Authority Equals Asskicking, Plot Power
3 +3+ 3 +3+3Try to keep up with me III,  Authority Equals Asskicking, Plot Power
4 +4+ 4 +4+4Try to keep up with me IV,  Authority Equals Asskicking, Plot Power
Skills:8+int modifier per level, all skills are class skills for The Boss.

Proficiencies:The Boss doesn't gain any new proficiencies.

Features:
Boss Body: Unlike other monster classes, the Boss retains all her previous traits.  Creature type is maintained, don't recalculate anything. All numeric penalties the Boss receives from external sources are halved. For example if the Boss's movement speeds would be halved, they're only reduced by a quarter. If they would take a -4 penalty to AC, they instead take -2. Self-inflicted numeric penalties still affect her fully.

In addition, the Boss gains +1 to two different stats of its choice at first level, +1 to three different stats of its choice at 2nd level, +1 to four different stats of its choice at 3rd level and +1 to five different stats of its choice at 4th level.

One of a Kind: The Boss's abilities can never be copied/stolen/borrowed or similar by any other effect. A Boss can never be a minion/follower/companion of someone else.

If playing with gestalt, tristalt, or any similar alternate rule, each Boss level fills levels all progressions.

Magus Rule: If the Boss is charmed, dominated, turned into an undead, or any similar ability that puts her under someone else's control, she automatically loses all Boss levels until her will is her own again.


Try to keep up with me: The Boss can take extra actions per turn. Those actions follow the following restrictions however
-The Boss cannot use her extra actions to affect somebody or something they already had affected this turn (this includes area effects from the Boss that would include a target that had already been affected by the Boss this turn, and this limitation extends to the boss herself).
-The Boss cannot use her extra action to perform an action she had already done this turn (except mundane movement), even if they would affect others. So for example a level 1 Boss able to use SLAs as a standard action could cast two different SLAs, but not the same SLA twice. A level 2 Boss could full attack and then cast a SLA and then move, but couldn't fullattack twice.

I-At first level the Boss can take either an extra Standard or Swift+Move action each turn.

II-At second level the Boss can take two fullrounds worth of actions each turn.

III-At third level the Boss can take three fullrounds worth of actions each turn.

IV-At fourth level the Boss can take four fullround worth of actions each turn.


This Isn't Over Yet: If the Boss is afflicted by an effect that would prevent it from taking actions, instead they can ignore it simply by reducing the number of fullround actios they can take each turn for as long as that effect lasts. Different negative effects demand sacrificing multiple fullround actions. In the case of effects like Slow or Staggered that reduce the number of actions you can take, the Boss can instead simply sacrifice  moves action per turn to ignore those effects, also in a 1-for-1 basis.

Authority Equals Asskicking: At each Boss level pick one of the following abilities.

(click to show/hide)


Plot Power: At each level the Boss gains one of the following abilities.

(click to show/hide)

(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: May 17, 2018, 08:37:15 AM by oslecamo »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Boss
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2015, 10:36:21 PM »
Yeah, I know I said I would get around to updating my campaigns, but it's been even longer since I added something here, and the other day I had this idea I developed bit by bit.

Offline Amechra

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Re: Boss
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2015, 11:26:20 PM »
These guys get even slower when subjected to Slow; the wording you are looking for is "reduce their speed by a quarter", not "quartered".
"There is happiness for those who accept their fate, there is glory for those that defy it."

"Now that everyone's so happy, this is probably a good time to tell you I ate your parents."

Offline Rakoa

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Re: Boss
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2015, 09:59:13 PM »
I notice that Boss in Mook Clothing mentions all observation methods, and the appearance is as a lvl1 NPC of your choice. Could a 12 foot tall Umber Hulk appear to be Larry the Lumberjack to normal sight until he flex-rips out of his flannel shirt? Because I love this, I'm just making sure.

Also I think that Try To Keep Up With Me could do with a little bit of clarification. You can't Full Attack somebody twice in a row, but could you do a Full Attack and then a Bullrush on him? Full Attack and a Disintegrate? Full Attack and a Dominate Person? Full Attack and a Breath Weapon that includes your initial target in the radius?
The Paladin Code: Detect Evil, Smite it, ask questions later.

