Need suggestions for a D&D final boss theme

[Elvis Starburst]

I have background music for basically everything during a D&D session, with some gaps of silence added in when needed. My creative process usually has me finding the right song I want for something and creating the situation/story around it, but this time around I did the opposite and it has me stuck. I've been desperately looking for the right song, but I can't seem to find it. Was thinking maybe you guys here could help? I'll lay out the boss itself and the situation (But I'll try to keep it a little vague just in case any of my party comes across this somehow).

The penultimate fight at the campaign's end is a battle against a monster large enough to swallow islands whole. It's a being of pure malicious energy taken form. It's persisted for hundreds of years and managed to successfully devour the world once, until the gods banished it into an otherworldly prison and created the world anew many centuries ago. Now it has been reborn, and threatens to devour the world again. It was once a human child that was corrupted by the first instance of this malicious energy before it continued to eat and destroy basically anything it touches, growing larger in the process. When the group is fighting the monster, they'll have learned of its origins, giving the situation a more sombre note.

That's about all I think I want to divulge for now. One particular thing I want to try and stick with is music that is at least 3-4 minutes long if possible so the song doesn't loop too much. Video game OST sourced and instrumental is highly preferred as well. One last thing to note is that the musical theme for battles against creatures/people corrupted by this energy uses an electric guitar in the song. However, the final boss theme can either mix that into it, or go full orchestral. Either options are on the table.

Let me know what you guys suggest!

 

[Worgen]

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Snip

Interesting idea I hadn't considered! Doesn't quite scream "finale" to me though, but maybe I'll dive back into the Monster Hunter soundtracks and see what else I might find there

 

[Worgen]

Interesting idea I hadn't considered! Doesn't quite scream "finale" to me though, but maybe I'll dive back into the Monster Hunter soundtracks and see what else I might find there

Well, what kind of feel are you looking for? Cause that theme to me screams facing something huge in a dramatic battle. But if you are looking for something with a bit less epic feel but more action then there are the final fantasy boss themes, which are great themes but don't quite feel like they are about facing something epic in size.

Then you have something like Bayonetta, which certainly has an epic feel to it for facing something massive, but it feels more empowering to the players here, like this one feels more like, its a challenge but one that will be overcome.
Bayonetta 2 has a similar feel to it.

If these don't work can you tell me a little more about what kind of feel you want? Like what kind of emotion are you going for from your players?

 

[SupahEwok]

You have to admit, your players won't be expecting it.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

If these don't work can you tell me a little more about what kind of feel you want? Like what kind of emotion are you going for from your players?

Well, it's the final fight to a story about a human child turned to world devouring monster, ending a tale of war between light and darkness that's got on for centuries. It's been spreading its influence the world over on an apocalyptic level, and is approaching the current setting of the campaign. And the monster the group is fighting is just as much of an abomination as that implies. So it's a little bit triumphant in that if the group wins then it's all over, but leans more towards "If we fail, the entire world is gone" and has a heavy undertone due to the circumstances of the monster's creation.

Bayonetta 2's Aesir is a bit closer to the vibe I'm going for, if that helps. Slower, heavier, with more weight to its tone than The Greatest Jubilee

 

[Worgen]

Well, it's the final fight to a story about a human child turned to world devouring monster, ending a tale of war between light and darkness that's got on for centuries. It's been spreading its influence the world over on an apocalyptic level, and is approaching the current setting of the campaign. And the monster the group is fighting is just as much of an abomination as that implies. So it's a little bit triumphant in that if the group wins then it's all over, but leans more towards "If we fail, the entire world is gone" and has a heavy undertone due to the circumstances of the monster's creation.

Bayonetta 2's Aesir is a bit closer to the vibe I'm going for, if that helps. Slower, heavier, with more weight to its tone than The Greatest Jubilee

Could go with something like the final fight from Shadow of the Colossus.

But something like an orchestral remix of the Asgore theme from Undertale might work well too. (I'm having to go from memory with this one since I refuse to listen to it again till I do another playthrough of Undertale.)

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Snip

Hah, funny enough I used some Undertale orchestral remixes for a previous campaign's finale already.

