Branching Boss Fights

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<div class='cover-header'>Branching Boss Fights</div>

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# Branching Boss Fights
## What are Branching Boss Fights?

Dynamic and evolving encounters are the cornerstone of memorable D&D games. This document is designed to help Dungeon Masters (DMs) transform ordinary boss battles into extraordinary experiences by incorporating multi-phase mechanics. Different phases allow more to unfold in the same combat window, delivering drama, tension, and growth without dragging the fight.

## Why Barriers Matter 
Phases are not just a design trick - they provide players a look into the soul of the boss. To reveal who a boss truly is, have them change tactics, adapt to players, and shift the battlefield as the fight escalates. The evolution between phases reflects the boss's personality, emotional state, and combat prowess, providing players with a more nuanced and well-rounded boss. 
***
*"When the half-giant warlord sees her last soldier fall, she drops her shield; not in surrender, but to draw a blade and seek revenge."*
***

\columnbreak

## What This Guide Covers 
This guide discusses how to utilise branching boss fights with event-based triggers, as well as how to modify boss stats by either gaining or losing specific abilities during each phase transition, or acquiring an entirely new stat block. At the end of the document, there are two examples for bosses to use as a reference or as enemies in your own games.

### Living Nightmare
| Set Up |
|:---|
| The players are fighting a shadowy beast with purple-blue smoke wrapping around its body. A player lands a devestating blow into the beast and smoke violently erupts from its body. |
| Anyone within 10 feet of the creature when this happened is now surrounded by clouds and cannot see anything. Two players are caught in the smoke and as they step out, they are all alone; their allies and the town around them are nowhere to be seen. They are now in their worst nightmare. The players who did not get caught by the smoke begin to hear screams from their allies as they see the beast slink away, badly wounded. |
| The remaining players hear distant screams as the beast slips away, and must deice: chase the beast, or save their allies. |

| Running Two Options |
|:---|

| Stay and Help |
|:---|
| The trapped players endure their nightmares, making Wisdom checks to resist fear and despair. They may escape on their own, or be aided by allies once they determine what the nightmare is from the groans and whimpers of their sleeping allies. Once the players have broken free, they hunt down the beast. Once reunited, the party tracks the beast to its lair. It has gained lair actions and minor strength, but still falls to a united group. |

| Chase the Beast |
|:---|
| With half the group asleep and the other half deciding that the monster is the priority, maybe if they kill it, the nightmare ends. So, they chase after it and continue the fight. The beast has lower AC, one less ability, lower movement speed, and other reductions, and no lair actions. Making it an easier fight overall. However, the players in the nightmare can die, go into a coma or walk away terrified, but it will be a bit harder without the help of their allies. |

</div>

\pagebreakNum

## Trigger Creation:

What Makes a Trigger
Every transition should have four core components. This structure not only ensures mechanical balance but also helps create consistent and engaging gameplay. By defining how bosses transition, the triggers that occur, how players can stop them, and the outcomes of player actions, DMs can design encounters that feel both fair and dynamic.

\columnbreak

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *I suggest keeping a round limit of 3 to 5 rounds to allow enough time, but not too much, so that the task is not too easy.*
 
 </div>

### Components
| Component | Description |
|:---:|:---|
| **Trigger Origin** | What pushes the boss into their next stage of power or desperation? Identify the mechanism of change: whether that is the boss is casting a ritual, feasting on characters, drawing strength from a magical item, or gaining a new artefact. There needs to be a source or focus that the boss is targeting or seeking to interact with. |
| **Trigger Styles** | What do you want the players to feel during the fight? This is about the pace of the battle.  A trigger might build tension over time, creating urgency as the boss grows stronger, or it might depend on how the players act and change based on their choices.Think of it as deciding whether the fight escalates because of a timer or because of what the players do.  |
| **Players Intervention** | How can players influence or stop the trigger? Provide multiple options so it feels like their choices matter. For example, during a ritual, the players might remove the items fueling it, or physically push the boss out of the ritual zone. Giving more than one approach keeps the fight open-ended and rewards creative thinking. |
| **Outcomes** | How much does the boss change because of what the players do? There can be several levels of outcome. A full success makes the boss weaker or skips a phase. A full failure lets the boss reach their most dangerous form. Between those extremes, partial successes can be split into steps (e.g., Halves, Thirds, Quarters), with the boss gaining more or fewer powers depending on how close the players came. This creates flexibility for different scales of success. |

