Boss (3.5e NPC Class)
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Boss
| “ | None of you can ever hope to defeat me, for I am power itself! | ” |
| —Lord Balwark, human wizard boss | ||
Sometimes there comes a being who, by virtue of those opposed to him, has become so powerful that he or she (or it) can be said to have many lives. While most die just as many deaths, some grow to such power they become legends, and those legends become known throughout the adventuring community as Bosses.
Becoming a Boss
While anyone can theoretically become a Boss, few ever reach the level of infamy that makes a Boss. While it is mostly powerful and evil humanoids that become Bosses, dragons, demons, and even angels have been Bosses in the past.
| Special: | Character level or Hit Dice 10 or over |
|---|---|
| Special: | Must feature as a major antagonist in an ongoing campaign |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Spellcasting or Manifesting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Fort | Ref | Will | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Boss Health, Seal Area | as per previous spell casting class | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Boss Health | as per previous spell casting class | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Boss Health, Rage Form | as per previous spell casting class | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Boss Health | as per previous spell casting class | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Boss Health, Death Throes | as per previous spell casting class | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (As previous class "As previous class" is not a number. + Int modifier per level.As per previous class. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Boss.
Spellcasting: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Boss, you increase all your spellcasting abilities.
Boss Health: As opposed to gaining in traditional hit die, at each level a Boss gains their health total again as a secondary health listing. Thus, a third level Boss would have four health ratings from top to bottom. When one health set is depleted, the next set of health is activated and takes any of the remainder of damage. All death effects completely drain a set of health, but otherwise have no ill effects. Petrification drains one health set and stops a Boss for a number of rounds equal to the DC of the effect, during which any damage is dealt to his next health set. If a Boss's last health set is depleted, then the Boss starts dying as per normal. Cure spells can only restore a current health set, but a Heal or Restoration spell brings back a single lost health set to full strength. This is an extraordinary ability.
Seal Area: Even the least of Bosses can trap unfortunate heroes into a death duel. Once per day, this spell-like ability acts as a wall of force that cuts off all escape routes to an enclosed area. In an open area, it manifests as a sphere or hemisphere of force that seals an area with a radius of the Boss's choosing up to 100 feet. Antimagic cannot dispel it, but a mage's disjunction targeting the sphere has a percent chance equal to 50 minus the Boss's Boss levels to to create an opening for the caster to get through. This effect can be dismissed by the Boss at any time, but it is also automatically dismissed upon the Boss's death.
Rage Form: A Boss that loses three health sets takes on a desperate, wrathful war form. Choose one of the following templates: Half Fiend, Half Celestial, Half Dragon, Lich. The Boss immediately applies this template upon expending its third health set. This is an extraordinary ability that ends when a health set is regained, regardless of how or what state of health the Boss is in at the time.
Important Note - if the Lich is chosen, you do not gain a phylactery.
Death Throes: At 5th level, a Boss's death becomes spectacular. The Boss dies at zero hit points as opposed to −10, but unleashes a powerful burst of energy dealing 10d6 points of damage in a 100 foot radius. A DC (10+constitution modifier+hit dice) Reflex save halves the damage, the type of which is determined by the Rage Form: Dragon deals the breath weapon type, Lich deals negative energy, Fiend deals profane, Celestial deals holy.
Campaign Information
The Boss is a template intended for longer and more dangerous fights with major villains. While a player character could qualify for this class, it would require a campaign of villainy and challenges from other adventuring companies as opposed to the traditional adventuring career. For this reason, I recommend that GMs only allow player characters who are planning to retire anyway to take this class.
Playing a Boss
If you are playing a Boss, you have admitted you are evil. It doesn't matter what you or your character sheet says, for the very requirements for becoming a boss would make the one who meets them not only a villain, but one who has cut a bloody enough swath through a world to bring the real heroes in to try and stop them. If you take this class, congratufuckinglations: you are evil and have the annoying powers to show for it.
Combat: The Boss excels in whatever they excelled at previously, with a few added twists. Your various lives make it more likely that you will live long enough to kill all who oppose you, making it highly unlikely that being the center of a mass combat is a problem for you. When you have access to Rage Form, keep in mind it only kicks in when you are royally fucked, and goes away if you have a health set replenished. I highly recommend going ballistic at this point. Screw healing and conserving strength, deal as much damage as possible and don't stop until you die or run out of spells.
Advancement: Only very powerful organizations can support multiple Bosses, and they vary widely in resources. Thus, the best help you can get is a following of minions. Thus, it is wise to invest in Leadership if you haven't already. Otherwise, you are at your most powerful if you continue on as if you never became a Boss in the first place.
Resources: If you skipped over advancement, see that.
Bosses in the World
| “ | Damn you, Lord BalwaaaRRRRGH! | ” |
Bosses are the major villains of any world, period.
NPC Reactions: Bosses are feared by all lesser men, who dare not challenge them. Only the bravest or most idiotic of heroes even dare confront a Boss, let alone act against one.
Boss Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (History) can research a Boss to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 11 | Every now and then, a being so evil appears that it seems unbeatable. |
| 16 | Referred to as Bosses, these beings are difficult to defeat and are paragons of what evil can do. |
| 21 | Very powerful Bosses are dangerous to fight, becoming more powerful as they become injured. |
| 26 | A Boss, once he has achieved the pinnacle of power, will surely die some day, but I pity the fool who is around to witness it. |
Bosses in the Game
A Boss serves as a major villain only, and performs very poorly in any other role. To include a Boss in a campaign is to sign its death warrant.
Adaptation: For very unrealistic campaigns only.
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