Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Armor Class (suggested) 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 52)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +6 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 14 (+2) |
Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7, Wis +5, Cha +5
Skills Deception +5, Insight +5, Perception +8
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 5 (1800 XP)
Barbed Hide. At the start of each of its turns, the barbed devil deals 5 (1d10) piercing damage to any creature grappling it.
Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the devil’s darkvision.
Fearful Claw (suggested). When a hamatula hits a creature with its claw attack for the first time, the creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the hamatula for 1d6 rounds. While frightened in this way, the creature must use its action to Dash away from the hamatula by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to the hamatula, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Magic Resistance. The devil has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The devil makes three melee attacks: one with its tail and two with its claws. Alternatively, it can use Hurl Flame twice.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
- Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
- Hurl Flame. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 150 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. If the target is a flammable object that isn’t being worn or carried, it also catches fire.
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
A barbed devil, also known as a hamatula, is a fiendish creature that serves as a guard and enforcer in the Nine Hells. It resembles a tall humanoid covered in sharp barbs, spines, and hooks that can pierce flesh and armor with ease. Its eyes are gleaming with malice and greed, always on the lookout for objects and creatures it might claim for itself. A barbed devil has red or black skin, horns, a long tail, and a mouth full of fangs. It speaks Infernal and can communicate telepathically with other devils .
COMBAT
A barbed devil is a vicious and cunning combatant that enjoys inflicting pain and suffering on its enemies. It prefers to fight with its claws and tail, trying to impale and grapple its opponents. It can also hurl balls of flame at a distance, setting flammable objects on fire. A barbed devil’s hide is resistant to cold and nonmagical weapons that are not silvered, and it can see through magical darkness. It also has an innate magic resistance that helps it avoid spells and other magical effects . A barbed devil is immune to fire and poison, and cannot be poisoned. At the start of each of its turns, a barbed devil deals piercing damage to any creature grappling it, due to its barbed hide .
A barbed devil rarely uses weapons in combat, preferring to attack with two raking claws and bite. If a barbed devil hits in combat with both claw attacks, it can hug its victim, impaling him on its cruel barbs. The victim is now pinned and takes damage per round until released. (A barbed devil that takes enough damage in a single round will release its victim at the end of the round.) A victim who has enough strength can tear free with a successful strength check.
In addition to the magical abilities inherent to all baatezu, barbed devils have the spell-like powers affect normal fires, hold person, produce flame, and pyrotechnics. Once per day they can also attempt to gate in either some abishai or some hamatula.
Barbed devils radiate fear upon striking an opponent for the first time. The defender must save or flee in panic for some rounds.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A barbed devil is a loyal servant of the more powerful devils in the Nine Hells, especially those who rule over the vaults and treasuries of the infernal realm. A barbed devil acts as a guard, a torturer, or an enforcer, depending on its master’s orders. A barbed devil is driven by unbridled greed and desire, and will try to acquire any valuable or interesting object or creature it sees. It will also try to deceive or manipulate others to get what it wants, using its skills in deception, insight, and perception .
Barbed devils zealously patrol the third and fourth layers of Baator for intruders, knowing that promotion and increased status hinge on success.
Relatively solitary, the barbed devils travel in groups only when commanded to do so by a superior. They may be deployed in a small group to investigate a report of intrusion.
On Phlegethos, the fourth layer of Baator, the pit fiend Gazra lives in a crystal castle. The barbed devils cast captured intruders into the cells under the castle for torture. Gazra oversees the first four layers of Baator with an army of thousands of barbed devils. Some barbed devils with maximum health guard him at all times. Loyal service to their lord is the fastest way to rise in status.
Unlike other baatezu, barbed devils cannot pass from layer to layer on Baator or to other Lower Planes. Sages speculate that this ensures that the creatures do not wander from their duties.
ECOLOGY
A barbed devil is a creature of evil and law, and follows the strict hierarchy of the Nine Hells. It does not have a natural lifespan, but can be killed by violence or by the whims of its superiors. A barbed devil does not need to eat or drink, but enjoys tormenting and devouring living beings for pleasure. A barbed devil does not reproduce naturally, but can be created by imprisoning a lesser devil for three hundred and thirty three years in a lonely vault of Erebus, one of the layers of the Nine Hells. A barbed devil has no allies or friends, only rivals and enemies. It will cooperate with other devils only if ordered by its master or if it serves its own interests .
Barbed devils are doubly unique among the baatezu because only they produce a useful byproduct. A gland behind their ears produces a powerful hallucinogen that is harvested by greater baatezu and used to torment and interrogate prisoners. A few brave (or wealthy) sages have obtained samples of this secretion, though not enough to perform any meaningful experiments. They believe that greater quantities of this secretion could produce an extremely potent potion of illusion.