When designing a dungeon is it necessary to put on a epic boss fight at the end of the dungeon?
Are there any good alternatives to the cliche epic boss fight at the end?
No particular system in mind, I've just noticed this also repeats itself even in modern games in the form of the helicopter or tank at the end.
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I almost never put a boss for the sake of a boss. The only times I ever do it is if my players seem to really want one and I don't really have time to set something up proper, in a campaign where battles against singular, overpowering monsters is the norm, or in a dungeon where it has been well established that the entire reason they are going to this dungeon is to kill this powerful monster. Usually, major villains really aren't that much stronger than my players, they just have considerably more assets at their disposal, and an (unstated) knowledge of the script. Actually getting them into a fight is the hard part. Once that fight has started, they usually die quickly.
I do sometimes work a "boss" monster into something, but usually not on the main, most likely path. It's usually somewhere where I predict someone might try something really dumb. Since my games usually don't give out xp based on monster-killing, there is really no incentive to go out of your way to fight one and waste resources.
Good bosses are not at the end, but arrive when it makes sense and control the scene.
I'd say if you're gonna make one, make it interesting. Have the room filled with traps, have the boss change targets, summon minions. If it's a really big creature, make the players climb it etc.
Just don't make it a nondescript, white space where martials stand in front of the boss and whack it and casters blast it from behind.
>cliche epic boss fight
You can't just call everything you don't like "cliche" like that.
Honestly at least in my DMing, I tend to go for a "Boss Encounter" as part of every dungeon, but what that is varies wildly. Sometimes its a big complicated puzzle, sometimes its a giant monster, sometimes its a run in with a recurring villain, sometimes its a tense diplomatic encounter. Something to punctuate the "dungeon" whatever it may be.
Encounters like this can be really anywhere in the dungeon too. The giant monster can show up at the end as the final battle, or at the beginning as a recurring obstacle (Run through this dungeon as a giant dragon is chasing you through it style) or even somewhere in the middle that makes sense. Really, its just about making it so that the placement of such a big event makes sense, and adds towards the scenario and enjoyment of the adventure.
Not always. But there is some sort of "boss challenge" maybe a puzzle or other system. Something that allows a player who hasn't had a lot of time in the spotlight to shine.
It also depends on the last time I had them rest. I'm cruel when it comes to not letting my players rest their characters. If they are about to enter the last room of the dungeon and there's a boss fight, like a real boss fight. it's the first time their characters have had a long rest in a very long time.
Yes, there should be a climax in each adventure. Often it takes the form of a 'boss'.
Party falls into a hole. Amidst the confusion, a huge boss (dragon?) fight starts that depletes most of the party resources. Now they must find an exit while weary from the first battle of the dungeon.
It's generally a good idea. Stories traditionally function via rising action, climax, falling action. If you don't want a boss fight, you're going to need some other form of climax, or be really good at handling stories which don't rely on that structure.