I would be like that one 'boss' guy from Yu Yu Hakusho, the one that the group has to play videogames against- *sees the serious disclaimer* Aww, you're no fun. XP Okay, what genre are we talking about? Platformer? RPG? Survival-horror? FPS? Any genre?
Considering that my OC is... kind of going to be in a video game already (as a cameo in the background. The game is called "TOME: Terrain Of Magical Expertise" btw), I guess I can talk about this and imagine what a fight with Silva would look like. At least, in an RPG setting. Silva (that is, the OC you can plainly see as my current profile pic) would be a somewhat squishy spellcaster that focuses on using a lot of ice attacks and debuffing spells. Her most common strategy is to encase one of her opponents in an icy prison, making them unable to move until they either thaw or their teammates break them out. But while the opponents are distracted doing that, she'll attempt to set up a barrier to protect herself and then shower her enemies in a giant hailstorm. She also has a frost-fire breath attack that she uses when low on health that heavily damages all opponents and lowers their speed stat. The best way to beat her is to break out your encased party member as fast as possible, and attack her before she fully sets up her barrier. The barrier can be broken down if it is attacked three times, or completely destroyed if hit with a strong fire move. Fire attacks don't do as much damage to Silva directly, but her biggest weakness is electricity and/or melee attacks.
I think I would be the kind that you don't necessarily have to fight. There would be some kind of dialogue option or skill check to get me to agree with the hero and give up my evil ways without a fight, and maybe even become an ally for the postgame. But if you don't pass that skill check and do have to fight me? Get ready for an intense, fast-paced one-on-one fair fight against me. I'm not going to summon armies of goons or even have a squad of Team Zero Grunts to protect me, and I'm not going to keep you around for an 8-hour marathon of attack-regenerate-attack-regenerate-repeat. One of us will be on our knees and gasping for breath within two minutes. Reading over this again, I think I'd like to model myself after the (no spoilers) almost-final boss fight from Mega Man X5, the last enemy before you fight Sigma. It's a very fair fight: your opponent has similar size, speed, maneuverability, and attack options to you; and if you slip up once, maybe twice, you're done, and it's hard for that fight to last more than a minute or two.
If I was a boss in a game, I would want to have a similar skill set to the character that you are playing as, except either slightly faster or just smarter (Such as have a back up plan just in case I get defeated or be smart and not fight the character by myself, which is the problem with most final bosses anyway).
This topic was more fun than I thought it would be. So, to begin, my boss encounter would be entirely optional. I'm not someone that actively seeks out a conflict with a party, nor am I necessarily someone that would be sought out. As is befitting for me, I'm a powerful but unseen figure that likes to subtly influence events from the background, someone whose presence and effects cannot really be seen but can most certainly be felt. So, going off that, I'd probably be equivalent to a superboss or secret boss, if you go by gaming lingo. As a boss I follow a similar pattern. I would be incredibly hard to damage directly, either relying on traps, constructed minions, binds or restricted movement, or other such obstacles the player would have to get through (or hit through) to reach me (think Star Magician from Golden Sun: The Lost Age, or The Emperor from Dissidia Final Fantasy - the latter of whom I used as a sub so this might not be fully coincidence). It wouldn't be something where I just throw a plethora of obstacles in your way all at once. That would neither be fair nor sportsmanlike. I'd do so selectively, a few at a time, never much beyond what I think is necessary. I also wouldn't resort to using the same method over and over again if I find out you just tear through it quickly. However, I'd try to attack myself when you're the most occupied or distracted - usually with a powerful long-distance laser, my 'signature' attack. When in close quarters I'd focus on just immobilising your movement. I'd have an ability where contact with you would stop you moving for just a few seconds (or at least one of your limbs), enough to give me an opportunity to hit you pretty hard. I'd probably employ a few limited teleportation strategies, though only if I'm about to summon more 'obstacles'. Stat-wise I wouldn't be particularly overwhelming (except for perhaps the laser), nor would the obstacles - it would be enough just to restrict you and make you think exactly how to go about the fight, as each of my obstacles would have to be dealt with in a different way. Also, no final-counter last-ditch attack. That's just rude, and a sign of someone who is a sore loser and won't accept defeat. I know when I've lost and will bow out gracefully. Depending on the circumstances of the game, I might offer rare gear or chances to explore other areas, and might be refightable for the chance to earn more (perhaps simply being the gateway to another, more overtly powerful superboss). But a challenge is always something I savour, so I would strive not only to give you a challenge, but for you to give me a challenge.
As a boss, I think I'd rely heavily on optical illusions to mess with the player's head. I'd be a very trial and error type boss. Chances are you'll get frustrated, but there isn't any cheats or anything- just optical illusions, so you'd have to find a way to get past that.
I would be similar to the final boss' second phase in Majora's Mask: Majora's Incarnation. Erratic, disturbing, and downright terrifying, yet not even a direct threat to the player. I don't intend to target any opponent in particular, I just serve to bring chaos to as many people as possible. I mean... that's what I already do right now, but as a game boss I would have a much cooler outfit.
