Devil

The Nine Hells of Baator are home to many fiendishly evil beings. The most numerous of the devils are the baatezu, who are infamous for their strength, evil temperament, and ruthlessly efficient organization. Among the baatezu are the paeliryon and xerfilstyx. Though these two kinds of devils wield terrible powers, they have different characteristics and appearances.

Imp

Devils come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the smallest are imps⁠—​mischievous, diabolical miscreants that often serve as assistants, spies, and confidants for evil spellcasters.

Most members ofthe race resemble the standard imp. Every imp has batlike wings and twisted horns, and most have a prehensile tail ending in a sharp point that is often tipped with a deadly stinger. Several varieties of “specialized” imps exist; three of these are described here.

The statistics block below contains details for more than one type of imp. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Bloodbag Imp • Euphoric Imp • Filth Imp

Bloodbag Imp ⬆️

Because most inhabitants of the Nine Hells cannot cast cure spells, the devils have created other means to restore strength in the middle of battle. Bloodbag imps, which are preening creatures composed of little more than delicate skin and gallons of blood, serve the Hells as an informal nurse corps.

Corpulent human-shaped creatures with short limbs and stubby fingers, bloodbag imps stand only 2 feet tall, but they are almost as wide. A bloodbog imp has two powerful wings, but its heavy weight for its size makes the creature an inexpert flier. Its internal organs float inside its torso, surrounded by a sea of blood contained by a weak, semitranslucent pink epidermis.

Bloodbag imps speak Common and Infernal, though a mouth of long, crooked teeth sometimes makes them difficult to understand.

Combat

Bloodbag imps prefer to stay out of direct hand-to-hand combat and instead harm opponents with their wounding curse from as safe a distance as possible.

Bloodbag imps can be summoned using a summon monster IV spell.

Wounding Curse (Su): Three times per day, a bloodbag imp can point at a foe within 30 feet and force that opponent to make a Fortitude save (DC 13) or suffer the effects of its wounding curse. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to that imps wounding curse ability for one day.

Those afflicted treat every melee injury taken within the next hour as if that injury had been caused by a weapon with the wounding property. Such wounds bleed for 1 point of damage per round thereafter (in addition to the normal damage dealt by the melee attack). Multiple wounds result in cumulative bleeding loss (two wounds for 2 points of damage per round, and so on). The bleeding can be stopped only by a Heal check (DC 15) or the application of any cure spell or other healing spell (heal, healing circle, and so on).

Poison (Ex): A bloodbag imp delivers its poison (Fort DC 16 negates) with each successful bite attack, Initial and secondary damage are the same (1d4 Str).

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only); 1/day⁠—​vampiric touch. Caster level 6th; save DC 11 + spell level.

Transfusion (Su): Any creature that drinks a bloodbag imps blood regains 1 hit point per full round of transfusion. The imp must be willing, and both the imp and the creature receiving the transfusion can take no other actions in that round. The imp takes 2 points of damage during each round of transfusion, but its regeneration ability reduces this to subdual damage, which it quickly recovers. A bloodbag imp rendered unconscious cannot use its transfusion ability until its hit points again exceed its subdual damage total.

Skills: Bloodbag imps have a +8 racial bonus on Heal checks.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 98. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed the polymorph, regeneration, and see in darkness special qualities (which the regular imp in the version 3.0 Monster Manual had) to the alternate form, fast healing, and darkvision special qualities of the imp described on page 56 of the Monster Manual (version 3.5).

Euphoric Imp ⬆️

The Nine Hells are known throughout the multiverse as a place ofsuffering and torment, but they are not without their own corrupt delights. Shifty and feckless, euphoric imps dispense hallucinogenic slime from their feeble stingers.

Euphoric imps stand 2 feet tall and weigh a paltry 10 pounds. Deep circles line their bloodshot eyes, and the creatures walk with an uneven, stumbling gait, The imprints of thin bones jut out from the creatures’ rib cages, recalling images of starving children. Numerous healed (and not so healed) puncture marks mar the body ofaeuphoric imp, evidence of the creatures preference for its own hallucinogenic slime. The creatures serve as private alchemists and wandering dealers for some of the most influential beings of the planes of evil.

Euphoric imps speak Common, Celestial, and Infernal.

Combat

Euphoric imps love to fight, but their taste for their own hallucinogenic slime makes them undependable combatants. They prefer to cloak themselves in invisibility. Thereafter, they sneak up to spellcasters and attempt to sting them.

Euphoric imps can be summoned using a summon monster IV spell.

Hallucinogen (Ex): Creatures hit by a euphoric imp’s sting attack, including the imp itself, are injected with a small quantity of potent hallucinogenic slime. Those who fail a Fortitude save (DC 12) become dazed for 2d6 rounds. During this time, afflicted creatures are so entranced by euphoric bliss that they can take no actions (but defend themselves normally).

