HELLFIRE ENGINE – 5e stats

Hugr construct, lawful evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 216 (16d12 + 112)
Speed 40 ft.

Proficiency Bonus +5
Proficiency Bonus +8 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	16 (+3)	24 (+2)	2 (-4)	10 (+0)	1 (-5)

Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +5, Cha +0
Damage Resistances cold, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands Infernal but can’t speak
Challenge 16 (15000 XP)

Immutable Form. The hellfire engine is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

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

ACTIONS

• Flesh-Crushing Stride. The hellfire engine moves up to its speed in a straight line. During this move, it can enter Large or smaller creatures’ spaces. A creature whose space the hellfire engine enters must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, the creature is pushed 5 feet to the nearest space out of the hellfire engine’s path. On a failed save, the creature falls prone and takes 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage. If the hellfire engine remains in the prone creature’s space, the creature is also restrained until it’s no longer in the same space as the hellfire engine. While restrained in this way, the creature, or another creature within 5 feet of it, can make a DC 18 Strength check. On a success, the creature is shunted to an unoccupied space of its choice within 5 feet of the hellfire engine
  and is no longer restrained.
• Hellfire Weapons. The hellfire engine uses one of the following options:
  • Bonemelt Sprayer. The hellfire engine spews acidic flame in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in the cone must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) fire damage plus 18 (4d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures that fail the saving throw are drenched in burning acid and take 5 (1d10) fire damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage at the end of their turns. An affected creature or another creature within 5 feet of it can take an action to scrape off the burning fuel.
  • Lightning Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 22 (5d8) lightning damage. Up to three other creatures of
    the hell fire engine’s choice that it can see within 30 feet of the target must each make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as
    much damage on a successful one.
  • Thunder Cannon. The hellfire engine targets a point within 120 feet of it that it can see. Each creature within 30 feet of that point must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (2d12) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • If the chosen option kills a creature, the creature’s soul rises from the River Styx as a lemure in Avernus in 1d4 hours. If the creature isn’t revived before then, only a wish spell or killing the lemure and casting true resurrection on the creature’s original body can restore it to life. Constructs and devils are immune to this effect.

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DESCRIPTION

A hellfire engine is a massive construct that resembles a tank, a chariot, or a wagon, depending on its design. It is made of metal, wood, and bone, and powered by a core of hellfire that burns with infernal energy. The hellfire engine is covered with spikes, blades, and other weapons that it uses to crush and impale its enemies. The hellfire engine also has a cannon that fires explosive shells that detonate with a blast of fire and shrapnel. The hellfire engine is a living machine that can sense its surroundings and follow simple commands, but it has no true intelligence or personality. It is driven by an instinct to destroy and consume the souls of those it kills.

A list of some famous hellfire engines employed in the Blood War.

• The Soul Reaver: A massive hellfire engine that resembles a chariot pulled by six nightmare steeds. It is commanded by Zariel, the archdevil of Avernus, and serves as her personal vehicle and weapon. The Soul Reaver has a scythe that can slice through hordes of demons, and a cannon that fires shells infused with Zariel’s divine wrath. The Soul Reaver also has a special ability to capture the souls of any creature it kills, and transfer them to Zariel’s banner, which she uses to create more devils for her army. The Soul Reaver is feared by both demons and devils alike, as it represents Zariel’s relentless crusade against the Abyss.
• The Doombringer: A colossal hellfire engine that resembles a tank with four spiked wheels. It is operated by a crew of elite devils loyal to Bel, the former ruler of Avernus and Zariel’s rival. The Doombringer has a drill that can pierce through any obstacle, and a flamethrower that can incinerate anything in its path. The Doombringer also has a secret weapon: a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire, which it can open to unleash a torrent of fire and magma upon its enemies. The Doombringer is a symbol of Bel’s ambition and cunning, as he seeks to reclaim his throne and end the Blood War on his own terms.
• The Chaos Eater: A monstrous hellfire engine that resembles a wagon made of bones and flesh. It is driven by a mad yugoloth named Baltazo, who sells his services to the highest bidder in the Blood War. The Chaos Eater has a lightning flail that can electrocute multiple foes at once, and an acid sprayer that can dissolve anything it touches. The Chaos Eater also has a unique feature: it can consume any material it encounters, organic or inorganic, and use it to repair itself or create new weapons. The Chaos Eater is a manifestation of Baltazo’s insanity and greed, as he revels in the destruction and chaos of the Blood War.

COMBAT

A hellfire engine is a formidable opponent in combat, capable of dealing massive damage to multiple targets at once. It can move swiftly across the battlefield, ramming and trampling anything in its path. It can also use its acid sprayer to spray a cone of corrosive liquid that dissolves flesh and metal, or its lightning flail to lash out with a whip-like chain that crackles with electricity. The hellfire engine’s most devastating weapon is its cannon, which can fire once every few rounds. The cannon launches a metal shell that explodes on impact, creating a fireball that engulfs everything within a large radius. The hellfire engine’s attacks are not only deadly, but also soul-destroying.

 Depending on its design, it can also use one of the following weapons to attack its enemies:

• A cannon that fires explosive shells that detonate with a blast of fire and shrapnel. The cannon has a long range and a large area of effect, but it can fire only once every few rounds.
• A flamethrower that sprays a stream of fire that burns everything in a long line. The flamethrower has a shorter range than the cannon, but it can be used more frequently and is more effective against flammable targets.
• A scythe that swings in a wide arc, slicing through multiple enemies at once. The scythe has a longer reach than the lightning flail, but it is less accurate and does not deal extra damage from electricity.
• A drill that bores into the ground or into solid objects, creating tunnels or holes. The drill can also be used as a melee weapon, piercing through armor and flesh. The drill has a higher damage potential than the acid sprayer, but it is slower and louder, and may cause cave-ins or structural collapses.

Any creature that dies from the hellfire engine’s attacks has its soul trapped within the machine’s core, where it is slowly converted into more fuel for the hellfire engine. Only powerful magic can free the soul from this fate.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

A hellfire engine is not a natural creature, but a creation of the devils of the Nine Hells. The devils use the hellfire engines as weapons of war against their enemies, especially the demons of the Abyss. The hellfire engines are kept in secret vaults and workshops, where they are maintained and modified by skilled artificers and engineers. The devils deploy the hellfire engines only when they need to unleash their full might against a large or powerful foe. The hellfire engines are loyal to their creators and obey their commands without question, but they have no sense of loyalty or camaraderie with other devils or constructs. They are machines of destruction, and nothing more.

ECOLOGY

A hellfire engine has no natural role in any ecosystem, as it is an artificial being that consumes souls rather than organic matter. The hellfire engine’s presence is harmful to any environment, as it causes widespread devastation and pollution wherever it goes. The hellfire engine’s core emits a constant stream of smoke and ash that fills the air with toxic fumes. The hellfire engine’s attacks also ignite fires that spread quickly and consume vegetation and wildlife. The hellfire engine’s acid sprayer and lightning flail also leave behind traces of acid and electricity that corrode and shock anything that touches them. The hellfire engine’s cannon shells also create craters and debris that alter the terrain and damage structures. The hellfire engine is an enemy of life, and a threat to any world it invades.