ARCANALOTH – 5e stats

Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

Proficiency Bonus +4
Proficiency Bonus +7 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
17 (+3)12 (+1)14 (+2)20 (+5)16 (+3)17 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +13, Deception +9, Insight +9, Perception +7
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities acid, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 (suggested with advantage when on any of the Lower Planes)
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8400 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The arcanaloth’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The arcanaloth can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

Magic Resistance. The arcanaloth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The arcanaloth’s weapon attacks are magical.

Spellcasting. The arcanaloth is a 16th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The arcanaloth has the following wizard spells prepared:

Summon Yugoloths (suggested). Once a day an arcanaloth can attempt to gate in 1d3 mezzoloths or 1 dhergoloth

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack (suggested). The arcanaloth makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its bite.
  • Bite (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  • Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • Teleport. The arcanaloth magically teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.

It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it

DESCRIPTION

Arcanaloths are the scribes and negotiators of the yugoloths, a race of fiends that serve as mercenaries in the Blood War. An arcanaloth resembles a robed human with the head of a fanged jackal or war dog. Its eyes glow with a sinister yellow light, and its fur ranges from black to brown to gray. It wears fine clothes and jewelry, often adorned with arcane symbols. Arcanaloths are arrogant and cunning, always looking for ways to increase their wealth and power. They despise being challenged or questioned, and they guard their secrets jealously.

COMBAT

Arcanaloths prefer to avoid direct combat, relying on their spells and abilities to deal with their foes. They often use their innate spellcasting to alter their appearance, create darkness or illusions, or hurl magic missiles. They also use their spellcasting to cast powerful spells such as fireball, banishment, finger of death, and mind blank. They use their teleport ability to escape from danger or surprise their enemies. Arcanaloths are very intelligent and use their skills in arcana, deception, insight, and perception to gain an advantage over their opponents. Arcanaloths are resistant or immune to many types of damage, but they are vulnerable to silver weapons. They also cannot regenerate on planes other than Gehenna, where they draw their power from.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

Arcanaloths are the second-highest rank of yugoloths, below the ultroloths. They are responsible for keeping records and executing contracts for the yugoloths’ services in the Blood War. They negotiate with both baatezu and tanar’ri, playing them against each other to raise the stakes. They also command lower yugoloths such as mezzoloths and dergholoths, whom they can summon once a day. Arcanaloths can be found on various planes where they have established bases or outposts. Some of the most notorious ones are located in the Iron City of Dis on Baator or the Tower of Incarnate Pain on Carceri. Arcanaloths are driven by a thirst for knowledge and power. They seek to learn more secrets of magic and the multiverse, as well as to gain more influence over other fiends and mortals.

ECOLOGY

Arcanaloths view other creatures as either useful tools or annoying obstacles. They often ally themselves with other fiends or mortals who can offer them something in return, such as magic items, information, or favors. However, they are not loyal or trustworthy partners, and they will betray them if it suits their interests. They also have many enemies among other fiends who resent their arrogance or covet their wealth. Arcanaloths have a negative impact on their environment, as they use their magic to corrupt or destroy it for their own benefit. They often create traps or wards around their lairs to protect them from intruders. They also collect various artifacts and relics that they hoard in their vaults. Arcanaloths face many dangers from those who seek to challenge them or steal from them. Some of these include rival arcanaloths, ultraloths, baatezu, tanar’ri, devas, celestials, and adventurers. Arcanaloths are especially wary of anyone who knows about the Book of Keeping, a legendary tome that contains the true names of all yugoloths.