Optional bosses

[Something Evil]

Optional bosses are always good if they provide a variation to tactics/gameplay, or to the way you actually approach the mechanics.

Two good examples are, firstly, the optional bosses in World of Warcraft. Tempest Keep comes to mind. Fighting them usually takes a different strategy than the customary tank-and-spank of most of the others and is often more challenging than the normal run.

Secondly, as to the twisting of the mechanics, Borderlands 2 is a good example, with Vermivorous the Invincible: Fighting Vermi isn't that hard. It's tedious, mildly annoying, and not that much of a challenge since he telegraphs his direct attack and his indirect one takes a long time to actually hit and can be intercepted.
What's tough is actually getting him to spawn in the first place, which is a rather daunting, time consuming, dangerous process. The fight is getting Vermi spawned in the first place, not killing him, whereas most bosses are neatly placed in the world, pre-spawned, and are patiently waiting for the PCs to come along and do that thing they do so well.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I beat them all in Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 but thats just cause I was once absolutely in love with those games and was aiming for around 100% completion (aside from mini-games, screw them). Birth by Sleep's optional bosses seem to be ridiculously powerful. You can comfortably finish each main story at about level 35-40, but the optional guys can pretty much 1-hit kill you.

By Poseidon's beard, yes, Vanitas Remnant and the unknown mystery dude (unless you've played Dream Drop Distance) are brutal. I've beaten the former with all three characters, but the latter kicked my ass every time.

The Dream Drop Distance bonus bosses are pretty disappointing though. All except one are just upgraded version of the regular bosses. The one that isn't, Julius, is probably the easiest superboss in the entire series. Maybe it's because I was around lv60 and with the best Keyblade/Dream Eaters in the game when I took him on, but I remember a lot of the normal bosses from KH 1 & 2 being harder.

 

[Auron225]

I beat them all in Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 but thats just cause I was once absolutely in love with those games and was aiming for around 100% completion (aside from mini-games, screw them). Birth by Sleep's optional bosses seem to be ridiculously powerful. You can comfortably finish each main story at about level 35-40, but the optional guys can pretty much 1-hit kill you.

By Poseidon's beard, yes, Vanitas Remnant and the unknown mystery dude (unless you've played Dream Drop Distance) are brutal. I've beaten the former with all three characters, but the latter kicked my ass every time.

The Dream Drop Distance bonus bosses are pretty disappointing though. All except one are just upgraded version of the regular bosses. The one that isn't, Julius, is probably the easiest superboss in the entire series. Maybe it's because I was around lv60 and with the best Keyblade/Dream Eaters in the game when I took him on, but I remember a lot of the normal bosses from KH 1 & 2 being harder.

Sadly I haven't been able to play Dream Drop Distance yet =/ I'm now guessing you find out who the unknown mystery dude is?? =D Don't tell me though, I'll find out eventually!

I didn't even really try against him or Vanitas remnant. The initial gap seemed far too big to even contemplate leveling up and fighting them seriously!

 

[thejackyl]

I like the idea of optional bosses. I tend to not like optional bosses that are significantly stronger than the final boss in the game, unless it's some sort of post-story content.

I hated Emerald and Ruby weapon from FF7, Emerald because underwater sections are always extremely unnerving for me, and Ruby because you are forced to fight solo. All to get a summon that is obtainable before fighting either. Not to mention that Sephiroth was a joke when I played (Killed him in one round)

I can't really name one that I do like, though I know over half of Dark Souls is optional, and none of the are too terribly difficult (compared to anything else you have to fight around the times they're available.)

 

[Mr Companion]

Surprised no ones mentioned Dark souls where you only have to beat 13 bosses to win but there are 25 bosses in total (not including dlc) and most of them are really cool. In fact I can't think of a game that has better optional bosses imo.

EDIT: ninja'd

Yeah! I love that moment when you and your friend come to the realization that everything apart from the Gargoyles in the Undead Burg and the Sewers is all optional.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Kupo?

Good luck pulling that off if he doesn't wipe your party in a few short turns. Deadbeard can be easy, but you have to be careful when you fight him if you're not superleveled, or he'll trash you, quick. Summon rushing is indeed viable, but that also leaves your characters more vulnerable and Deadbeard doesn't fuck around. As for Seal, yeah it does work, but not every time.

 

[uchytjes]

The only one worth noting aside from that really is Omega Weapon from FFX. I actually didn't even know about it until I found it by accident. I didn't have a strategy worked out before hand, and for some reason wasn't able to scan at the time (or maybe I didn't deem scan worthy of a turn, I can't remember) but I just remember thinking "This guy just won't give up!"

The next day I googled him and found out he had 999,999 HP. It blew my mind that I actually won without too much of a problem...

I'm guessing you were playing the international version of FFX then, because Omega weapon is FRICKING PUSH-OVER in the US version. He is nothing compared to the bosses in the monster arena. Also, I hear that the dark aeons are, well, "fun".

 

[halfeclipse]

Kupo?

Good luck pulling that off if he doesn't wipe your party in a few short turns. Deadbeard can be easy, but you have to be careful when you fight him if you're not superleveled, or he'll trash you, quick. Summon rushing is indeed viable, but that also leaves your characters more vulnerable and Deadbeard doesn't fuck around. As for Seal, yeah it does work, but not every time.

There was a jupiter djinni which had a 100% accuracy and applied seal. Luft maybe? Whatever, have Ivan spam it while Garrett and Isaac alternate Granite and Flash. Give those three agility gear and have Mia use her's to heal and summon. Provided you can move faster than him (Not that hard) and take his basic attack (Also not that hard.) he goes down easy even to a low level party. Just takes you 40+ turns >_>

 

[ManInRed]

Bosses are challenges that test everything the game has taught you, as well as provide an opportunity to give the game a different feel with the unique characteristic of the boss battle.

