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### Building the better monster - Specialist NPCs

There are countless, and I mean countless things that monsters can be. Spiders that cast web, to trap enemies, Vrocks who summon armies of outsiders, perhaps a demi-lich who transforms into a lich, and is immune to time stop?

These are basically boss monsters, in most cases. Genrally, this varienty is a great thing. Having fought though a wad of melee fighters, finding the "boss" is a tough mage, who has a few tough friends, makes it better.

Having monsters shout things when they see the enemy (using UDE is a good way) or perhaps a special death. Planning this, and if not a good scripter, probably posting on the bioware boards will get a response to help.

Some ideas can be:

- Demi-Lichs as above. I was really annoyed at how easy lichs were in the OC. I sometimes let the mages cast spell for a few rounds, to give them a chance. Read up on these, or make them up, but in Baldurs Gate they cast Impriosonment, and had total spell immunity (while the liches had a big spell resistance, moderate spell immunity and were brilliant spellcasters). Major spellcasters should go up to level 20, 25 or even 30. Not for more spells, but to beat Spell resistances, and maximum spell power.
- Creatures that have cirtain abilites, scripted or normal. Some of the more interesting auras and gazes or pulse attacks makes for some more interesting battles. Scripting is a powerful tool, I would take advantage of it if you don't already
- Teleportation may be a good thing. Place a few waypoints, add allies, and your mage boss may teleport around to get away from the attackers. I have built a simple function for this, using waypoints, and jumping to allied creatures (which may be across the map, so well out of combat!).
- Bard - this is a speciality in its own right. Hint: To give them more than one song each day, just give them all the ones each day to thier level. (IE, a level 3 bard would have the 1/day, 2/day and 3/day to cast it 3 times).
- Undead - A class of thier own, I mean, these cannot heal themselves normally. They have very specific resistances and weaknesses (IE turning). Turn resistance bumps up the power of resisting the turning (skeleton warriors are VERY hard to t- almost as tough as a lich).