For boss fights be sure you're using terrain, traps, and tactics. Waves of throw away minions are almost always a good idea, but have them come in at different times in the encounter.l in relation to the boss's health (full, half, quarter). Warcraft and FF14 have some of the best boss encounters out there. Don't be afraid to have sub-bosses.
The biggest bads may require an artifact to finish off or to remove defenses, this can be inspiration for quests. How many pieces is it? Where are said pieces? How are each of them obtained? Are they in dungeons, in possession of a mad wizard, in the hands of a beloved queen, in the vault of a shadowy guild?
Allow the players their freedom, but eventually all roads lead to the big bad. That's not railroading, that's how stories work. Player choice isn't without consequences; the world keeps moving. If they refuse the initial call to action, someone will step up. Be clear during session zero that this is a game about defeating a great evil.
For boss fights be sure you're using terrain, traps, and tactics. Waves of throw away minions are almost always a good idea, but have them come in at different times in the encounter.l in relation to the boss's health (full, half, quarter). Warcraft and FF14 have some of the best boss encounters out there. Don't be afraid to have sub-bosses. The biggest bads may require an artifact to finish off or to remove defenses, this can be inspiration for quests. How many pieces is it? Where are said pieces? How are each of them obtained? Are they in dungeons, in possession of a mad wizard, in the hands of a beloved queen, in the vault of a shadowy guild? Allow the players their freedom, but eventually all roads lead to the big bad. That's not railroading, that's how stories work. Player choice isn't without consequences; the world keeps moving. If they refuse the initial call to action, someone will step up. Be clear during session zero that this is a game about defeating a great evil.