Bearded Devil

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Bearded Devil (CR 17)

Unlike the hordes of demons in the Abyss, the legions of Hell are numbered, though they are vast. They cannot hope to outnumber their foes or crush them under the mass of their engines of creation, as the Abyss intends. Instead, Hell has a plan. Actually, hundreds of plans. Thousands. The devils of Hell are organized, methodical and patient.

Bearded devils are a kind of ambassador (or perhaps 'spy' is more appropriate) who operate on the Prime Material to execute various steps in the plans of the arch devils. They are medium sized humanoids in appearance, though they have horns and long tails, and most notably, a mass of snake-like tendrils dangling from their chins, which look like a horrible, prehensile beard. They tend to have swarthy, reddish skin and beady yellow eyes, though these appearances can change from devil to devil. (Unlike demons, each devil is a unique individual, after all).

Bearded devils can be quite charming if they choose to be, and many tales of their ability to coerce and deceive exist in the lore.

GENERAL

CR 17 Hit Dice 26

XP 102,400

LE Medium Outsider (Devil)

Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 40, touch 29, flat-footed 35 (+10 armor, +5 dex, +7 natural, +8 deflection)

hp 426

Fort +16, Ref +20, Will +16

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: DR 25/silver or good, ER 25/acid, ER 25/cold, ER 25/electricity, ER 25/negative energy

Immunities: fire, poison, disease

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., Lesser Teleport 50 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 10 ft. (reach weapon)

Single Melee Glaive (reach weapon) +28 (3d8+11/19-20x2) plus disarm

Full Melee 3x Glaive (reach weapon) +28 (3d8+11/19-20x2) plus disarm

Ranged Chakram +28 (3d8+11/x2) increment 30, max range 150

Special Attacks Disarm, Barbed Beard, The Devil's Own Luck

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 14, Cha 21

Base Atk +17; CMB +28 (+30 Disarm); Maneuver Defense: 35 (+37 Disarm)

Feats Devil's Disarm (Effect: +2 to disarms, free disarm on attack, does not provoke AOO's from disarm maneuvers)

Skills Bluff +29, Diplomacy +26, Sense Motive +26

Languages Common, Infernal

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disarm (Ex)

Each time the bearded devil makes an attack with his Glaive which successfully strikes his opponent, he may make a free Disarm attempt against that opponent as well, rolling its CMB (1d20 + 30) against the target's CMD.

Barbed Beard (Ex)

Once per round as a swift action, the Bearded Devil may make an attack against a creature within 10 feet of it, lashing out with its snake-like beard. The beard is treated as having inclusive reach, and the attack roll is made at +22 to hit versus the target's touch AC. If it hits, the beard rakes the creature's flesh, injecting a venom which deals 4d6+2 points of Non-Lethal Damage immediately, and every round thereafter. In addition, the venom prevents the struck creature from being able to heal any of its damage, through any means, until the venom is cured. The creature may make a Fortitude saving throw at the end of each of its turns, DC 25, to end the venom's effect. The venom's effects cannot stack, so an envenomed creature is essentially immune to further attacks by Barbed Beard, other than the initial 4d6+2 points of Non-Lethal Damage it deals each round after a successful hit.

The Devil's Own Luck (Su)

Once per encounter as a free action, a bearded devil can declare that a saving throw it has just failed actually succeeded, or immediately end a single status condition affecting it.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 26,667 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Bearded devils are reluctant fighters, preferring to remain disguised and negotiate all their conflicts away. However, if they must resort to violence, they are passably competent. They wield glaives, a reach weapon that requires that they constantly back away from their aggressors (something they're happy to do). Their beards also keep their enemies from healing, which might allow them to win a fight if it goes on long enough. Bearded devils are talented at disarming opponents, again, primarily as a defensive mechanism, but also to harass and demoralize.

Bearded devils will typically try to escape a fight as soon as it seems practical to do so, though they will not run if it means they'll just get cut down when their back is turned. Instead, they'll often rely on the local constabulary to assist them (or whoever is convenient), accusing their attackers of being devils in disguise, or whatever other lie might help them escape the fight with their lives.

While not specifically cowards, bearded devils just know that their value is much greater when sipping wine in a quiet room surrounded by "friends".

OUT OF COMBAT

Humanoid Guise

Devils can magically disguise themselves as humanoids, either of medium or small size, to easily blend into civilized areas. This disguise functions as the Alter Self spell, and can only be exposed via True Seeing, though a detect magic would reveal that the devil has a faint aura of transmutation on it. Devils tend to prefer an appearance which isn't too far removed from their natural appearance, though this is not an actual limitation on their ability. For example, bearded devils prefer races like dwarves, who have swarthy skintones and favor beards, while Ice Devils prefer races like Barani, with fair complexions and gem-tone eye colors.

Deals

Up to once per week, a Bearded Devil may bestow the benefits of a Wish spell on a creature with whom they have successfully sealed a deal. The deal must be sealed with a signed contract. These deals usually appear quite favorable to the creature making them, often with a price that seems too good to be true. However, deals with devils always have a price much higher than anyone can suspect. If a creature manages to get ahold of its contract and destroy it, the deal becomes unsealed, removing the benefits of the Wish but also canceling out the price of the bargain.

In addition to the listed effects of a wish, a devil's deal may also grant:

• a Lifestyle valued at approximately the devil's listed treasure value per month (rounded; so a Bearded Devil can grant a Lesser Nobility lifestyle)
• a single grant of wealth, up to double the devil's listed treasure value
• a single magic item worth up to double the devil's listed treasure value (no artifacts, though cursed and intelligent items are quite possible)
• a "permanent" diplomatic status of "helpful" with any one individual in the settlement in which the devil resides (permanent until it's not, anyway). This can be anyone, even an emperor.
• Other favors as the GM desires, but with approximate values, if applicable, of around double the devil's listed treasure value.

Deals should only apply to the individual who actually signed them. The price of the deal should be vague, at best (a favor in the future, a few years of your life essence, etc.) and rarely collected on the spot. Instead, creatures who make the deal should be left to wonder exactly what they've gotten themselves into, and then, hopefully, get lost in the wonder of their new-found awesome gift. GM's are encouraged to make the deals very tempting, and simultaneously, extremely creepy. Remember that the price is always higher than the signing creature can imagine.

If a character decides to make a skill check to try to decipher the legal language of the contract, provide them the following information:

• hard DC for this campaign level: the timing of when the devil's price will be collected isn't specified, and could be used in a very harmful way, if timed with malice.
• heroic DC for this campaign level: there are clauses in the contract making it possible for the devil to add new clauses in the future without the signatory's knowledge, but with assumed consent.

(See this table to determine the appropriate DC for your campaign's level)

Devils which are confronted on these specifics will not change their contract, but will try to use bluff or diplomacy to assure the creature that they are honest dealers, and would never break their word or be so callous as to create an unfair deal.

Note that devils will make any excuse to make a contract, hoping to trick people into signing. It is not uncommon, for example, for a devil to hire adventurers to perform some quest, asking them to sign a contract which stipulates the goals of the quest, and the payment the devil will provide upon completion. These contracts are just as binding, and just as malignant as the "I want a pony" type contracts above.