I’ve been GMing primarily Pathfinder 2e for a few years and really like a lot about it, but I find solo boss fights frustrating. Bosses mostly just have inflated stats like way higher AC and saves, making it easy for players to miss or have their spells negated, which leads to boring, repetitive fights. Often the only effective strategy is stacking buffs and debuffs to overcome those big numbers. I’m trying out other systems and really like how ICON does boss fights — they feel a lot more interesting and interactive. I’d love to hear recommendations for RPG systems that handle solo bosses in fun, dynamic, and engaging ways that I could try or borrow ideas from. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
Fabula Ultima is great in this department. Bosses have multiple stages and can take a number of turns based on the player count. They don’t just get tanked with super high defenses; instead, the fights emphasize big damage and teamwork. Plus, bosses often have separate parts, like arms or other body bits, that count as enemies themselves, adding layers of strategy to the fight.
If you want a game focused entirely on boss fights, keep an eye out for The Hollows by Rowan, Rook & Decard. It’s still not fully released but the demo is available. The combat revolves around positioning relative to the boss (flanking, front, behind, range), not grid-based movement, and bosses use “threat tokens” to telegraph their powerful attacks — very much like the warning signs you see in video game boss fights. It sounds like it could scratch the itch for more tactical, exciting solo bosses.
D&D 4th Edition introduced the concepts of “Elite” and “Solo” monsters designed specifically to challenge entire parties without just being stat-stuffed walls of HP and AC. Solo monsters have roughly normal defenses but tons more HP and a wider range of special attacks to keep the fight interesting. It addressed many of the issues Pathfinder 2e boss fights have, though some say the solos were sometimes underpowered against optimized parties. Either way, 4e’s design philosophy is worth looking into for dynamic boss encounters.
You might also like this approach from the ttrpg Cottages & Cerberus, which is all about big monster fights inspired by Monster Hunter. Bosses have three key moves to keep things fresh: an opener that hits hard and sets the tone; a recharge move that’s powerful but can only be used sparingly; and a closer that activates at the end of turns, ensuring constant threat. The boss usually acts first and has fewer actions than players, but the design balances action economy pretty well so fights feel strategic rather than sloggy. It’s pretty easy to adapt this style to other systems like Pathfinder if you want to spice up your bosses.
One idea that applies across systems: instead of just a giant HP pool, try giving your bosses phases and environmental challenges. Think WoW raids — bosses telegraph attacks, require players to move, split up, or interrupt mechanics rather than just slug it out. You can homebrew phases where the boss changes moveset or the arena throws hazards to keep players on their toes. This keeps fights interactive and tense, no matter the system.
