November 20, 2012

Wandering Monsters: Devils & Demons

0 comments
I never had much issue remembering the different between baatezu and tanar'ri back in 2nd Edition, partially because I was really into Planescape, but mostly because I would just need to recall if they were in the front or back of the Monster Manual.

It was not until we got demons, daemons, and devils in 3rd Edition that things became a bit muddier...until I just learned to remember that devils were the Lawful side of the trinity, and that we rarely played to a point where any of them really mattered anyway.

Though a Planescape fan I did not care much for their extraplanar alignment-battle, which is disappointing because it looks like that demon and devil lore is getting rolled back an edition or two. I really enjoyed 4th Edition's changes to demon flavor, changing them into corrupted elemental destroyers, while clearly dividing them from their hierarchical tempters-of-souls counterparts. Though relegated to a sidebar in Manual of the Planes, 4th Edition also provided a (better?) reason for the Blood War to exist.

I do not mind the idea of two opposing evil forces eternally duking it out (even with a third party playing both sides), but I am hoping that whoever is in charge of story gives us a more compelling reason than "because, alignment!" A motivation--preferably a solid one--or some actual stakes would be a nice change of pace.

As for the actual denizens, I am happy to see them staying away from laundry lists of spells and spell-like abilities. As I have said before I disliked having to pore through other books to take notes on what spells do what, and take time going through lists trying to figure out what I should do (especially when there are lots of ineffectual, low-level stuff to dismiss).

Cold iron and silver vulnerabilities are back (as well as magic), which is fine by me as I kind of missed material-based vulnerabilities such as fey and cold iron. I know some people complained about fighters toting around "golf bags of weapons", but as long as they do not go back to 3rd Edition's DR/30+ values then it remains a perk instead of a necessity. In this instance I guess 5th Edition's resistance mechanic is the lesser of two evils.

Individually most of these guys do what they have always done; balors have a flaming whip and lightning sword, mariliths are six-armed, half-serpent dervishes, ice devils are insect-like in appearance and can create walls of ice and storms, and so on. There are some interesting tidbits in there, though, such as glabrezus being able to attack with their pincers and cast spells with their human-like set of arms and mariliths potentially using Expertise Dice.

I am kind of disappointed to see the succubus return to the demonic horde. Conceptually it made more sense to peg them with a Lawful alignment given their role of tempters and more subtle spell selection, and I know a lot of people agree with me (and disagree), so it is nice that it got its own poll question. I guess we will have to see what the majority wants.

I am interested to see how things continue to unfold in terms of story and mechanics. Maybe the Blood War will have a variety of causes and goals that you can pick from (alignment, abyssal shard, or something else?), maybe devils will become more strongly associated with sins, and maybe there will be a stronger, clearer divide between them all.