</div>

\pagebreakNum

## Trigger Origin
When designing a phase transition, it’s important to think about both the boss’s fighting style and the battlefield around them. A boss’s fighting style might push them to seek more magic by performing a ritual, drawing on an artefact, or unleashing a powerful spell to control others. On the other hand, the battlefield creates opportunities for the players to shape the fight: perhaps by luring the boss under a cliff to drop it on them, collapsing the floor beneath their feet, or driving them into a new kind of terrain. *Combining these perspectives makes the transition feel natural, both as part of the boss’s plan and as a reaction to players’ choices.*
***
Below are the details for a fight against a *Frost Giant*, where the players successfully dropped a large rock bridge on top of the Giant. The collapse dragged him down as the ground gave way beneath him, and when the dust settled, the Giant was missing an arm, and his axe was buried beneath the rubble. The second phase begins from this point.
***
#### **1:** Armour Class Variations
Having the armour class change alters how players approach their attacks. They might rely more on making attack rolls or using spells that require the boss to fail saving throws.
***
***Phase 1:*** The Frost Giant has an **AC of 15**, being covered in a patchwork armour.

***Phase 2:*** He has an **AC of 12**, as his armour being damaged.

#### **2:** Weapon Variations
Allowing the boss to change weapons after a stage transition alters the flow of combat, shifting from slow, powerful strikes to faster, more frequent attacks.
***
***Phase 1:*** The Frost Giant uses a great axe and a chain attached to a large rock.

***Phase 2:*** Trapped beneath rubble he breaks free but had to rip his arm off. Now he uses the environment to his advantage throwing rocks or breaking stalagmites to use as weapons.

#### **3:** Fighting Style Variations
By changing a boss's actions, legendary actions and lair actions players have to adapt and adjust their approach to a new deadly boss.
***
***Phase 1:*** The Frost Giant fights aggressively, using his axe to pull players closer or swinging the rock around himself, knocking players over.

***Phase 2:*** Severely wounded, he tries to run and escape through the cave system. The fight becomes a choice to kill or trap him, as he gains new actions to escape the players.

\columnbreak

#### **4** Immunities and Resistances Variations
Changing the boss's resistances and immunities during different stages of the fight can force players to alter their tactics and spell choices, keeping the encounter fresh and challenging.
***
***Phase 1:*** The Frost Giant is immune to cold damage.

***Phase 2:*** Now, with the arm chopped off by the players, the wound begins to burn as the cold freezes over it and turns the blood blueish. They are no longer immune to cold damage and are now resistant.

#### **5:** Environmental Variations
The environment can change during a new boss stage, either by affecting the current terrain or moving the players to a new area. This adds complexity and shows progression through the fight.
***
***Phase 1:*** They are fighting in the crevasses of mountains during a snowstorm. The wind is rushing through, parts of the cliffs and edges are dropping from above due to the harsh wind.

***Phase 2:*** The fight has now become a chase as the Frost Giant is afraid and trying to run away through the different cave tunnels and trying to escape the players.

\pagebreakNum

## Trigger Styles
Triggers shape how the players experience the fight. They decide whether the encounter feels like a race against time or a test of the players’ choices and consequences. Maybe you want to create urgency as the boss completes their ritual, or maybe you want the fight to evolve based on how the players act.
***
There are two types of triggers:
1. **Timer-Based Trigger:** The players must achieve a goal within a set number of rounds before the boss powers up.
2. **Action-Based Trigger:** The boss’s transformation depends on how the players behave overall, with their actions gradually tipping the balance.