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​detect good, detect magic, and invisibility (self only); 1/day⁠—​major image. Caster level 6th; save DC 10 +spell level.

Skills: Euphoric imps have a +8 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 99. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed the polymorph, regeneration, and see in darkness special qualities (which the regular imp in the version 3.0 Monster Manual had) to the alternate form, fast healing, and darkvision special qualities of the imp described on page 56 of the Monster Manual (version 3.5). Changed fire resistance 20 (which the Monster Manual 3.0 imp had as well) to resistance to fire 5 to match the Monster Manual 3.5 imp.

Filth Imp ⬆️

Filth imps (sometimes called “stinkers”) hail from the Nine Hells, but they are often found serving thieves’ guilds in human cities of the Material Plane. Hated by the baatezu of their home plane, stinkers find refuge among criminals who respect their uncanny knack for forgery. Those who cooperate with the rambunctious creatures often do so at great distance, however, because filth demons reek of the foulest privies of the worst part of town.

Covered from head to toe in the dried ordure in which they sleep, stinkers resemble potbellied common imps with yellowish brown, saggy skin. A clump of stringy hair, slick with natural oil, tops their slightly pointed, horned heads. They lack the tails common to other imps. Filth imps stand 1½ feet tall and weigh about 10 pounds.

Filth imps have a talent for codes, ciphers, and musty old texts, and consequently make themselves useful as forgers and translators. They have been known to intentionally mistranslate important phrases in hopes of furthering an agenda built upon taking pleasure in the suffering of the “cleanly” races.

All filth imps speak Abyssal, Common, Draconic, and Infernal. Individual imps often speak additional languages.

Combat

Filth imps prefer harassment and heckling to open battle. When threatened, however, they generally turn invisible so that they can position themselves nearest the majority of their enemies and make liberal use of their diabolical stench.

Filth imps can be summoned using a summon monster IV spell.

Diabolical Stench (Su): Three times per day, a filth imp can emit an invisible cloud of sickening gas in a 20-foot spread. Any creatures caught within the cloud must make a Fortitude save (DC 14) or become nauseated for 1d6 rounds. The cloud dissipates at the end of the round in which it was released, though an unpleasant odor lingers for as long as 1 hour thereafter. Creatures who save successfully are immune to that imp’s diabolical stench for one day.

Disease (Ex): Any creature hit by a filth imp’s claw attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 14) or contract filth fever. The incubation period is 1d3 days, and the disease deals 1d3 points of Dexterity damage and 1d3 points of Constitution damage.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only); 1/day⁠—​stinking cloud. Caster level 6th; save DC 7 + spell level.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 100. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Changed the polymorph, regeneration, and see in darkness special qualities (which the regular imp in the version 3.0 Monster Manual had) to the alternate form, fast healing, and darkvision special qualities of the imp described on page 56 of the Monster Manual (version 3.5). Changed sonic resistance 20 to resistance to sonic 5 to align it with the the Monster Manual 3.5 imp’s resistance to fire 5.

Paeliryon

Paeliryons believe that information is the key to power. Frequently found running extensive spy rings on nearly every plane, they have minions gathering secrets wherever such information could translate into furthering a paeliryonis goals.

A paeliryon’s skin color is a mix of sickly green and pink. It stands nearly 20 feet high, but its height is overshadowed by its massive obesity. Heavy, batlike wings sprout from its back, and it stinks of unwashed bodies and brimstone. The devil’s body combines elements of both male and female anatomy. The most disturbing feature about a paeliryon, though, is its face. The devil’s hideous visage sports an overly wide mouth full of sharp teeth. Warts and boils erupt all over its face, which is painted in a mockery ofa courtesan’s. Rouge is applied thickly to the paeliryon’s cheeks, its lips shine with a waxy red sheen, and its wide, reptilian eyes are surrounded by blue makeup. To top it all off, a paeliryon’s long fingernails are always stained a brilliant red that never fades.

Rarely do denizens of the Material Plane meet a paeliryon face to face, since these devils prefer to work from behind the scenes, where they orchestrate tyrannical takeovers and manipulate events through their many lackeys. Few have successfully dealt with the vile devils. Fewer still have survived such an encounter. When a paeliryon deems it necessary to become involved in some scheme itself, it’s usually because some plan has gone awry, and the creature is on the warpath.

Paeliryons speak Infernal, Celestial, Common, Undercommon, and Draconic.

Combat

A paeliryon nearly always begins a battle with one of its many spell-like abilities. It targets ranged attackers and spellcasters first, then hovers over landbound melee fighters and uses its fingernails to deadly effect, wounding and deforming the hardiest opponents.

