Sometimes making a boss more memorable or more challenging extends beyond the standard character customization rules. Adding bonus HP, bonuses to-hit, and bonuses to the various Defenses can only go so far when the group in question can handily deal with the threats placed against them. In addition, a difficult boss can also prove to serve as a climactic end to a story arc or entire campaign. These options presented here are meant to be used by the GM only, and not to be given to players. This is due to a lack of balance present in these choices, and because these choices are meant to strengthen bosses, not regular player characters.
These powers have no prerequisites associated with them in order to be taken, however it is recommended minor bosses only have a handful of these powers if any while major bosses can have this restriction lifted for the purpose of engaging the players more.
Various powers listed have both “Standard” and “Epic” variants to choose from. Standard is made for minor to mid-level bosses while Epic is for high level bosses.
Name: Accurate
Description: Your attack rolls increase their bonuses for each time this power is taken. This power can be taken multiple times, stacking with itself.
Standard: You gain a +1k0 to all attack rolls, and a bonus to the amount of keep dice equal to half the bonus amount of rolled dice granted. (Example: +4k2)
Epic: You gain a +1k1 to all attack rolls, and a flat bonus on attack rolls equal to your level.
Name: Always Prepared
Description: You’re ready for combat — no matter the situation.
Standard: You gain a +10 bonus to initiative.
Epic: You gain a +20 bonus to initiative, and any roll below half is considered half instead (treat 1, 2, 3, and 4 as a 5 if they roll as such).
Name: Anti-Aging
Description: You never suffer the negative ramifications of age, and appear as young or as old as you want. You do not die from old age.
Standard: You are permanently considered to be an Adult, no matter how old or young you look, and gain no bonuses or penalties as such.
Epic: You are permanently considered to be an Adult, no matter how old or young you look, and can gain the benefits of being Young or Old (your choice) without taking any of the penalties. Alternatively you can choose to instead gain a +1 bonus to two stats if you do not choose to reap the benefits of being older or younger.
Name: Avoiding
Description: Gain a bonus to Avoid.
Standard: You gain a bonus to Avoid equal to ½ your level + 1 (minimum of 2).
Epic: You gain a bonus to Avoid equal to your level + 2 (minimum of 3).
Name: Death’s Touch
Description: You can, with a single attack, kill an enemy of your choosing. This only affects NPCs, and not PCs.
Standard: You must hit the target in order for the attack to kill them. Use an attack roll from one of your weapons/spells in order to do this.
Epic: You do not need to hit the target for the attack to kill them.
Name: Defensive
Description: Gain a bonus to Defense.
Standard: You gain a bonus to Defense equal to ½ your level + 1 (minimum of 2).
Epic: You gain a bonus to Defense equal to your level + 2 (minimum of 3).
Name: Deific Defenses
Description: You are only able to be harmed by specific weapons. Normal weapons deal damage, however upon reaching 0 HP you are knocked unconscious and immediately revive at full HP a round later.
Standard: Only Legendary Weapons, and magic weapons can kill you. Magic weapons are any weapon which has been enchanted with a magical bonus of some sort, a Battlemage using Spellstrike, or other bonuses which may state a weapon is magical.
Epic: Only Legendary Weapons can kill you.
Name: Evasive
Description: You gain a bonus to Dodge checks you make.
Standard: You gain a bonus equal to ½ level on dodge checks made.
Epic: You gain a bonus +0k1 on dodge checks in addition to +½ level.
Name: Healing Factor
Description: You recover a set amount of hit points over time.
Standard: You have Regeneration 5.
Epic: You have Regeneration 10.
Name: Heavy Hitter
Description: Your damage rolls increase their bonuses for each time this power is taken. This power can be taken multiple times, stacking with itself.
Standard: You gain a +1k0 to all damage rolls, and a bonus to the amount of keep dice equal to half the bonus amount of rolled dice granted. (Example: +4k2)
Epic: You gain a +1k1 to all damage rolls, and a flat bonus on damage rolls equal to your level.
Name: Incredible Speed
Description: You’re able to move great distances.
Standard: Gain a bonus to move speed equal to double your Agility plus ½ level.
Epic: Gain a bonus to move speed equal to double Agility plus double level.
Name: Incredible Vitality
Description: You’re able to soak up great amounts of damage.
Standard: Gain a bonus to your total amount of HP equal to 3 times your Endurance.
Epic: Gain a bonus to your total amount of HP equal to 5 times your Endurance.
Name: Intense Weather Phenomenon
Description: Within a 2 mile radius around you, the weather grows increasingly more intense. This can be activated and deactivated as a swift.