#### **1:** ***Timer-Based Trigger***
Timer-based triggers create a sense of urgency by giving the players a limited number of rounds to achieve their goal before the boss powers up. As bosses are transitioning, add in clear narrative milestones so players can see and feel the transformation as it builds. 
***
For example, if the boss is casting a powerful spell, the scene might escalate over several rounds:
* **First round:** The boss begins chanting as her minions shield her.
* **Second round:** Her voice booms louder, shaking the walls.
* **Third round:** Blue energy swirls around her, filling the air with crackling power.
* **Fourth round:** She rises into the air as the energy floods her body, preparing to unleash her spell.

***
By showing the boss’s progression each round, you not only keep players under pressure but also immerse them in the unfolding story.

\columnbreak

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *I suggest keeping a round limit of 3 to 5 rounds to allow enough time, but not too much, so that the task is not too easy.*
 
 </div>

#### **2:** ***Action-Based Trigger***
Action-based triggers put focus on the player's choices. Instead of a timer, the boss grows stronger or weaker depending on what the players accomplish during the fight. These are usually small side objectives that tilt the balance of power; like killing certain minions, destroying objects or protecting NPCs. This style forces the players to divide their attention between either focusing on the boss or splitting their efforts:
* If they **focus on the boss** then the players risk a harder fight by ignoring the side objectives; however, they will get through the phase easier.
* If they **split their efforts**, then the players may spend more resources during the current phase to make the boss weaker in the next phase, rewarding the players' time and effort.

***
For example, if the boss is absorbing energy during the fight from different pylons. The players do not have to deactivate or destroy the pylons but it helps if they do.
* **Do not deactivate or destroy any Pylons:** The boss gains a new ability.
* **Successfully deactivate or destroy 1 Pylon:** The boss gains the same new ability but it is weaker.
* **Successfully deactivate or destroy all Pylons:** The boss feels a bit weaker without absorbing the energy and gains a major debuff.

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *Use foreshadowing and world lore to hint at an objective’s importance before the fight begins. If players miss the clues, you can still show its importance through the boss’s actions, dialogue, or the surrounding environment.*
 
 </div>

\pagebreakNum

## Player Intervention
The style of player intervention depends on the trigger you choose. For Timer-Based transitions, they usually offer more direct ways to interfere with the boss’s immediate action (breaking, silencing, disrupting). However, for Action-Based transitions, they are broader, often about the players deciding which side objectives to focus on and how much effort to commit. Both styles keep the fight interactive, but they do it in different ways.
***
#### 1: Time-Based Transition
With the boss actively working to gain power, the players need to take immediate and direct actions to stop them. The fight escalates each round as the boss gets closer to their ultimate power, so every action the players take feels impactful and creative. The urgency naturally creates multiple points of intervention for players.
***
Because every round matters, players are pushed to combine abilities in inventive ways, from speeding allies across the map to breaking key objects as a group. The time pressure rewards teamwork and synergy over solo heroics, since each wasted action narrows the party’s chances of success. With the clock ticking, the fight becomes a puzzle of coordination and clever moves as much as raw damage.

\columnbreak

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *It is recommended to make it clear to the players how long the barrier will last. Additionally, time-based barriers should have a maximum time of 3 rounds.*
 
 </div>

### Time-Based Transition Examples
| D4 | Boss's Transition | Player Intervention |
|:-----:|:---------------|:--------|
| **1** | The boss begins a ritual to summon reinforcements. | Break the ritual components, silence the chanting, or collapse the summoning circle. |
| **2** | Mage minions are empowering the boss. | Kill the minions, cut off their sight on the boss to sever their magical link, and intimidate them into leaving. | 
| **3** | Destroying the wings of a dragon. | Lure the dragon to certain areas and crush its wings, and launch explosive barrels at its wings. |
| **4** | Artefact charging up to provide the boss with more power. | Discover key arcane words to shut the artefact off, rip the artefact off the boss, and deceive the boss into thinking you have the real artefact before it turns on. |

</div>

\pagebreakNum

#### 2: Action-Based Transition
For bosses who will grow stronger or weaker from the player's overall choices rather than against a timer. With how broad and loose these objectives are, intervention shifts from direct instructions to letting players decide which goals to pursue and how to approach them. The flexibility means success can look very different depending on the group’s tactics. The chart below offers a few examples of how these objectives could be completed.