Leave a Reply

Labels

5th edition (191) dnd next (152) homebrew (109) review (91) Dragon (79) play report (55) eberron (44) playtest (41) character concepts (32) wandering monsters (32) Dungeon (31) legends and lore (29) legend and lore (28) game design (27) a sundered world (26) monsters (26) aberrant (24) dark sun (24) essentials (24) rant (22) DnD Essentials (21) at the mines of madness (20) class acts (20) monster (20) preview (20) blog (19) dragons eye view (19) songs of erui (19) keep on the shadowfell (17) mapping (17) thunderspire labyrinth (17) shadow marches (16) warlock (16) heroes of shadow (15) report (15) excerpt (14) feats (14) gamma world (14) mike mearls (14) the heirs of ruin (14) adventure (13) adventure path (13) DDI (12) ddm (12) tendrils of fate (12) winning races (12) art (11) races (11) clerics (10) arcane power (9) fighters (9) goodman games (9) magic items (9) minis (9) shardpit (9) skills (9) sorcerer (9) wizard (9) Athas (8) design and development (8) dungeon world (8) monk (8) ranger (8) the chaos scar (8) barbarian (7) dnd encounters (7) druid (7) dungeons and dragons (7) forgotten realms (7) monster vault (7) new powers (7) paladin (7) powers (7) rule-of-three (7) silent 7seven (7) the shadows over greyshore (7) themes (7) ampersand (6) beta (6) campaign (6) houserules (6) lair assault (6) map (6) maps (6) novel (6) previews (6) psion (6) revenant (6) rules (6) tiefling (6) update (6) virtual table (6) adventure tools (5) artificer (5) board game (5) character builder (5) classes (5) delve (5) duergar (5) ecology (5) epiro (5) exploits (5) familiars (5) healing (5) heroes of the forgotten kingdoms (5) living spell (5) march of the phantom brigade (5) monte cook (5) mordenkainen's magnificent mansion (5) psionic (5) rogue (5) undead (5) vampire (5) adamantine dragon (4) arcane (4) assassin (4) bard (4) calendar (4) creature incarnations (4) digital games (4) dungeon crawl classics (4) eladrin (4) encounters (4) expedition to castle ravenloft (4) fey (4) fortune cards (4) gamer's library (4) gnome (4) heroes of the feywild (4) heroic tier (4) hexblades (4) into dragon's den (4) maneuvers (4) mythbusting (4) online tools (4) ravenloft (4) rituals (4) shaman (4) star pact (4) starter set (4) theme (4) unearthed arcana (4) Scions of Punjar (3) adventure log (3) angels (3) awesome (3) backgrounds (3) balic (3) bladesinger (3) book of vile darkness (3) bullywugs (3) class (3) critical failures (3) dangerous delves (3) devil (3) divine power (3) dragon age (3) dragons (3) drow (3) dungeon master (3) dungeon tiles (3) eberron player's guide (3) errata (3) excerpts (3) feywild (3) fighter (3) forum (3) game mechanics (3) gencon (3) greyshore (3) infernal pact (3) legion of gold (3) minotaur (3) monster manual 2 (3) multiclass (3) multiclassing (3) neverwinter (3) owlbear (3) paizo (3) pathfinder rpg (3) ph2 (3) ph3 (3) players handbook 2 (3) prerelease (3) primal (3) psionics (3) quori (3) rebuilding (3) roleplaying (3) rust monster (3) summoning (3) terrain features (3) tieflings (3) warforged (3) warlord (3) wizards (3) 3rd Edition (2) 4e (2) 4e conversion (2) Tokens (2) adventure format (2) age of worms (2) anime (2) announcement (2) avenger (2) background (2) bards (2) beholders (2) bloodlines (2) bugbear (2) cairn of the winter king (2) channel divinity (2) character building (2) character sheet (2) class compendium (2) closed beta (2) combat (2) compilation (2) concept art (2) cosmic (2) customization (2) dcc (2) death (2) debut (2) demon (2) demonologist (2) demonomicon (2) deva (2) divine (2) dming (2) domain of dread (2) dragonborn (2) dragonmarks (2) dungeoncraft (2) dwarf (2) edition (2) editorial (2) elemental chaos (2) elf (2) epic destiny (2) episode (2) erui (2) executioner (2) expertise dice (2) famine in far-go (2) far realm (2) free rpg day (2) gith (2) gnoll (2) goblins (2) half-orc (2) halflings (2) hit points (2) human (2) hybrid (2) hybrid classes (2) interview (2) july (2) knight (2) knightfall games (2) know your role (2) kobold quarterly (2) kobolds (2) lizardfolk (2) lycanthrope (2) magic (2) martial (2) mechanics (2) mind flayer (2) modrons (2) monster builder (2) monster design (2) monster manual 3 (2) morale (2) mummy (2) narrative (2) odnd (2) open grave (2) otyugh (2) paladins (2) paragon path (2) pathfinder (2) pixie (2) play by post (2) player's handbook (2) player's handbook 3 (2) players handbook heroes (2) poll (2) power play (2) psionic power (2) psychic (2) race (2) raggamoffyn (2) random (2) red dragon (2) sentinel (2) shaper (2) shardmind (2) skill challenges (2) slayer (2) spells (2) star cult (2) stress test (2) table of contents (2) tendriles of fate (2) the hydra's grave (2) the shadowfell (2) the wayward wyrmling (2) treasure parcels (2) troglodytes (2) updates (2) vampire class (2) weapons (2) web tools (2) wilden (2) wrath of ashardalon (2) 0-level characters (1) 2011 (1) 5th (1) Amethyst (1) Battlemaps (1) Burnt Offerings (1) Deus Ex Machina (1) Dragon 383 (1) Gond (1) Jaroo (1) MAD (1) NPCs (1) Theater (1) Timesus the black star (1) Ultramodern4 (1) Underdark (1) a heros first steps (1) aberration (1) ability score modifiers (1) ability scores (1) abyssal plague (1) acamar (1) accessory (1) action economy (1) advancement (1) adventurer's vault 2 (1) adventuring armies (1) advice (1) aerenal (1) against the giants (1) alchemy (1) alignment (1) analysis (1) ankheg (1) annoucements (1) april (1) april fools (1) arcane heroes (1) arcane heroes 3 (1) arcanist (1) archivist (1) archons (1) ardent (1) arms race (1) asian (1) aspects (1) assassin devil (1) astral sea (1) atari (1) august and beyond (1) avandra (1) banderhobb (1) baphomet (1) barovia (1) basilisk (1) bat (1) battle clerics (1) battlemind (1) bazaar of the bizarre (1) beard quills (1) beastmaster (1) beholder collector set (1) belgoi (1) best of the week (1) beyond (1) beyond the crystal cave (1) bladelings (1) blink dog (1) bloody path (1) book of bantorra (1) broken bonds (1) brood mother (1) campaign setting (1) canian compact (1) card game (1) cards (1) carrion crawler (1) castle ravenloft (1) castles and crusades (1) castlevania (1) cavalier (1) celestia (1) celestials (1) centaur (1) chaladin (1) challenges (1) changlings (1) character optimization (1) chimera (1) chris perkins (1) chupacabra (1) church (1) city (1) city of the dead (1) clockwork horrors (1) cold (1) collaborate storytelling (1) combat superiority (1) comic (1) comics (1) comments (1) companion (1) con (1) conjuration (1) conquest of nerath (1) consistency (1) contest (1) controller (1) convention (1) conversion (1) corpse star (1) corruption (1) crosspost (1) cyclops (1) d and d xp (1) daggerdale (1) daggers (1) dagon (1) dark legacy of evard (1) dark sun campaign setting (1) dead by dawn (1) december (1) decisions (1) deck of many things (1) defender (1) deluxe dungeon master's screen (1) delves (1) demogorgron (1) description (1) design goals (1) disciplines (1) displacer beast (1) divine heroes (1) divine heroes 2 (1) dmg2 (1) dnd xp (1) don bassingthwaite (1) donation-ware (1) doppelganger (1) dorsen (1) draconomicon 2 (1) dragonfear (1) dresden files rpg (1) drider (1) dromite (1) dryad (1) dungeon delving (1) dungeon master's kit (1) dungeon survival handbook (1) dwarves (1) dying (1) earth domain (1) easy (1) eberron dragonshards (1) ecology of the hengeyokai (1) edge of the empire (1) edgewood (1) edition wars (1) elan (1) elder red dragon (1) elementals (1) escaped slave (1) ettin (1) event (1) evil campaigns (1) evocations (1) exploration (1) failed perceptions (1) fallout (1) faster combat (1) fate (1) fate points (1) features (1) february (1) feedback (1) fell taints (1) feral ghouls (1) fey beast tamer (1) fey pact (1) feydark (1) fiction (1) fireball (1) flavor (1) flesh golem (1) flgs (1) floating ability score (1) fomorians (1) forgotten realms player's guide (1) format (1) freeplay (1) frogs (1) fun (1) game balance (1) game mechancis (1) game report (1) game transparency (1) gates of neverdeath (1) gehreleth (1) genasi (1) genies (1) genre (1) giants (1) githyanki (1) githzerai (1) gloomwrought (1) gnolls (1) gnomes (1) goblin (1) goblinoid (1) goblinoids (1) god of war (1) going ape (1) golems (1) goliath (1) gorgon (1) grazzt (1) griffin (1) grimlock (1) guardinals (1) guilds and groups (1) halfing (1) halls of undermountain (1) harpy (1) hawkoid (1) headcrab (1) healer (1) healing surges (1) hell hound (1) heroes of legend (1) heroes of spell and sword (1) heroes of the elemental chaos (1) heroes of the fallen lands (1) hidden shrine of tamoachan (1) hierophant druid (1) high-level (1) hippogriff (1) hobgoblin (1) hook horror (1) hordeling (1) horizon (1) horse (1) house tharashk (1) howler wasp (1) huxtropy (1) hydra (1) icons (1) illusionist (1) images (1) impressions (1) inner planes (1) insider (1) invoker (1) isle of dread (1) item curses (1) january (1) january and beyond (1) kalashtar (1) kara-tur (1) katallos (1) keep on the borderlands (1) kenku (1) kord (1) kuo-toa (1) leader (1) legendary evils (1) level 3 (1) lich (1) live chat (1) location (1) lords of neverwinter (1) lords of shadow (1) madness at gardmore abbey (1) magazines (1) mage (1) magic and mystery (1) magic circles (1) magic missile (1) making race count (1) mark of nerath (1) martial heroes (1) martial heroes 4 (1) martial power (1) martial power 2 (1) martialist (1) medusa (1) melora (1) metallic dragons (1) mewcon (1) mimic (1) minotaurs (1) mithral dragon (1) modron (1) monadhan (1) monk basics (1) monkey (1) monkey bees (1) monster themes (1) monster tokens (1) monster updates (1) monsterous classes (1) monstrous class (1) monstrous races (1) moon catchers (1) moonshaes (1) mounted combat (1) mounts (1) moxie (1) mutations (1) nayaraj (1) nentir vale (1) neverwinter campaign setting (1) neverwinter game day (1) new feats (1) news (1) notes (1) november (1) november and beyond (1) npc (1) ogre (1) ogre mage (1) omega tech (1) oozes (1) orc (1) orcus (1) page 42 (1) panelist (1) paperback (1) pax east (1) pc (1) perception (1) player's handbook 2 (1) player's handbook races (1) player's strategy guide (1) players handbook 3 (1) plot (1) podcast (1) points of light (1) poster map (1) power cards (1) power sources (1) prayers (1) pregen (1) prestige classes (1) priest (1) primordial (1) prpg (1) ps3 (1) punjar (1) purple worm (1) pyramid of storms (1) pyromancer (1) questions (1) questions and answers (1) racial utilites (1) racial utilities (1) racial variants (1) raise dead (1) rarity (1) rat swarm (1) rebuttal (1) red box (1) reskinning (1) retarded (1) retro (1) return to blingdenstone (1) reward mechanics (1) rewards (1) robert (1) rogues (1) roper (1) rpgnet (1) rune soldier (1) runepriest (1) sacred 2 (1) sahuagin (1) sakuracon (1) samey (1) sandbox (1) satyr (1) scarrport (1) scorching burst (1) scoundrels (1) scout (1) seal of karga kul (1) seeker (1) sell (1) seminar (1) shadar-kai (1) shade (1) shadow (1) shadow magic (1) shapechanger (1) sharn (1) shields (1) shifter (1) side trek (1) six-pack (1) skeleton (1) skirmish game (1) slaad (1) slave barracks (1) slaves (1) solo (1) songblade (1) songbow (1) sooner dead (1) sorcerers (1) specialties (1) speculation (1) spell source (1) sphinx (1) spirit (1) staffs (1) star wars (1) stars (1) stat block (1) stick in the mud (1) stirge (1) strongholds (1) style (1) subclasses (1) summoner (1) supporting cast (1) survey (1) swamp (1) tactical (1) templar (1) temple of the weeping goddess (1) tenmei (1) the broken tower (1) the crawling fane (1) the fantasy cartographic (1) the five deadly shadows (1) the slaying stone (1) the spoony experiment (1) the tainted spiral (1) the twisted hall (1) things I learned (1) third-party material (1) thread (1) three dragon ante (1) tiers (1) tips (1) titan (1) tomb of horrors (1) top 10 (1) trailer (1) traits (1) troll (1) turaglas (1) turn undead (1) tuska (1) tutorial (1) under the crimson sun (1) undermountain (1) vancian magic (1) vestige (1) vestige pact (1) vryloka (1) war of horns (1) warden (1) wardens (1) warlock updates (1) warlocks (1) warpriest (1) weaponmaster (1) wererat (1) werewolf (1) whispering cairn (1) wight (1) wild shape (1) winter court (1) winter wolf (1) wish lists (1) wolf (1) worg (1) world serpent (1) wraith (1) wraith recon (1) yugoloths (1) zarash'ak (1) zombies (1)
 
Points of Light © 2011 DheTemplate.com & Main Blogger. Supported by Makeityourring Diamond Engagement Rings

You can add link or short description here