Today I want to talk about Lairs, specifically how they can add a lot of challenge to your encounters/boss battle. Many of us already add challenge to our encounters by using environmental factors like heat, rain, darkness, obstacle avoidance, etc. But here's another thing to keep in mind, that a creature's lair will often give them an advantage. Here are some examples...
- The creature is a burrower that attacks from below the ground. Its lair is a pit trap filled with soft sand that reduces the heroes movement and keeps them from leaving while the creature moves and attacks unhindered.
- The creature can fly and attack at range. Its lair is filled with darkened holes all around the hall so that it can attack from any direction, harassing the heroes as they try to climb their way through the chamber.
- The goblins have hidey-holes and traps they can trigger to help repel against attackers.
A creatures lair should give it an advantage, and your players should be hesitant to engage any creature on its home turf. It will also help make those encounters more memorable.