Augmented Critical (Ex): A paeliryon’s fingernails threaten a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 17–20 due to the creatures augmented critical ability and its Improved Critical feat. On a successful critical hit with its fingernails, the paeliryon deals triple damage.

Belittle (Ex): As a standard action, a paeliryon can belittle creatures by hurling insults and epithets that seem to strike at the heart of its foes’ insecurities. This is a mind-affecting effect that originates from the paeliryon and extends outward in a 60-foot cone. All opponents within the cone must make a Will save (DC 24) or be stunned for 1 round. Those who succeed on their saves but remain within the cone must continue to save each round that the paeliryon continues to belittle them. After being stunned, opponents become shaken for 3d4 rounds, though they cannot be stunned again by that paerliyon for one day.

Deform (Su): A paeliryon can twist and deform victims struck by its fingernails. Those struck by the fingernails must make a Fortitude save (DC 24). Success indicates the victim takes only normal fingernail damage. Failure indicates the victim takes 1d4 points of Charisma damage in addition to normal damage.

Fingernails (Ex): A paeliryonis fingernails are its deadliest weapon. It can extend them from its hands, which enables it to attack foes up to 30 feet away with them as if it had 30-foot reach. Those struck by a paeliryon’s fingernails may fall prey to its deform special attack, as well as take normal damage. A paeliryon can extend or retract its fingernails at will (a free action).

Intoxicating Scent (Su): Any creature that comes within 30 feet ofapaeliryon must make a Will save (DC 24) or be intoxicated by the monster’s pernicious aura. This ability works like a mind fog spell cast by a 20th-level caster; its effects persist as long as the victim remains within 30 feet of the devil, plus an additional 2d6 rounds. A creature that succeeds on its Will save against the devil’s intoxicating scent remains immune to that paeliryon’s intoxicating scent for one day.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​animate dead, antilife shell, charm person, create undead, desecrate, detect chaos, detect good, detect magic, fireball, greater dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus maximum load of objects only), hold monster, magic circle against good, major image, mind blank, produce flame, polymorph, suggestion, unhallow, unholy aura, wall of fire; 3/day—blasphemy, enervation, meteor swarm, permanent image, screen, shadow walk, symbol (any), vampiric touch; 1/day⁠—​dictum, dispel good, forbiddance, greater command, implosion, imprisonment, soul bind, word of recall. Caster level 20th; save DC 15 + spell level.

See Invisibility (Su): Paeliryons continually see invisibility as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Once per day, a paeliryon can automatically summon 4 lemures, 4 osyluths, 4 barbazu, 2 erinyes, 2 cornugons, or 2 gelugons (paeliryon’s choice).

Tongues (Su): A paeliryon can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. This ability is always active.

Paeliryons and Oriental Adventures

If you are using Oriental Adventures in your campaign, the paeliryon works well as a Shadowlands oni. It gains the Shadowlands subtype while losing the Lawful subtype. Its Taint score is 12. It loses its baatezu traits (including its fire and poison immunity and resistance to acid) while gaining oni qualities including resistance to cold 10, fire 10, and acid 10 and an alternate form ability. It also gains regeneration 3, and it takes normal damage from jade or Kuni crystal weapons and from honorable or blessed weapons of at least +4 enhancement.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 58. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update. Blasphemy was listed as both an at-will spell-like ability and one used thrice daily; it has been deleted from the at-will list. Removed (any) designator from meteor swarm as it appears to be irrelevant.

Xerfilstyx

Xerfilstyxes are the stealers of memories and the keepers ofthoughts. Lairing mostly on the banks of the River Styx in Avernus, the first layer of Baator, they keep guard over its shores.

Xerfilstyxes resemble "classic" devils from the waist up. They have a muscular, humanoid torso and arms, and their heads feature both a large, toothy maw and two massive black horns that sprout from their foreheads. Their hands have large, hooked claws, and giant blue bat wings grow from a xerfilstyx’s back.

From the waist down, these devils look like giant slugs. Their lower bodies drag behind them on the ground, leaving a thick, slippery trail of slime wherever they go. Their skin is a near-translucent, sickly blue. Running all over their bodies, and vividly visible beneath their skin, are massive veins that pulse red the color of blood.

Xerfilstyxes are totally mad. They swim frequently in the River Styx, and the constant bombardment of the memories of the lost souls that come to Baator has long since driven each member of the race to insanity. They take umbrage with any creature that tries to gain access to the river, often observing such individuals from a distance to gauge their strength before attacking with a furious vengeance. Even other devils tend to avoid xerfilstyxes, since the xerfilstyxes’ insanity makes them very unpredictable, especially for the lawful denizens of Baator.