I guess one thing I should've noted (And I'll fix in the OP) is that the malicious energy is often paired with electric guitar in order to contrast the orchestral theme the rest of my music choices use. There's some exceptions if a song's simply too good for me to not use, of course. But generally when the group goes up against anything corrupted by it, the battle music I choose has electric guitar involved. However, the final boss can lean either guitar filled or pure orchestra, it all depends on what option I find I like best.

This was one of the options I've considered using:

 

[Asita]

I think Fate/Grand Order might have some ringers for this, including some that are a bit...on the nose (notably for the Beast fights)


And then of course there are the "Camelot" songs, which are a bit more bombastic.




Alternatively, there's this one, which is basically just a very angrily played Dies Irae on the piano. Simple, but very effective.

 

[Chimpzy]

Gonna throw in a wildcard, sort of


It might be a little too on the electronic side, but it's slow, very heavy, dramatic and quite appropriate for a final fight against something that grows stronger the longer it's allowed to roam free, which is just like the Icon of Sin. Also the percussion in parts of it sounds a little like a ticking clock, which helps convey that "This is it. Either succeed now or there will be no more tomorrow" mood. Also quite long at 8 mins.

 

[Worgen]

Hah, funny enough I used some Undertale orchestral remixes for a previous campaign's finale already.

I guess one thing I should've noted (And I'll fix in the OP) is that the malicious energy is often paired with electric guitar in order to contrast the orchestral theme the rest of my music choices use. There's some exceptions if a song's simply too good for me to not use, of course. But generally when the group goes up against anything corrupted by it, the battle music I choose has electric guitar involved. However, the final boss can lean either guitar filled or pure orchestra, it all depends on what option I find I like best.

This was one of the options I've considered using:

Hmm, what about something like this?

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Snip

I liked Childhood's End and Goddess! Not sure if they're the perfect fit, but they're good songs.

Snip

REALLY good song (I seriously need to get into Guilty Gear's music) but it kinda loops back into too upbeat. Thanks for sending that regardless though, I quite like it and might use it for something else.

Gonna throw in a wildcard, sort of

Holy shit that's goooooood. I actually plan on using a Doom 2016 song for something significant related to the final boss, so this might be a really good follow up. I'll definitely keep this one in mind!

 

[Worgen]

REALLY good song (I seriously need to get into Guilty Gear's music) but it kinda loops back into too upbeat. Thanks for sending that regardless though, I quite like it and might use it for something else.

If you like guitar then the GG sound tracks are ones you are required to listen to.

This is another heavy sounding theme that might work. No guitar though.

 

[deleted20220709]

DELETED

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

I like this.

 

[Saint of M]

Otherworld, Final Fantasy 10

Last Battle, Xenosaga 1


Rip and Tear, DOOM 2016

 

[Neuromancer]

Final Fantasy XIV has some themes that are fitting for final battles, themselves being final battles.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Final Fantasy XIV has some themes that are fitting for final battles, themselves being final battles.

I've always really liked FF14's soundtrack. But it's so good I have to make a concious effort not to use it much, otherwise it'll end up taking over most of my D&D battle music choices...

 

[Saint of M]

Most Final Fantasy Boss or Battle Themes work (50% of X-2 aside), would work with some variation of One Winged Angel being the lowest hanging fruit.

 

[Eacaraxe]

Late to the party, but for what it's worth when I incorporate music into TT RPG's I make as heavy use of leitmotif as I can, and at least try to ensure music is as thematically linked as possible. So when it comes to the big moments, I have a ready-made library of relevant music I can draw upon when necessary -- or at least can identify for what I'm looking immediately. The last Star Wars D6 game I ran I used lots of musical queues, music, and leitmotif:

"Midway March" by John Williams for example was Admiral Ackbar's unofficial theme. For Mon Calamari and Quarren in general, I made heavy use of themes and works by Brian Tyler, particularly his work on the Children of Dune miniseries' (I thought it was funny) -- Lee Char's leitmotif, for the couple times he showed up, was "The Revolution". Airen Cracken, who made regular appearances as the PC's commanding officer, had "Wander My Friends" and its variations throughout BSG as his theme/leitmotif. Just to name a few, to give some concrete examples.