Demons for Original Edition (not following Eldrich Wizardry)
May 29, 2015 17:21:15 GMT -5
finarvyn, The Semi-Retired Gamer, and 4 more like this
Post by tetramorph on May 29, 2015 17:21:15 GMT -5
Hey guys, I posted this a while back over on ODD74. It may get more feedback over here.
I have never been satisfied with the demons of EW, and the 1e MM distinction between demons/devils does not give me either the original edition feel, or engage the classical legendaria I want to engage in my campaigns (one a kind of fantastical Christendom, the other a B-movie Gonzo-fest). So I devised the following for my campaigns.
DEMONS
NOTE: I call "turn undead," "affect unholy" in my campaigns, because I map demon HD to the various undead and call the over-arching category "unholy." Turn = exorcise, dispel = darn.
I would love to read any constructive comments. And if you think you could find it useful for your own campaigns, and how, I would love to read about that too.
I have never been satisfied with the demons of EW, and the 1e MM distinction between demons/devils does not give me either the original edition feel, or engage the classical legendaria I want to engage in my campaigns (one a kind of fantastical Christendom, the other a B-movie Gonzo-fest). So I devised the following for my campaigns.
DEMONS
Demons are chaotic but obsessively hierarchical and increasingly concerned with authority and power in direct relation to their own (HD). They will ask who characters are and demand their names and credentials, if they have any authority and, if so, whose. Knowing a demon’s true name is dangerous but grants power over them. Naming the demon doubles the chance to Affect Unholy by halving the required number. They hate this and will attack if they can. If a demon’s name is invoked there is a 10% per HD chance that the demon will manifest. If they do, they will immediately attack or attempt to possess the invoker, depending upon whether they were at the time in their material or immaterial form. PC’s make a ST against such possession, applying WIS modifiers. Exorcism means that a demon has been stripped from its physical manifestation or expelled from a host body. After one full turn of recovery, physically defeated or exorcised demons may attempt to manifest physically again or possess a new host on a successful ST. Manifestation, possession and magic are the only things demons may attempt in their immaterial form. If they fail they are immediately damned. Damnation means that a demon has been imprisoned in hell with no return.
Referee imagines description of physical manifestations. In general, demons will manifest as tall in feet as their HD. Their bodies may be combinations of various different beasts, e.g., glowing red eyes within a goat’s head with bullhorns atop a gorilla body with tiger claws, bat wings, spiked lizard tail and cloven hooves, etc.
Number appearing corresponds to that of men. If a demonic stronghold is encountered, follow the description for Evil High Priests. AC ranges from 8-0 inversely to HD. Move as vampires (12/18). HD range from 1-9+. Roll d10 when randomly encountered. 1-9 indicates HD. If a 10 is rolled, reroll to determine 10-19 HD (10 if “0” rolled again). Percent found in lair ranges from 50%-10% decreasing in increments of 5% in relation to HD range. Treasure Type ranges in the following way:
• HD9+ = H
• HD8-7 = A
• HD6-4 = F
• HD3-2 = B
• HD1 = 1d6 gp
Demons are more resistant to magic than average monsters and therefore follow the “fighting-man” ST progression. Each turn demons have a 10% per HD chance of summoning 1d6 number of additional demons. Referee rolls for these randomly as described.
Demons deploy the following spells cumulatively by HD:
1. Darkness
2. Fear
3. Detect law
4. Dispel magic
5. Telekinesis
6. Teleport
7. Curse
8. Animate dead
9. Dimension door
Demons may have multiple attacks. Use of a spell counts as one such attack.
*9+ also have breath-weapon as red dragon, counting as all but magical attacks. Roll as per dragon for chance of use.
Referee imagines description of physical manifestations. In general, demons will manifest as tall in feet as their HD. Their bodies may be combinations of various different beasts, e.g., glowing red eyes within a goat’s head with bullhorns atop a gorilla body with tiger claws, bat wings, spiked lizard tail and cloven hooves, etc.
Number appearing corresponds to that of men. If a demonic stronghold is encountered, follow the description for Evil High Priests. AC ranges from 8-0 inversely to HD. Move as vampires (12/18). HD range from 1-9+. Roll d10 when randomly encountered. 1-9 indicates HD. If a 10 is rolled, reroll to determine 10-19 HD (10 if “0” rolled again). Percent found in lair ranges from 50%-10% decreasing in increments of 5% in relation to HD range. Treasure Type ranges in the following way:
• HD9+ = H
• HD8-7 = A
• HD6-4 = F
• HD3-2 = B
• HD1 = 1d6 gp
Demons are more resistant to magic than average monsters and therefore follow the “fighting-man” ST progression. Each turn demons have a 10% per HD chance of summoning 1d6 number of additional demons. Referee rolls for these randomly as described.
Demons deploy the following spells cumulatively by HD:
1. Darkness
2. Fear
3. Detect law
4. Dispel magic
5. Telekinesis
6. Teleport
7. Curse
8. Animate dead
9. Dimension door
Demons may have multiple attacks. Use of a spell counts as one such attack.
HD | # attacks | attack types |
9+ | 5 | Wings and below* |
7-8 | 4 | Horns and below |
4-6 | 3 | Spike-tail and below |
2-3 | 2 | Claws and Bite |
1 | 1 | normal |
*9+ also have breath-weapon as red dragon, counting as all but magical attacks. Roll as per dragon for chance of use.
NOTE: I call "turn undead," "affect unholy" in my campaigns, because I map demon HD to the various undead and call the over-arching category "unholy." Turn = exorcise, dispel = darn.
I would love to read any constructive comments. And if you think you could find it useful for your own campaigns, and how, I would love to read about that too.