\columnbreak

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *There may be countless ways for players to achieve a successful outcome, and as the DM you should allow and encourage creative solutions.*
 
 </div>

### Action-Based Transition Examples
| D4 | Boss's Transition | Player Intervention |
|:-----:|:---------------|:--------|
| **1** | NPC wizard casting a spell to weaken the boss. | The players may want to find ways to protect the wizard. They could block ranged enemy sightlines, or cast a protective shield over the wizard. |
| **2** | The boss's minion begins opening valves letting in poison mist, if they are all opened the battlefield will be harder for players to move through. | The players can shut the valves off, block where it is coming from, take out the minion before they open too many valves. | 
| **3** | The players have to protect the sacred idol in the centre of the room, from the bosses minions.| The players can cast spells to make the area around the idol difficult terrain, they could put darkness over the point, or use AOE spells to try and take out as many enemies as possible. |
| **4** | The boss steals souls to gain power, and has innocent NPCs nearby. | The players may want to find a way to separate the boss from the nearby NPC’s. Blocking their path with interactive scenery (shatterpoint element).|

</div>

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## Outcome
The mechanic works by having players take specific actions that can affect the boss in the next phase. They can stop the boss's ritual, take away a powerful item, or kill the boss's minions. Player success determines how the boss evolves, leading to **one of three outcomes:**
***
1. **Successful Event-Based Trigger:** If the players succeed, then the boss is weaker or fails to gain a new powerful ability, making the fight easier and rewarding them for completing the secondary objective.
2. **Partially Successful Event-Based Trigger:** Players may partially succeed, causing the boss to gain a bit more power than if the players had fully succeeded.
3. **Unsuccessful Event-Based Trigger:** If the boss succeeds, they gain more power, making them a more brutal fight for the players next phase.

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ###### Zi-Chin's Tip
 *Given the numerous possible pathways the bosses can take, it's advisable to limit the phases to one to three.*
 
 </div>

### Caged
| Scenario |
|:---|
| The players step into a vast arena where two glowing electric domes stand on either side, each trapping four prisoners within claw-like restraints. The captives pound helplessly on the crackling barriers as the boss laughs, summoning waves of minions to charge at the players. |
| With each passing turn, the boss channels more power, causing arcs of lightning to bind the prisoners tighter and begin draining their life force. The party must decide whether to fight through the minions to strike at the boss directly or risk freeing the captives by breaking the domes or using teleportation spells to pull them out. |
| If a player enters an active dome, they risk being caught in the trap and must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC 15) at the start of their turn to break free. Each pillar has 30 hit points and an AC of 11, and when two pillars are destroyed the entire dome shuts down, freeing the captives inside. |
| Every moment they hesitate brings the prisoners closer to death, and the boss closer to consuming their souls. |

| Successful Result | Partially Successful Result | Failure Result |
|:---|:---|:---|
| The party **saves all eight captives**, disrupting the ritual. He loses access to fifth and sixth level spells, his *Strength Score* stays the same, and his weapons do not gain additional lightning damage. | They **save four people**, but the rest are consumed. The boss’s *Strength Score* increases by 4, and his weapons deal an additional 1d4 lightning damage. He cannot use fifth and sixth level spells. | The party **saves two people**. The boss’s *Strength Score* increases by 6, his weapons deal an additional 1d6 lightning damage, and he retains all spells. |

</div>

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## Statblock Approaches
When designing branching boss fights, you will need to adjust their stat blocks to reflect different outcomes. Preparing multiple possible paths before the fight, whether the players succeed, partially succeed, or fail to ensure the boss evolves in a way that feels consistent and fair. The two main ways to handle this are:
1. **Unlock Statblock:** for small, incremental changes the boss undergoes during the transition.
2. **Change Statblock:** for major changes to the boss's stats when creating them.

