Devil

Devils are fiends from the plane of Baator, a lawful evil realm. The most numerous devils are the baatezu, who are infamous for their strength, evil temperament, and ruthlessly efficient organization. These creatures are constantly in conflict with every force of good in the universe, as well as with the chaotic evil demons and tanar’ri of the Abyss.

Baatezu have a rigid caste system, in which authority derives not only from power but also from station. These creatures occupy themselves with extending their influence throughout the planes, primarily by corrupting mortals. Baatezu who further this agenda are usually rewarded with improved stations.

Most baatezu have a Gothic gargoyle look. They are grotesque and unsightly by human standards, corrupted physically by the evil they embrace. A few have an infernal sort of beauty in their natural forms, but these are rare.

The advespa, amnizu, and malebranche are vicious devils usually found in the service of more powerful baatezu, or of evil mortals who treat with such beings. These baatezu appear wherever their infernal masters send them, though the amnizus in particular are rarely deployed on other planes.

Unless otherwise noted, devils speak Infernal, Celestial, and Draconic.

Combat

Devils enjoy bullying those weaker than themselves, and they often attack good creatures just to gain a trophy or three. Some devils are surrounded by fear auras, which they use to break up powerful groups so that they can defeat opponents piecemeal.

The baatezu tend to use their illusion abilities to delude and confuse foes as much as possible in combat. One of their favorite tricks is to create illusory reinforcements, so that enemies can never be entirely sure whether a threat is only a figment or a group of real devils that has been summoned to join the fray.

Advespa, amnizu, and malebranche share the following traits.

Traits: Advespa, amnizu, and malebranche have both outsider traits and baatezu traits.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Most baatezu can summon other baatezu to their aid. This ability functions like a summon monster spell of the appropriate level, except that it has only a limited chance of success. Roll d% and compare the result with the creature’s listed chance of success. On a failure, no baatezu answer the summons. Summoned creatures automatically return whence they came after 1 hour. A baatezu that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. Most baatezu do not use their summon ability lightly, since it leaves them beholden to the summoned creatures. In general, they use it only when necessary to gain victory or to save their own lives.

The statistics block below contains details for more than one shape, size, or type of this creature. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

Advespa • Amnizu • Malebranche

Advespa ⬆️

Advespas are female, wasplike devils that patrol the skies above the infernal planes. They are often found under the command of some more powerful baatezu.

An advespa appears as a huge, heavy-bodied wasp with a female face. It has small, antennalike horns, protruding humanoid features, dripping mandibles, a chitinous hide, and a pair of dark, resilient, insect wings. Its lower abdomen terminates in a barbed, poisonous stinger, which may be brought up over the creature’s head in the manner of a scorpion’s tail.

The most common advespa is entirely black; in fact, it looks as if it had been carved from obsidian or some other dark stone. The more powerful advespas (those with higher stations and slightly higher Charisma scores) have striations of yellow, red, and orange, and they tend to be smaller than the common advespas. These colorful advespas usually serve as the leaders of squads and swarms.

Combat

An advespa usually attacks from above, seeking to pounce upon and grapple an opponent. If it succeeds, it stings with its poisonous tail until its foe succumbs, then flies off with its helpless prey.

Improved Grab (Ex): If an advespa hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with both claws, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it automatically hits with its sting. Thereafter, the advespa has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its claws to hold the opponent (–⁠20 penalty on grapple check, but the advespa is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals damage from both claws and the sting.

Poison (Ex): The advespa injects a dose of poison (Fortitude save DC 15) with each successful sting attack. The initial and secondary damage is the same (1d4 points of Strength damage).

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day⁠—​command, disguise self, produce flame, pyrotechnics. Caster level 4th; save DC 10 + spell level.

Regeneration (Ex): An advespa takes normal damage from acid, from holy weapons, and from attacks that deal holy damage. See Regeneration.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Once per day, an advespa can attempt to summon 1d2 additional advespas with a 30% chance of success.

Amnizu ⬆️

Amnizus are short, stocky, winged devils that serve as guardians at the gates of the Nine Hells of Baator. The typical amnizu has one or more squads of advespas at its disposal at all times.

An amnizu has an oversized, elongated head, small piglike eyes, a pug nose, and a large, fang-filled mouth. Its wings are large and batlike.

Amnizus speak Infernal and Common.

Combat

An amnizu’s task is not so much to keep interlopers out of the infernal domains as it is to ensure that, once they enter, they never escape. To that end, the creature usually softens up opponents with quickened fireballs and the attacks of its advespa troops before attempting to use its feeblemind touch to capture and detain its foes.

Feeblemind Touch (Su): The touch of an amnizu duplicates the effect of a feeblemind spell (caster level 14th; Will save DC 14).

Spell-Like Abilities: At will⁠—​major image; 3/day⁠—​fireball; 1/day⁠—​sequester. Caster level 14th; save DC 10 + spell level.

Regeneration (Ex): An amnizu takes normal damage from acid, from holy weapons, and from attacks that deal holy damage. See Regeneration.

Secure Intelligence (Ex): An amnizu is immune to any effect that would drain, damage, or otherwise reduce its Intelligence score.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Once per day, an amnizu may summon 1d3 advespas or 1 amnizu with a 50% chance of success.

Malebranche ⬆️

Malebranches are huge, hulking devils with wickedly curving horns. These creatures usually serve other, more intelligent members of the infernal hierarchy as warriors, enforcers, punishers, and occasionally as mounts. Within the Nine Hells of Baator, malebranches are usually armed with immense masterwork tridents wrought from cold iron. These aggressive baatezu tend to bully creatures smaller than themselves and grovel before those that are more powerful.

A malebranche is a massive, winged devil of humanoid shape with an underslung jaw and huge, slightly curved horns. Its feral eyes glow with flickering shades of red.

Malebranches speak only Infernal, but they underestand Common⁠—​particularly orders and curses in that language.

Combat

Malebranches are heavy hitters⁠—​the brute force among the baatezu⁠—​and they utilize their great strength to the best of their ability. A malebranche usually charges into combat on silent wings, hoping to catch its opponents flat-footed with a gore attack. Then the creature wreaks havoc with its masterwork iron trident.

Charge (Ex): A malebranche typically begins a battle with a flying charge at an opponent on the ground. In addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge, this tactic allows the malebranche to make a single gore attack (+24 melee) that deals 6d6+15 points of damage. The creature can also charge while moving on the ground, if it wishes.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a malebranche hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a claw attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +34). The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its claw to hold the opponent (–⁠20 penalty on grapple check, but the malebranche is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals claw damage.

Fear Aura (Su): As a free action, a malebranche can produce a fear effect. This ability functions like a fear spell (caster level 12th; save DC 18), except that it affects all creatures within a 15-foot radius around the malebranche. Any creature that makes a successful saving throw against the effect cannot be affected again by that malebranche’s fear aura for 24 hours. All baatezu are immune to the malebranche’s fear aura.

Regeneration (Ex): A malebranche takes normal damage from acid, from holy weapons, and from attacks that deal holy damage. See Regeneration.

Source: Monster Manual II, page 67. These creatures’ statistics blocks have been updated to version 3.5 as given in the D&D® V.3.5 Accessory Update for Monster Manual II. Changed advespa’s change self spell-like ability to disguise self.