Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Armor Class (suggested) 24 (natural armor)
Hit Points 300 (24d10 + 168)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +6
Proficiency Bonus +10 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 (+8) | 14 (+3) | 24 (+7) | 22 (+6) | 18 (+4) | 24 (+7) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +14, Dex +8, Con +13, Int +12, Wis +10, Cha +13
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +13, Wis +10
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 20 (25000 XP)
Fear Aura. Any creature hostile to the pit fiend that starts its turn within 20 feet of the pit fiend must make a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw, unless the pit fiend is incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature’s saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the pit fiend’s Fear Aura for the next 24 hours.
Magic Resistance. The pit fiend has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The pit fiend’s weapon attacks are magical.
Innate Spellcasting. The pit fiend’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21). The pit fiend can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: detect magic, fireball
- 3/day each: hold monster, wall of fire
Regeneration (suggested). The pit fiend regenerates 2 hit points per round unless reduced to zero hit points.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The pit fiend makes four attacks: one with its bite, one with its claw, one with its mace, and one with its tail.
- Multiattack (suggested). The pit fiend makes seven attacks: one with its bite, two with its claw, one with its mace, one with its tail and two with its wing buffets.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) piercing damage. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the target can’t regain hit points, and it takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage.
- Claw (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 8) slashing damage.
- Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage.
- Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (3d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 22). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the pit fiend can’t use its tail on another target. At the start of each of the pit fiend’s turns, the target takes 11 (2d4 + 6) bludgeoning damage from being constricted by the tail.
- Wing Bugget (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d6 + 8) slashing damage.
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 pit fiend is a towering devil that commands legions of lesser fiends in the Nine Hells. It has a muscular humanoid body covered with red scales, a pair of large bat-like wings, and a long barbed tail. Its head resembles that of a horned dragon, with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and a pair of glowing yellow eyes. A pit fiend radiates an aura of fear that can paralyze its enemies, and its touch can inflict a deadly poison that prevents healing and causes excruciating pain. A pit fiend is a master of infernal magic, able to cast spells such as fireball, hold monster, and wall of fire at will.
A pit fiend is gargoylish in appearance, with huge bat-wings that can wrap around its body in defense, and large fangs that drip with vile, green liquid. Its hulking red, scaly body bursts into flame when it is angered or excited.
COMBAT
A pit fiend is a formidable opponent in combat, using its physical and magical abilities to overwhelm its foes. It prefers to fight from a distance, hurling fireballs and other spells at its enemies, while using its telepathy to communicate with its allies and coordinate their attacks. If forced into melee, it can use its bite, claw, mace, and tail attacks to deal massive damage and grapple smaller creatures. A pit fiend is also highly resistant to most forms of damage, except for those inflicted by silver or holy weapons. A pit fiend is immune to fire and poison, and can see through any illusion or invisibility.
A pit fiend leads legions of dozens of complete armies into battle against the demons of the Abyss and the celestials of the Upper Planes. These huge forces are terrifying to behold, and any non-native of the Lower Planes who sees them flees in panic.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A pit fiend is a native of the Nine Hells, the infernal plane of existence ruled by the archdevils. A pit fiend serves as a general or an adviser to one of the archdevils, commanding armies of lesser devils in their endless wars against the demons of the Abyss and the celestials of the Upper Planes. A pit fiend is also involved in the politics and intrigues of the Nine Hells, scheming to advance its own status and power among the devilish hierarchy. A pit fiend is loyal to its archdevil master, but will not hesitate to betray or overthrow them if given the opportunity.
A pit fiend is very rare on the upper layers of the Nine Hells and in the frigid cold of Cania, the eighth layer. It is more common on the lower layers, especially in Nessus, the ninth layer, where it serves as a close servant or rival of Asmodeus, the lord of all devils.
It is rumored that pit fiends are not the most powerful beings in Baator, but themselves servants of some greater power. If there are greater beings in Baator, certainly they are powerful enough to hide their presence from mere mortal sages.
ECOLOGY
A pit fiend is a being of pure evil, driven by a lust for power and domination. It seeks to corrupt and enslave mortal souls, either by tempting them with promises of wealth, fame, or pleasure, or by forcing them into contracts that bind them to the pit fiend’s service. A pit fiend can also create new devils by transforming mortal souls that have been tortured and twisted in the Nine Hells. A pit fiend has no need for food or sleep, but it enjoys inflicting pain and suffering on others. A pit fiend has few natural enemies, except for the demons of the Abyss and the celestials of the Upper Planes, who oppose its evil agenda.
A pit fiend is spawned from the powerful gelugons of Baator’s eighth layer. When gelugons are found worthy, they are cast into the Pit of Flame for 1,001 days. They emerge as pit fiends.