***
| Feature  | Unlock Statblock | Change Statblock |
|:--------|:----------------|:----------------|
|  **Mechanics**  | Same base stats, adds new moves, potentially | Fully new stats and mechanics |
|  **Triggers**  | Minor behaviour shifts, new tactics and aims | Major physical/emotional transition |
|  **Examples**  | An archer becomes a brawler | A tiefling becomes a demon |
|  **Advantages**  | Quick, easy to manage | Richer design, more dramatic |
|  **Disadvantages** | Less dramatic | Requires more prep time and tracking |

#### Unlock Stat Block:
The use of this stat block is to have the creature gain new abilities when the second phase has been reached.

<div class='jade-tablet'>
 
 ##### Small Changes to the Boss
 The Aarakocra Boss mainly flies around and uses ranged attacks. The players manage to harpoon the wings of the beast and reel it to the ground. Forcing the aarakocra to use close-quarter combat to survive against the players.
 ***
 Due to how small a change this is, you do not need a whole new stat block. It is simpler to have one stat block and gain or lose abilities.

</div>

\columnbreak

#### Change Stat Block:
If the boss changes too much during each phase then this is a good system to use for that boss.

<div class='jade-tablet'>
 
 ##### Big Changes to the Boss
 The players are fighting a Tiefling Boss who has made a pact with a demon. They notice the tiefling start saying an incantation and fail to stop them from completing the spell. They watch as the tiefling falls to the ground dead; however, the corpse begins to float, and the chant continues as the body splits in half and a demon emerges.
 ***
 Due to how much is changing within the stat block, it is useful to have stats that allow you to show the changes to the boss and their new tactic in the second phase.

</div>

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<div class='cover-header'>Example Bosses</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Even In Shadow These Bosses Strike Fear Into The Hearts Of Their Foes </div>

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## Boss Examples
The following boss encounters are designed to showcase how branching boss fights mechanic can enrich a fight both narratively and mechanically. Each example highlights different the two triggers discussed from earlier. As well as tying the mechanic to an old document called 'Boss Barriers', they provide extra challenges for players as they have to figure out different ways to approach the boss fight.

#### **Thraxis the Betrayed**
*(Timer-Based Trigger)*
***
Thraxis uses the **Unlock Statblock** approach. His base Gorgon stat block is expanded when entering the second phase. He gains a *heat barrier*, extra fire damage on all attacks, and a new legendary action. As the fight continues, he the heat barrier dissipates after five rounds and the new abilities he gains stays until Phase Three. This makes him intense to run but manageable, since the DM only modifies one stat block.

#### Trigger & Effect
Thraxis’s fury ignites into overwhelming heat in the second phase, causing toxic fumes to pour from his armour and turning him into a more dangerous weapon. But water can weaken Thraxis further rather than simply waiting his rage to run out (*takes five rounds for the barrier to disappear*).
***
If the players decide to act and take down the barrier early they can force Thraxis to enter the final phase and take away his abilities or become a bit weaker by taking away his extra fire damage and losing some hit points.
***
*Below is a table to help show how this works:*

***
| Player Intervention  | Outcome |
|:---|:-----------|
|  **Thraxis Stays Dry** *(Failure)* | Thraxis keeps his new abilities, and the fire damage die changes from a d4 to a d8. |
|  **Small Body of Water** *(Partial Success)* | If Thraxis is pushed into small pools of water, then once Thraxis’ rage ends, all attacks lose extra 1d4 fire damage and they lose 15 hit points. |
|  **Large Body of Water** *(Success)* | When Thraxis is fully submerged within a large body of water, the molten barrier is immediately extinguished. Thraxis loses his rage, and it forces him into his third stage immediately, with 50 hit points remaining. |

\columnbreak

<div class='jade-tablet'>
 
 ##### Foreshadowing for Players:
 * Steam hisses off his armour when splashed, suggesting water affects him.
 * Pools in the cave shimmer as if calling to the players.
 * A Nature or Arcana DC 13 check might reveal: “That if the beast was suffocated in a large body of water it will stop his outlash.”
 ***
 Subtle clues allow players to better understand their weaknesses and experiment with the environment, making the end reward feel earned.