Offline ketaro

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Re: Boss
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2015, 03:44:41 AM »
I notice that Boss in Mook Clothing mentions all observation methods, and the appearance is as a lvl1 NPC of your choice. Could a 12 foot tall Umber Hulk appear to be Larry the Lumberjack to normal sight until he flex-rips out of his flannel shirt? Because I love this, I'm just making sure.

Also I think that Try To Keep Up With Me could do with a little bit of clarification. You can't Full Attack somebody twice in a row, but could you do a Full Attack and then a Bullrush on him? Full Attack and a Disintegrate? Full Attack and a Dominate Person? Full Attack and a Breath Weapon that includes your initial target in the radius?

Oh god the image of that first part is so awesome!

For the 2nd;
Quote
-The Boss cannot use her extra actions to attack an opponent they already had attacked this turn.
It's pretty clear in wording and intent. At least to me. Basically it comes off as "you can't hurt the same opponent more than once per turn either with damage or any other debilitating/offensive type effect, attack, ect if it requires an action to do so."  :-\
I mean come on, focus fire with a character like this is just messed up -_-'
« Last Edit: March 11, 2015, 03:46:53 AM by ketaro »

Offline Rakoa

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Re: Boss
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2015, 09:07:27 AM »
That IS what I'm thinking, I'm just being a tad anal to prevent abuse, because I'm not sure if "attack" is a clearly defined SRD term.
The Paladin Code: Detect Evil, Smite it, ask questions later.

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Boss
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2015, 12:57:11 PM »
These guys get even slower when subjected to Slow; the wording you are looking for is "reduce their speed by a quarter", not "quartered".
Ups, fixed!

I notice that Boss in Mook Clothing mentions all observation methods, and the appearance is as a lvl1 NPC of your choice. Could a 12 foot tall Umber Hulk appear to be Larry the Lumberjack to normal sight until he flex-rips out of his flannel shirt? Because I love this, I'm just making sure.
Correct, that's indeed one of the main intents and uses of the ability. :D

Also I think that Try To Keep Up With Me could do with a little bit of clarification. You can't Full Attack somebody twice in a row, but could you do a Full Attack and then a Bullrush on him? Full Attack and a Disintegrate? Full Attack and a Dominate Person? Full Attack and a Breath Weapon that includes your initial target in the radius?
No. Clarified that it's attack as per the Invisibility spell definition of attack, so anything that is targeted or has an area that would affect others.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: Boss
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2015, 02:09:56 PM »
Does worn equipment count as an external source?

Needs an ability called Like A Boss (don't watch this at work).

Offline DavidWL

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Re: Boss
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2015, 11:04:47 PM »
Cool.

"This isn't over yet" is a great and stylish ability.

I wonder if this class is too powerful.  I can see the argument against full casters, but for other characters whose abilities scale with HD ... Other than Casters, God Class, and Paragon, are there any monster classes or regular classes which wouldn't benefit more from taking this than their own thing?

Best,
David

Offline TC X0 Lt 0X

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Re: Boss
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2015, 08:55:15 AM »
I don't know isn't it intended to be op?
Im really bad at what I do.
A+

Offline jojolagger

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Re: Boss
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2015, 04:17:20 AM »
I wonder if this class is too powerful.  I can see the argument against full casters, but for other characters whose abilities scale with HD ... Other than Casters, God Class, and Paragon, are there any monster classes or regular classes which wouldn't benefit more from taking this than their own thing?
Gestalt or Tristalt characters pay more.
And because you can't repeat actions, you can't even make multiple full attacks. Maybe you charge someone then full attack his buddy, but after that there's not much to do on a non-caster. Maybe you have some AoE ability, but that has to be used so as to not hit people you've already hit.

To clarify, the 'can't attack others you've already attacked this turn' doesn't worry about AoO's you made between your last turn and this turn. So when it's not your turn, you can attack people to your heart's content. Right? (Basically, the restriction only applies to the actions you take on your turn)

Not listing this on the index page?
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Boss
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2015, 09:02:06 AM »
Does worn equipment count as an external source?
No.

