Proposal: Sauron-style-raidbosses

SanguineSkaven

Idea:
Make raidboss melee attacks aoe around their target.
Give the attack a max amount of damage dealt to a single target based on target max HP percentage, and a max amount of damage dealt total (pre-mitigation).
The aoe applies its damage to the target closest to the boss first until its max HP percentage is reached, then the second closest etc. until it reaches the total max damage.
Apply knockback on all targets hit depending on the dmg received in comparison with their max HP.
Reduce threat of targets based on knockback received to prevent the boss from chasing behind the targets all the time.

Outcome:
Everytime the boss attacks, he flings 1-5 players through the air, depending on the max HP and dmg mitigations of the target.
Keeping aggro is no longer that relevant for these Raidbosses, the tanks primary purpose is to jump into the bosses attacks to prevent him from hitting their squishy teammates.
Because the attacks deal only up to x% of Max Health, errors do not result in instant death, but instead increases the likelyhood for a total party wipe. With death-penalty in place this will even out the "economic" damage of the party.
Melee DPS need to properly flank bosses or they get hit.
Raids have to be wary of their positioning, or they will could get thrown of a cliff.


Variations:

Make the knockback depend on the weight of your armor
give tanks skills to temporarily reduce knockback.
A claw-strike from the left side could prioritze targets to the left side of the target instead of closest.
Give tanks skills to increase their aoe hitbox.
If the max amount of damage is not reached, divide the rest of the damage between all targets, possibly killing them even if they where full HP.
"Tank Buster"-Attacks could have max HP Percentage of 98%, requiring the tank to be close to full Health for survival, and possibly requiring multiple tanks to soak all of the damage.
make some terrain elligible target for the attacks, so that people can actually hide behind trees or pillars (which will get destroyed in the process )

daveywavey

If it's percentage-based, it doesn't really matter whether or not the Tank jumps in at all, surely?

SanguineSkaven

since the total-damage is pre-mitigation and the tank has more max HP and higher mitigation, it is the difference between 1-2 tanks beeing hit and 3-5 players beeing hit. especially when they use their mitigation skills correctly.

But yes, a tanky enough fighter could be an adequate stand-in for the tank if the tank is to far away/to low HP to block the next hit