Category:Boss creatures

Boss Creatures or the Boss Creature System upgrades newly created creatures into bosses, minibosses, or packs. Upgraded creatures have their level and basic stats boosted, and are granted a number of special abilities called boons which are denoted by a special adjective. Players have alternatively called this "glam critters," "gifted creatures," or "boosted critters."

Types of Boss Creatures

Typically creatures within a specific location will only spawn as one of the below Boss Creatures types.

Bosses are semi-unique and will always be created with the same special boons and possibly additional special abilities. They are time limited. They have unique DESCRIBE messaging and unique spawn messaging.

Minibosses will spawn one at a time with randomly selected boons. They will only have one tier three boon at most. These are more rare than packs.

Packs will spawn multiple identical boss creatures at the same time. They will have less boons than minibosses, will only have tier one or two boons, and the entire pack has identical boons. After they have spawned, packs are subject to usual creature wandering and will not necessarily stick together.

Rewards

Killing a creature upgraded by this system will grant long-term experience (LTE) in addition to the typical field experience at the below rates. There are no caps on the amount of long-term experience you can earn per day by killing Boss Creatures. The intent with the LTE reward was to ensure that even if your mind is full of field experience and you cannot gain any more, you are still receiving an LTE reward.

Creatures upgraded by this system have loot increases similar to grizzled or ancient creatures. GM Ixix released bonus treasure on 8/13/2020 for all Boss Creature types. This means that independently of the regular treasure results, LOOTing a Boss Creature will result in some additional tangle treasure like gems, boxes, collectibles, and other trinkets. This is indicated by the following message Searching carefully, you find {special loot}.

Creatures and Locations

Below is a list of creatures affected by the Boss Creature System. If a creature inhabits more than one area they may not be affected in every area (particularly if the areas are located in different zones). In addition, the chance a creature has to spawn upgraded via the Boss Creature System differs based on creature. Creatures upgraded by the system do impact spawn rates of the standard creature and must be cleared out in order for the standard creature to spawn again. There is some sort of limit to keep upgraded creatures from piling up if they're avoided/missed.

These creatures in these locations are setup to create bosses, minibosses, or packs.

Wispy tendrils of mist appear, partially obscuring <ground/floor> before drifting away.

Abilities

Boss Creatures can have boons and additional special abilities depending upon the type.

Boons

Boss Creatures may be appraised or assessed to receive a hint about what their boons are. Which boons and how many boons a creature has is determined by its Boss Creatures type and its creature characteristics.

>appraise chieftain
The hisskra chieftain is medium in size and about five feet high in his current state.
You would probably be able to take on the chieftain, but with some risk to your health.
The hisskra chieftain appears to be dazzling, drab, and spindly.

Boons are loosely divided into 3 tiers. The adjective you see on a creature is created from the highest tier of abilities on the creature. Not all boons can go on all creatures in the Boss Creatures system and some boons are not compatible. For example, trolls will not get regeneration and if a creature is given the boon Ethereal, they will not also get Magic Immune.

When the system was first released, there was an additional adjective called huge which meant that the creature's boon did not yet have a proper adjective. This should not be appearing any longer and if it does, it indicates there is a problem.

Boon tier, name, and adjectives in the below table were provided by GM Ixix and the notes were gathered and researched by players. Note: The information provided in the notes section may not be accurate. Please continue to add information as you discover it.

Messaging

Arrival

There is special area messaging when a miniboss or pack spawns, but you will not see it if you are in the same room when the creatures spawn.

You briefly hear what sounds like quite the commotion.

Boon Messaging by Name

Blink

A flickering troll wraith startles at the sudden, clamorous ring of metal on metal!
*Clang!*  The air reverberates with metallic echoes, blasting the troll wraith for 35 points of damage!
With an abrupt flash, a flickering troll wraith disappears and reappears a few feet away, avoiding any danger completely!

You fire a faewood white arrow at a wavering troll wraith!
With an abrupt flash, a wavering troll wraith disappears and reappears a few feet away, avoiding any danger completely!
The white arrow sails through a wavering troll wraith and lands nearby.

You gesture at a wavering troll wraith.
You hurl a stream of holy water at a wavering troll wraith!
With an abrupt flash, a wavering troll wraith disappears and reappears a few feet away, avoiding any danger completely!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Confuse

[SMR result: 222 (Open d100: 85)]
You have good positioning against a blurry Illoke elder.
  UAF: 557 vs UDF: 544 = 1.023 * MM: 74 + d100: 80 = 155
  ... and hit for 31 points of damage!
  Wide swing connects with right shin, sweeping it hard to the side!
  The Illoke elder is knocked to the ground!

 Your sonic cestus unleashes a blast of sonic energy at a blurry Illoke elder! 
Something confusing enters your mind at the worst possible moment, and the distraction disrupts your attack!
Roundtime changed to 3 seconds.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime: 3 sec.
Roundtime changed to 1 second.