Needs an ability called Like A Boss (don't watch this at work).
Can't believe I forgot that one, added!

Cool.

"This isn't over yet" is a great and stylish ability.

I wonder if this class is too powerful.  I can see the argument against full casters, but for other characters whose abilities scale with HD ... Other than Casters, God Class, and Paragon, are there any monster classes or regular classes which wouldn't benefit more from taking this than their own thing?

Best,
David
Well, taking this would usually mean not taking your monster class racial capstone. Also there's Monster of Legend competing for those last empty levels if you have any. So if you want to be a Boss 4/MoL 2, you'll be behind 6 levels in gaining new abilities.

I guess it's a very attempting pick for the shorter monster classes, but that's kinda the point with this type of templates. That you become a boss version of your normal self.

I'm open to data on the contrary though.


I don't know isn't it intended to be op?
It isn't supposed to be OP, at least not more OP than the other templates around here.

To clarify, the 'can't attack others you've already attacked this turn' doesn't worry about AoO's you made between your last turn and this turn. So when it's not your turn, you can attack people to your heart's content. Right? (Basically, the restriction only applies to the actions you take on your turn)
The restriction only applies to the extra actions granted by the Boss class itself, so Aoos don't fall under that limitation.

Not listing this on the index page?
Despite I being the boss around here (pun intended), even my creations don't get a free pass to the index until I feel satisfied with their overall balance. People are rising fair questions about this being too OP and I won't add the Boss to the index until I feel like I properly adressed them.

(which reminds me I should really go properly polish the Umbral Blot)

Offline jojolagger

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Re: Boss
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2015, 05:32:53 PM »
Casting spells follows the same restrictions as SLA's would, right? No spamming the same spell, but variety is fine? Because I could see people arguing that casting a spell is the action instead of casting mage armour being the action, but the SLA example implies this isn't the case.
Maybe something to prevent buff nova-ing? Change the wording from attack to effect, so you're limited to not using extra actions for stacking attacks on enemies or buffs on allies?

I'd also suggest is removing Master from the Authority equals Asskicking Bit, as part of the cost to taking Master is not advancing other abilities (even if gestalt). Maybe even add something to indicate that Boss levels don't count towards gaining/progressing abilities that scale off of level/hd, so you don't get to laugh can keep gaining bonuses from your monster class while taking levels of Boss.

Also maybe tone the actions gained back a little. +.5 a turns actions each level maybe? Rather than +.5 for the first two levels and +1 for the last 2 levels?
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Offline oslecamo

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Re: Boss
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2015, 07:09:43 PM »
-Good idea, changed the wording so that the Boss can't use her extra actions to affect a target they already had affected this turn, including area effects that would include the target. Wouldn't make much sense if this ended being used for super buffer.

-Removed Master, but I won't include any HD clause for reasons to be explained in the next point.

-The basis of the boss is that four creatures of a kind count as an encounter 4 levels higher. Thus 4 levels grant the actions of four creatures. There's some advantages to that, like you can buff focus and somewhat less vulnerable to area effects, however there's also disadvantages like being in only one position and a lot less HP. I believe said disadvantages outweight the advantages, thus the d12 HD, full saves/Bab and top notch skill points to round up the Boss.


Offline DavidWL

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Re: Boss
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2015, 11:06:20 PM »
-Good idea, changed the wording so that the Boss can't use her extra actions to affect a target they already had affected this turn, including area effects that would include the target. Wouldn't make much sense if this ended being used for super buffer.

These changes have weakened it a lot.  Now you can't continuously buff yourself or your minions.  I think it is now balanced.

Best,
David

Offline DavidWL

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Re: Boss
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2015, 02:38:00 AM »
Note:  This is best for a caster (or other very flexible build) that can afford to lose CL.

Ur-Priest, Mindstealer Drone, Chameleon.

4 turns of actions divided between things like ...
1. Summoning
2. Buffing
3. Self Buffing (if you didn't include yourself above)
4. Offensive
5. Anything that effects areas rather than characters (summoning walls, etc.)

But diversity means that it is unlikely to become synergisticly too powerful ... nice!

Best,
David