I am currently running my party through Paizo Publishings Iron God’s Adventure Path. As a fan of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks and also someone who has run (and converted) that adventure in every version of D&D since 1e the Iron God Adventure Path appealed to me. However Iron Gods is a 3.5 edition game and so there was more work involved in converting to 5e than I expected.
I also like the idea of boss fights similar to raid bosses in MMORPGs so created a Boss Fight version of Hellion loosely based on ideas from Angry DM. His rules were specifically for 4e and I think 5e solves many of the issues the Boss Fight template was aimed at correcting but I still think a three stage fight is much more interesting against a solo creature. Since 5e fights, especially the more abstract you get, end up being grinds by the end of the combat.
Bear in mind this Hellion is designed to be a hard challenge for 6 level six characters. Hellion is a rogue AI turned demigod that the characters have come to put down before he causes any more trouble. I am still not 100% happy with stage III so I expect I will tweak that some more. I don’t expect my players to face this big bad until a few sessions yet.
HELLION’S CHASSIS – SKIRMISH MODE (I)
Large construct (robot, mythic, aggregate), chaotic evil
Armour Class 16 (skymetal chassis)
Hit Points 95 (28d10, maximised)
Speed 20’, climb 40’
Str 22 (+6) Dex 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0)
Int 14 (+2) Wis 17 (+3) Cha 19 (+4)
Skills Athletics +4 (+6 when jumping), Persuasion +7, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +8, Insight +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine.
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic, lightening
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralysed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Gothic, Common, Orc
Challenge 14 (11,500/3)
Amazing Initiative. Hellion has advantage on initiative rolls and due to his dual nature (multi-processing power) also has two initiative counts and may act on both counts. Hellion usually uses one initiative count to attack with its inhabited robot and another count to cast a spell depending on the stage.
Mythic Power. Hellion can draw upon a wellspring of power to accomplish amazing deeds and cheat fate. Hellion has 1 use per stage of mythic power and can use this ability as a surge or to take a bonus action. When Hellion uses it to surge he may add 1d8 to any d20 he just made adding it to the roll. This can change the outcome of the roll.
Spawn of Unity. As a creature of technology created by Unity, Hellion has inherited many divine abilities and technological immunities and resistances
Spider Climb. Hellion can climb difficult surfaces while in skirmish mode, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Hellion can take 2 legendary actions using the M34 Autocannon. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn . Hellion regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
M34 Autocannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/200 ft.; one target.
Hit: 8 (2d8) piercing damage.
ACTIONS
Plasma Barrage. Hellion spews plasma death into a 30-foot cube (6 targets) centred where he chooses. This is considered a ranged weapon attack. Each creature in the cube must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw taking 15 (4d8) plasma (fire/lightning) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
TACTICS
Hellion will use his climb speed to harass the characters from range. For a plasma blast hit: “I am 53% certain this isn’t going to hurt”.
STAGE TRANSITION
When reduced to 0 hit points Hellion will lose his footing and slide down the cavern wall to the depths below losing his spider climb ability. He will then, as a reaction, leap back up to the platform and enter stage II – Tank Mode.
HELLION’S CHASSIS – TANK MODE (II)
Large construct (robot, mythic, aggregate), chaotic evil
Armour Class 18 (hardened skymetal chassis)
Hit Points 95/30 (28d10, maximised)
Speed 40’,
Str 22 (+6) Dex 10 (+0) Con 10 (+0)
Int 14 (+2) Wis 17 (+3) Cha 19 (+4)
Skills Athletics +4 (+6 when jumping), Persuasion +7, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +8, Insight +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine.
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralysed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Gothic, Common, Orc
Challenge 14 (11,500/3)
Amazing Initiative. Hellion has advantage on initiative rolls and due to his dual nature (multi-processing power) also has two initiative counts and may act on both counts. Hellion usually uses one initiative count to attack with its inhabited robot and another count to cast a spell.
Energy Shield. A shimmering shield of energy engulfs Hellion’s chassis granting extra hit points. The shield regenerates at 10 hit points per turn. While the shield is up he is immune to lightening, force and critical hits. Once it is exhausted these immunities disappear and the shield collapses ceasing to regenerate.
Mythic Power. Hellion can draw upon a wellspring of power to accomplish amazing deeds and cheat fate. Hellion has 1 use per stage of mythic power and can use this ability as a surge or to take a bonus action. When Hellion uses it to surge he may add 1d8 to any d20 he just made adding it to the roll. This can change the outcome of the roll.
Spawn of Unity. As a creature of technology created by Unity, Hellion has inherited many divine abilities and technological immunities and resistances
LAIR ACTIONS
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Hellion takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Hellion can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Automated Boltor Cannons pop out of cunningly hidden recesses in the roof and spray the area with gunfire. They are superhumanly accurate and only hit enemy creatures. Each creature in the room must make a DC 15 Dexterity save or take 12 (4d6) piercing damage.