Standard: Choose one of the following weather conditions: cold weather, darkness, or hot weather.
Epic: In addition to the choices above you can do the following: corrosive atmosphere, toxic atmosphere, blizzard, sandstorm, dust devils, quicksand, psychokinetic phenomenon, smoke, holy/unholy storm, or a vacuum.
Name: Land Creation
Description: You’re able to summon landmasses from nowhere.
Standard: You can create islands, continents, dungeons, or kingdoms from scratch.
Epic: You can create planets, suns, planes, and other celestial bodies from scratch.
Name: Mind Link
Description: You’re able to mentally dominate an enemy to control their action. This is an attack against their Mental Defense using your level for the attack (level (k) ½ level) and adds either Magic, Smarts, or Luck as a bonus to the roll (whichever is higher).
Standard: This only affects a single enemy at a time, and can only affect them once per day. It lasts for one round per level.
Epic: This can affect multiple enemies (up to ½ your level) at a time once per day for a number of rounds equal to your level, or alternatively can affect a single enemy for one day per level and can be reinstated so long as you maintain concentration.
Name: Ranged Champion
Description: You’re able to hit enemies from a great distance away.
Standard: Gain a bonus to your attack range equal to double Agility + level.
Epic: You can use any ranged or thrown weapon at any range, so long as you have line of sight.
Name: Revival
Description: You can revive after being slain.
Standard: Once per month after being slain you can revive from the dead. In order to be permanently slain you must be killed after this revival has taken place. If your body was previously destroyed, a new one is created in a random safe location.
Epic: Once per month after being slain you can revive from the dead. In order to be permanently slain you must be killed by a certain object, spell, or Legendary Weapon. If you possess the Deific Defenses Enemy Power, it must be a Legendary Weapon.
Name: Self Destruct
Description: After being slain you can make one last hurrah against enemies around you. This attack is made using your level (level (k) ½ level) and adds Endurance as a bonus to hit.
Standard: You explode into gore and viscera in a 12 square radius, making an attack against the Avoid of all enemies. This deals 50 damage (before applying Soak).
Epic: You explode into gore and viscera in a 24 square radius, making an attack against the Avoid of all enemies. This deals 80 damage (before applying Soak).
Name: Size Increase
Description: You permanently increase your size. This affects Soak, and other bonuses.
Standard: Increase Size permanently by 2. Alternatively you can increase Size by 1 while increasing Soak by another 1.
Epic: Increase Size permanently by 4. Alternatively, you can increase Size by 2 while increasing Soak by another 2.
Name: Split Initiative
Description: You are of two minds, and able to act twice in combat.
Standard: You act twice in initiative, your second initiative at a -10 result.
Epic: You act twice in initiative, taking no penalty to your second initiative.
Name: Stronger Poison
Description: Your poison is incredibly lethal. This power can be taken multiple times, stacking with itself.
Standard: You gain a +1k0 to all poison attack rolls, and a bonus to the amount of keep dice equal to half the bonus amount of rolled dice granted. (Example: +4k2)
Epic: You gain a +1k1 to all poison attack and damage rolls.
Name: Teleportation
Description: You can teleport on a whim, doing so as a move action.
Standard: You can teleport a number of miles equal to your Agility.
Epic: You can teleport a number of miles equal to double Agility. In addition to this, you can teleport anywhere within the same galaxy once per day.
Name: Vigorous
Description: Gain a bonus to Bodily Defense.
Standard: You gain a bonus to Bodily Defense equal to ½ your level + 1 (minimum of 2).
Epic: You gain a bonus to Bodily Defense equal to your level + 2 (minimum of 3).
Name: Weapon Enhancer
Description: Weapons you wield increase in their usefulness and deadliness.
Standard: Weapons you wield gain a +2k1 bonus to damage, a +2 bonus to Penetration, and Brutish or Finesse (your choice).
Epic: Weapons you wield gain a +4k2 bonus to damage, a +4 bonus to Penetration, and Brutish, Finesse, Savage, or Powerful (your choice).
Name: Willful
Description: Gain a bonus to Mental Defense.
Standard: You gain a bonus to Mental Defense equal to ½ your level + 1 (minimum of 2).
Epic: You gain a bonus to Mental Defense equal to your level + 2 (minimum of 3).
Name: Zealous Vitality
Description: You’re trained to ignore the effects of called shots.
Standard: You are immune to the critical effects of called shots. In addition to this, you can once per day ignore the penalties from a single called shot’s regular effect.
Epic: You’re immune to called shots.