Optional boss battles provide a game with challenges that can go beyond the average difficulty, or work as part of some non-linear story elements. They can be a great way of adding content without padding the main game, and keeping depth in the difficulty without scaring away newbies who just want to finish their game.

Still, I never understood why they are called optional. I think Id, who became an optional boss named Omega, said it best: "Everyone must eliminate. You don't need to understand, but when the time comes, just take it as it comes, reality and death. I'll eventually get to you. Be seeing you."

 

[Auron225]

The only one worth noting aside from that really is Omega Weapon from FFX. I actually didn't even know about it until I found it by accident. I didn't have a strategy worked out before hand, and for some reason wasn't able to scan at the time (or maybe I didn't deem scan worthy of a turn, I can't remember) but I just remember thinking "This guy just won't give up!"

The next day I googled him and found out he had 999,999 HP. It blew my mind that I actually won without too much of a problem...

I'm guessing you were playing the international version of FFX then, because Omega weapon is FRICKING PUSH-OVER in the US version. He is nothing compared to the bosses in the monster arena. Also, I hear that the dark aeons are, well, "fun".

I think so, he has 999,999 HP in one version (the one I have) and 1/10 of that in the other so I'm guessing mine was the harder version of that fight.

"Fun" is one way of putting it -.- I actually did beat all of them except Dark Yojimbo, but I kinda cheated (which is why I'm not counting them as really beating them. Summon Yojimbo and pay him to use Zanmoto. Literally inta-kills them X)

 

[uchytjes]

The only one worth noting aside from that really is Omega Weapon from FFX. I actually didn't even know about it until I found it by accident. I didn't have a strategy worked out before hand, and for some reason wasn't able to scan at the time (or maybe I didn't deem scan worthy of a turn, I can't remember) but I just remember thinking "This guy just won't give up!"

The next day I googled him and found out he had 999,999 HP. It blew my mind that I actually won without too much of a problem...

I'm guessing you were playing the international version of FFX then, because Omega weapon is FRICKING PUSH-OVER in the US version. He is nothing compared to the bosses in the monster arena. Also, I hear that the dark aeons are, well, "fun".

I think so, he has 999,999 HP in one version (the one I have) and 1/10 of that in the other so I'm guessing mine was the harder version of that fight.

"Fun" is one way of putting it -.- I actually did beat all of them except Dark Yojimbo, but I kinda cheated (which is why I'm not counting them as really beating them. Summon Yojimbo and pay him to use Zanmoto. Literally inta-kills them X)

If you had the dark aeons then you definitely did have the international version. Also I define "fun" in video games as anything that will make me do something out of the ordinary. For instance, the final boss in FTL is probably one of the funner battles I've been in.

 

[Auron225]

If you had the dark aeons then you definitely did have the international version. Also I define "fun" in video games as anything that will make me do something out of the ordinary. For instance, the final boss in FTL is probably one of the funner battles I've been in.

Then by your definition it was fun, cus I normally don't rely on Zanmoto! I get what you mean though. As has been briefly discussed in this thread already, the Phantom from KH1 is fun (still difficult but fun) cause you have to keep on casting Stop on what is essentially a Doom timer. You really do not have any time to waste in that fight so it is certainly unusual!

 

[everythingbeeps]

I never ever bother. They're optional because they're usually super difficult, and I'm just not interested in making a game harder for myself.

The only time I ever bothered was in FFXII, and even then I didn't fight the very hardest ones.

 

[Windcaler]

I think optional boss fights are a great idea for any game. They are a reward for exploration as is whatever you get for defeating them. One of the best games to do this in recent memory is Dark souls, in which every boss has a place in the lore but also has something cool. The Lore surrounding bosses like Priscilla and Gwyndollin is especially murky which also makes them much more interesting.

I wish more games would do stuff like that to further reward exploration.

 

[Ishal]

I like it when I can actually choose not fight them and something later might happen in the game that reflects that choice.

But seriously yeah, Dark Souls.

Gwyn was pretty easy compared to a few others. For me personally, Four Kings was more difficult than Gwyn. Also, in the DLC Artorias and Manus gave me a challenge.

 

[Dethenger]

I like games that have solid optional content. One of the biggest draws of Dark Souls, to me, was the fact that entire areas of the game were optional, and in fact very possible to overlook. The Painted World of Ariamis isn't exactly easy to get in, and the entrance to Ash Lake is tucked in a faraway corner of Blighttown, hidden behind two illusory walls. Optional content rewards exploration, and I think games are in general better if they do that.

 

[Rylee Fox]

Just to name a small few superbosses I have fought in the past.

Yiazmat - FF12
Nemesis - FF10
Ozma - FF9
Omega Weapon - FF8
Emerald / Ruby Weapon - FF7
Sephiroth - Kingdom Hearts 1/2

All dead.

Once I find out there is an optional superboss in the game, stronger than anything else that exists, my primary goal becomes killing it. I don't care much about ordinary optional bosses, just the superbosses. I want the challenge. The only superboss I have fought, yet been unable to beat is the one from Digital Devil Saga. I did fight him but simply got destroyed. I couldn't properly prepare however because it wasn't my game.

 

[00slash00]

i have never attempted an endgame optional boss. i like them when they are spread out throughout the game and beatable when you encounter them (as in, not something youre meant to avoid until you beat the game and are strong enough to face them). i like the idea of optional challenges that give you items or experience that will give you an edge for the next few hours of the game. but honestly, if the only real reward is the ability to brag about beating them, that just isnt enough for me. thats not to say that i dont love a challenge but i need some incentive to keep going, especially since a lot of the end game optional bosses in rpgs require a certain level to really have a chance against. i dont want to spend hours grinding just so i can tell people that i beat someone