Ethereal carnelian foxfire flickers into being along <Person's> hands, slithering across her palms...
<Person> channels at a blurry Illoke elder.
<Person> concentrates intently on a blurry Illoke elder, and a pulse of pearlescent energy ripples toward him!
  CS: +401 - TD: +377 + CvA: +25 + d100: +78 == +127
  Warding failed!
The Illoke elder shudders with moderate convulsions as pearlescent ripples envelop his body.
The Illoke elder is smashed for 40 points of damage!
<Person> stumbles slightly, looking momentarily distracted and confused.  <Person's> attack misses entirely!
<Person> stumbles slightly, looking momentarily distracted and confused.  <Person's> attack misses entirely!
...wait 1 seconds.

Counter-Attack

An apt black forest ogre seizes the opportunity to launch a quick counterattack against you!
[SMR result: 162 (Open d100: 181, Penalty: 4)]
The ogre attack lands!
   ... 25 points of damage!
   Shot knocks your head back by pushing on the inside of the skull!

Dispelling

You swing a heavy golden vultite-bladed naginata at a flashy vesperti!
  AS: +271 vs DS: +209 with AvD: +49 + d100 roll: +1 = +112
   ... and hit for 5 points of damage!
   Weak slash across chest!
   Slightly less painful than heartburn.
A swirling burst of essence lashes out from a flashy vesperti, consuming nearby magical energy!
You feel less confident than before.
The hazy film around <Person> fluxes chaotically!
   ... 30 points of damage!
   Vicious beam of energy rips open your back!
   You are stunned for 6 rounds!
The hazy film fades from around you.
A virulent green mist seeps out of a flashy vesperti's lips toward you, but you are unaffected.
You feel the unnatural surge of necrotic power wane away.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
Roundtime changed to 3 seconds.
S>
A swirling burst of essence lashes out from a flashy vesperti, consuming nearby magical energy!
The dim aura fades from around you.
You are coated in a hazy film.
A swirling burst of essence lashes out from a flashy vesperti, consuming nearby magical energy!
You become solid again.
The hazy film around <Person> fluxes chaotically!
   ... 45 points of damage!
   Tremendous plasma discharge slices deep into your chest!

Magic Immune

You gesture at a rune-covered troll wraith.
A rune-covered troll wraith pulses brightly as she absorbs the magic!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Mind Blast

[SMR result: 222 (Open d100: 85)]
An overwhelming pressure assails your mind, rendering you thoughtless!
You are stunned!

Parting Shot

You chant a reverent litany, clasping your hands while focusing upon the Smite spell...
Your spell is ready.
You channel at an indistinct crazed zombie.
A scintillating, blue-white aura encompasses an indistinct crazed zombie.
  CS: +164 - TD: +76 + CvA: +25 + d100: +40 == +153
  Warding failed!
An explosion of blue-white energy near an indistinct crazed zombie consumes the surrounding area with a blinding light.
The crazed zombie is hit for 39 points of damage!
   ... 25 points of damage!
   Precise burst of energy causes the crazed zombie's neck to blacken and peel.
You hear a sound like a weeping child as a white glow separates itself from the crazed zombie's body as it rises, disappearing into the heavens.
As the crazed zombie falls, an incandescent beam lashes out and strikes you!  Crackling arcs of lightning surround you!
   ... 10 points of damage!
   Electric shot shoots pain along your back and legs.
   You are stunned for 2 rounds!
The crazed zombie shudders slightly then ceases her so called life.

Physical Negation

You fire a faewood white arrow at an indistinct troll zombie!
A lustrous sphere momentarily flashes around an indistinct troll zombie.
The lustrous sphere absorbs the attack, leaving an indistinct troll zombie unscathed!
The white arrow sticks in an indistinct troll zombie's right arm!

	>ambush hag neck
You leap from hiding to attack!
You swing a coal black vultite handaxe at a nebulous ash hag!
A lustrous sphere momentarily flashes around a nebulous ash hag.
  AS: +329 vs DS: +171 with AvD: +31 + d100 roll: +5 = +194
   ... and hit for 61 points of damage!
   Awful slash nearly decapitates the ash hag!
   That's one way to lose your head.
   The ash hag is stunned!
	** Your vultite handaxe releases a shimmering beam of disintegration! **
	... 5 points of damage!
   Blast creates interesting designs on torso, but little damage.
Roundtime: 6 sec.
H>ambush hag head
You leap from hiding to attack!
You swing a coal black vultite handaxe at a nebulous ash hag!
A lustrous sphere momentarily flashes around a nebulous ash hag.
  AS: +329 vs DS: +148 with AvD: +31 + d100 roll: +6 = +218
   ... and hit for 74 points of damage!
   Tremendous blow crushes skull like a ripe melon.
   The ash hag is knocked to the ground!
Roundtime: 6 sec.

See Also

• Mini-boss research
• Saved posts