- Hellion floods the room with tear gas. All breathing creatures must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or spend the round heaving and retching. Effect ends after a successful save.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Hellion can take 3 legendary actions, using the M34 Autocannon attack option below. It can take only one legendary action at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn . Hellion regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
M34 Autocannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/200 ft.; one target.
Hit: 8 (2d8) piercing damage.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Hellion makes three attacks claw: two with its claw and one with its plasma beam or he can make a single shredder attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained; Hellion automatically does 14 (2d8 + 6) damage until the grapple is broken. While crushing an opponent Hellion losses a claw attack.
Plasma Beam. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 50/100 ft.; one target.
Hit: 22 (5d8 + 2) plasma damage.
Shredder. Hellion lands in the middle of the party in a whirlwind of razor-sharp legs. Every creature in a 15-foot sphere (3 targets) must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw taking 20 (5d8) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
TACTICS
Hellion is infuriated by the characters and changes into tank mode and begins to melee. He looses a lot of mobility in this form but gains a lot of toughness as well. He leaps from the wall and lands dead centre of the characters executing a shredder attack. Heavy plating emerges from hidden crevices interlocking over his chassis increasing his armour class and a shimmering shield appears. He will use his melee attacks to crush his enemies. Stage II is the most dangerous stage.
STAGE TRANSITION
When reduced to 0 hit points Hellion will explode in a fireball of fiery death, dealing 16 (8d4) points of plasma damage (half fire, half electricity) in a 20-foot-radius sphere (Dexterity DC 16 half, normally 4 targets). Once the chassis is completely destroyed Hellion will move to stage III
HELLION – “TRUE” FORM (III)
Tiny construct (robot, mythic, aggregate), chaotic evil
Armour Class 24 (skymetal construct)
Hit Points 95 (special)
Speed fly 60’
Str 1 (-8) Dex 18 (+4) Con 10 (+0)
Int 14 (+2) Wis 17 (+3) Cha 19 (+4)
Skills Persuasion +7, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perception +8, Insight +6
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non magical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralysed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Gothic, Common, Orc
Challenge 14 (11,500/3)
Spawn of Unity. As a creature of technology created by Unity, Hellion has inherited many divine abilities and technological immunities and resistances
Innate Spellcasting. Hellion’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 spell attack). Hellion can innately cast the following spells once per day, requiring no material components. Hellion may also ignore the concentration tag of these innate spells:
1/day each: bane (C, 3 creatures, CHA save, -1d4 from attack/save), blindness/deafness, command (1r, WIS save, grovel), chaos hammer (20ft sphere, L 4d8 and N 2d8 WIS), dispel magic (3rd or <, PHB 234), false life (+1d4+4 hp), hellish rebuke (reaction on damage, DEX or 2d10 fire), inflict wounds (melee 3d10 necrotic), moonstruckAPG (confused, enraged and gain natural attacks), protection from good (C), ray of enfeeblement (C, 60’ range, half-damage on STR based attacks), ray of sickness (2d8 poison, CON save or also poisoned until end of my next turn), touch of idiocy (The creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores are reduced to 1. CON, 1 minute otherwise as feeblemind PHB 299), unholy blight (as blight but affecting good and neutral creatures only, CON, 8d8)
ACTIONS
Hellions Hounds (1/day). As a bonus action Hellion may call fourth 6 scrapyard robots to his aide. These robots are slapped together from remains Hellion was planning on rebuilding properly into an honour guard. But in desperation he summons them to his aide in their incomplete state.
TACTICS
Hellion is near death and will begin to bargain with the characters. He has also lost his lair, legendary actions and dual initiative at this point sending in minions to distract the PCs while he tries to find a suitable vessel to download into. If he can not negotiate with the PCs he will robojack one of the scrapyard robots and attempt to flee. Stage III only occurs if the players have destroyed the CPU core. If not the battle ends after stage II. Hellion appears as a small flying metal ball projecting an image of the god into thin air. The image is insubstantial the ball is small and fast but can be hit and destroyed in one hit during. Hellion will take three rounds to download to a host – 1 to summon the robots, one to connect and download and one where the overwhelmed scrapyard bot is staggered. Players have a time limit to get to him before he flees.
STAGE TRANSITION
When reduced to 0 hit points and the CPU core has been destroyed Hellion explodes into a shimmer of light dealing 16 (8d4) points of radiant damage in a 30-foot-radius sphere (Dexterity DC 18 half, normally 6 targets). The motes of light drift through the air momentarily before completely blinking out. Hellion is undone. As the Hellions Hounds are part of this encounter they essentially share Hellions hit-point pool. Once the pool is exhausted all Hellion explodes and his minions collapse and fall to pieces. Once he downloads to a new host he will flee and the new aggregate will gain all his immunities and special abilities.
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Game tested 2.0 is up now: https://itsmygamemyrules.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/boss-fight-hellion-2-0/