</div>

\pagebreakNum

#### **Gorath Bloodhorn**
*(Action-Based Timer)*
***
Gorath uses the **Change Statblock** approach. He starts disguised as a frail minotaur, relying on allies and battlefield tricks. But unlike Thraxis, his transformation is dramatic, from cunning schemer into a corrupted juggernaut. *The way the players handle his minions decides how powerful his second form will be.*

#### Trigger & Effect
In the *first phase*, Gorath draws strength from fallen allies. As minions die, purple smoke seeps from their bodies and coils around him. The more allies who fall, the stronger his second phase form becomes.
***
*Below is a chart with three outcomes:*

***
| Player Intervention  | Outcome |
|:---|:-----------|
|  **Zero to Three Allies Dead** *(Success)* | Does not gain ability, and all his attacks deal 4 damage less. |
|  **Four to Seven Allies Dead** *(Partial Success)* | Gains Vampiric Touch Spell, which is cast at level 5 and does d8 damage instead of the normal d6 damage. However, he does not gain a barrier. |
|  **Eight or More Allies Dead** *(Failure)* | Gains a barrier when he uses the Vampiric Touch Spell equal to the amount of damage dealt. |

\columnbreak

<div class='jade-tablet'>
 
 ##### Foreshadowing for Players:
 * When a minion falls the players notice a soul appear and scream as it is snatched away, becoming purple smoke that rapidly approaches and flows toward Gorath, his skin cracking with faint light.
 * *Arcana or Perception DC 14 checks* reveal: “The smoke is feeding him, as the boss's veins glow purple and bulge after a soul enters his body.”
 * Dialogue: Gorath whispers, “Your deaths will not be wasted… They are mine.”
 ***
 Subtle clues allow players to better understand how the boss works and potentially stop him from gaining more strength in phase 2.

</div>

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 <div class='back-cover-header'>Boss Barriers</div>

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 Welcome to the second enhanced boss battle from **Zi Chin’s Guide to Epic Fights!** This series is dedicated to dynamic, cinematic encounters that push players and Dungeon Masters alike to think creatively.
 
<div class="artist-credits">
  <p><strong>Artist Credits:</strong></p>
  <ul>
    <li>Page 1: Adam Paquette – Awaken the Sky Tyrant</li>
    <li>Page 2: Teong Hao Han – Nightmare Token</li>
    <li>Page 3: Tuan Duong Chu – Lagomos, Hand of Hatred</li>
    <li>Page 4: Campbell White – Storvald, Frost Giant Jarl</li>
    <li>Page 5: Heonhwa Choe – Brais, Arisen Nightmare</li>
    <li>Page 6: Svetlin Velinov – Broken Wings </li>
    <li>Page 7: Victor Adame Minguez – Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants</li>
    <li>Page 8: Matt Cavotta – Spiritual Asylum </li>
    <li>Page 9: Andrew Mar –  </li>
    <li>Page 10: Rudy Siswanto – Moraug, Fury of Akoum</li>
    <li>Page 11: John Di Giovanni – Weigh Down </li>
    <li>Page 11: Darrell Riche – Calciform Pools </li>
    <li>Page 12: Glen Angus – Moss Monster </li>
    <li>Page 12: Adam Paquette – Spell Queller </li>
  </ul>
 
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 You'll also find exclusive maps and upcoming expansions on
 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/c/Cheesey093" target="Patreon">Patreon</a>.
 
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<div class="team-credits">

###### Team Credits
- Michael Cheeseman — Lead Designer
- Alex Deery — Editor-in-Chief
- Karl Corallo — Artist (Footer, Background, and Zi-Chin's Tip Art)
- Finn McClusky — Master Coder
- Jimmy Beaton — Quality Assurance
- Wren Boulton — Quality Assurance
- Noah — Quality Assurance

</div>
 
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