Xerfilstyxes know a smattering ofall languages and often switch between a long-forgotten tongue and acurrent language in the middle of a sentence.

Combat

A xerfilstyx nearly always begins a battle with a barrage of offensive spell-like abilities. It enjoys the carnage of melee, however, and closes quickly. A xerfilstyx on Baator always tries to draw its opponent near the River Styx so it can use its toss ability to throw the foe into the river’s waters. Otherwise it brings its foul tail to bear by trying to attach it to an opponent and drain the opponent of both blood and memories.

Attach (Ex): If a xerfilstyx hits with a tail attack, the tail, in addition to dealing normal damage, attaches to the opponent body. Then it draws the stuck opponent into the xerfilstyx’s square (no attack of opportunity) unless that creature breaks free, which requires a successful Escape Artist check (DC 30) or Strength check (DC 26). A xerfilstyx that has attached itself to an opponent for 1 round can begin to drain the victims blood and memories through a plethora of small suckers covering its tail.

Blood Drain (Su): A xerfilstyx can suck the blood from a living victim with tiny suckers in its tail, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round it remains attached.

Breath Weapon (Su): A xerfilstyx with can waterspew forth a 50-foot cone of scalding blood mixed with water from the River Styx as a standard action. To use this attack, the xerfilstyx must have drained blood from a victim within the past day. The amount of damage dealt depends on how many points of Constitution it has drained within that period of time. For each point drained, its breath weapon deals 1d8 points of damage (maximum 20d8 on a single use). A xerfilstyx typically has 1d6+9 points of drained Constitution available for use as a breath weapon when initially encountered. A successful Reflex save (DC 24) halves the damage. Any creature caught in the breath weapon’s area must also make a Will save (DC 22) or suffer the effects of a modify memory spell (caster level 20th) that erases all recollection of the encounter with the xerfilstyx up until the point just after its breath weapon was used. A xerfilstyx uses this ability not only to deal damage but also to possibly end a combat that has turned against it.

Fear Aura (Su): As a free action, a xerfilstyx can produce a fear effect. This ability functions like a fear spell (caster level 20th; Will save DC 22), except that it affects all creatures in a 30-foot radius around the xerfilstyx. Any creature that makes a successful saving throw against the effect cannot be affected again by that xerfilstyx’s fear aura for one day. All baatezu are immune to the xerfilstyx’s fear aura.

Memory Theft (Su): A creature attached to a xerfilstyx’s tail must make a Will save (DC 22) or be subject to a modify memory spell (caster level 20th). This effect is identical to the memory-altering effects of the xerfilstyx’s breath weapon.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​blasphemy, charm person, cone of cold, confusion, desecrate, detect good, detect magic, dispel good, dispel magic, greater invisibility, greater teleport (self plus maximum load of objects only), hold person, ice storm, legend lore, magic circle against good, major image, polymorph, suggestion, telekinesis, unhallow, unholy aura, wall of ice; 2/day⁠—​insanity, meteor swarm, power word blind, symbol (any); 1/day⁠—​energy drain, foresight. Caster level 20th; save DC 14 + spell level.

Toss (Ex): After a successful charge attack, a xerfilstyx gets a free trip attempt. If the xerfilstyx wins the opposed Strength check during the trip attempt, instead of simply knocking the opponent prone, it tosses the opponent into the air with its horns, dropping the opponent prone into any square it threatens. This toss deals 1d6 points of falling damage in addition to the damage that was done with the initial charge attack. Characters with ranks in the Tumble skill who are not flat-footed can make a Tumble check (DC 15) to avoid this damage and land on their feet.

Fast Healing (Ex): A xerfilstyx regains lost hit points at the rate of 5 per round. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow a xerfilstyx to regrow or reattach lost body parts.

Immunities (Ex): A xerfilstyx is immune to piercing damage, cold, mind-affecting effects, and all harmful effects of the River Styx.

Knowledgeable (Ex): Swimming for so long in the River Styx has made xerfilstyxes some of the most knowledgeable beings in Baator. A xerfilstyx makes Knowledge checks for any Knowledge skills as if it had a minimum of 10 ranks in that skill. To surpass the 10-rank minimum, the xerfilstyx must assign more than 10 ranks to the skill as normal.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Twice per day a xerfilstyx can automatically summon 4 lemures, 4 osyluths, 4 kytons, 4 hellcats, 2 erinyes, 2 gelugons, or 2 pit fiends (xerfilstyx’s choice).

Skills: Xerfilstyxes have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard and can always choose to take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered. A xerfilstyx has a +10 racial bonus on Hide checks while submerged in water due to its natural coloring.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 59. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update.