Its about the PCs, Stupid.

I had this wonderful idea for an encounter in A Witch's Choice your basicly a 1st level PC encountering a 25 CR + monster. I really hated this encounter though because it kept coming off as a stupid encoutner no matter what I had the monster doo.

I came to the realization that it was because the PCs were not in any meaningful way involved in the encounter, nothing they did in anyway affected the outcome. It was not about what the monster did, it was about what the PCs did.

So I changed the ecounter around if you help the BBEG you get an ally in the final fight with the true vilian of the campaign, if you don't then there is a big explotion and the BBEG's head ends up in your parties collective lap.

I really hope they don't help him.