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Archdevil Moloch (Mordenkainen's tome of foes preview from Dragon+)

Cyrinishad

Explorer
Anybody who is thinking that their PCs can take down Moloch is vastly underestimating him... He has INT 21 & can cast Geas at will... Why would he ever allow his enemies to even approach having a tactical encounter against him? Am I the only one thinking that this probably neutralizes any and all threats to him before they even start?
 

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Mr. Wilson

Explorer
Could you explain a little better how your party would overcome the teleporting and ranged capability?

Let's say we star the encounter at traditional range, somewhere in the 50 foot range to start. I call for initiative. The Lore bard subtracts 1d10 from Maloch's initiative and both the ranger and the barbarian have advantage on initiative.

I assume the Barbarian goes first, but really the Ranger or him could and it won't change anything for reasons I'll explain. Barbarian rages, closes the gap, and lays in with 2 reckless attacks with GWM against a AC of 19 (meaning it's way more likely he hits than not), rerolling 1 poor damage roll. God help the devil if he crits. The devil teleports 150 feet away...or tries to but it's counterspelled by the illusionist wizard.

The ranger makes 2 attacks with Sharpshooter against her favored enemy with an AC of 19. With a + 1 weapon, at worse, she hits once dealing 1d6 + 16 plus her favored enemy bonus (which I don't have handy), more if she uses her thundering bowstring ability to add an additional 2d6 hit points (she can do this 3 times a day). The devil finally teleports away.

It's the BM fighter/paladin, lore bard, or Illusionists turn next. For sake of this argument, we'll say it's the BM Fighter because he's the most useless. He declares his attack action and his bonus action to grant the SS ranger her 3rd attack of the round and moves to protect the lore bard who is really the lynch pin.

The lore bard then goes and gives out one of her inspiration dice to the ranger because duh. She then casts bless because duh. Her reaction is now up for cutting words again should she need it. The demon takes his third legendary to drop a stinking cloud on either the bard group or the ranger because the players are smart and don't cluster as they are good tacticians. I assume we try to take out the bard and drop it on her group. She likely fails her save, dropping bless, and the fighter likely makes his.

The Illusionist goes next. I have no idea what his plan is, but it probably involves casting haste on the ranger, because duh.

Maloch finally gets to go and regenerates 20 hit points. He is still most likely around 150 hit points at this point and given he's a demon lord decides screw this fight, I can't win, I'm fleeing. If he's fighting on the material plane and decides to fight to the "death", he already has his concentration spell up, so he's rather limited. We'll assume he teleports next to the barbarian or ranger and breathes his breath on them. Most likely, he does this to the barbarian unless the ranger has spent her bardic inspiration dice somehow. The barbarian likely fails the save unless one of his allies give him inspiration (which they will, because duh). Still, for arguments sake, we'll assume he fails.

Round 2: Barbarian goes and has to flee and gets hit with an OA. He may or may not make his save. The monster attempts to teleport away, but nah. Illusionist stops it.

Ranger goes and lights him up with 3 more attacks. At this point, I assume Maloch has sub 100 hit points. He teleports next to the Wizard as a legendary because the Wizard is now hampering him.

BM Fighter goes and Action surges to get next to him. He gives 1 attack to the Ranger (her 4th attack this round) and spends his second attack to attack Maloch. I assume he still has some spell slots left and will land his hit. He then channels his smite into Maloch. OUCH plus no more regen. Things are looking grim. At the end of his turn the monster teleports away never really getting a chance to land a solid blow on the wizard.

Lore bard goes and fails her save again and is looking bad. She moves away from the cloud and casts cure wounds on herself, probably at around 5th level. She grants another bonus die to the ranger.

Illusionist goes and casts lightning bolt on Maloch at say 5th level. We assume the devil saves (or uses legendary resistance) but still takes 10d6/2 damage.

Maloch gets to go again and is in a world of hurt. No regen this round and hovering around 50 but thankfully his breath recharges. He teleported somewhere still within 30 feet of the illusionist/fighter and lights them up with his breath weapon. We assume they both fail and both flee. Haste is dropped, putting a crimp on the ranger's day.

Round 3:

The barbarian gets another save and we assume he fails again. Maloch teleports next to the bard.
The ranger's turn gets skipped. Maloch attacks the bard probably with his bite, but she cutting words it. 50/50 chance he hits.
The BM fighter goes and while still frightened, he takes an attack action to grant the ranger an attack this round. She likely hits given the superiority die. Maloch is probably sub 20 hit points.
The lore bard goes next and is in actual trouble. Bard disengages and hands out another die to the ranger. She's out of dice though, now and Maloch responds by whipping her back in and probably putting her into unconsciousness. Or, he drops another stinking cloud mage.
Illusionist goes and casts another Lightning bolt, this one at 6th level dealing 11d6/2 damage. Maloch is probably dead.

So, I was wrong, 3 round fight if everything goes perfectly for Maloch.
 

jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?
Anybody who is thinking that their PCs can take down Moloch is vastly underestimating him... He has INT 21 & can cast Geas at will... Why would he ever allow his enemies to even approach having a tactical encounter against him? Am I the only one thinking that this probably neutralizes any and all threats to him before they even start?

Have to say I overlooked geas there. That is also very strong. Dispel magic etc. can counter it, but you probably don't have dispel magic at will :)
 


Cyrinishad

Explorer
Have to say I overlooked geas there. That is also very strong. Dispel magic etc. can counter it, but you probably don't have dispel magic at will :)

Theoretically, part of the Geas could be to require the target to not try and remove the Geas... a lot of sinister possibilities with infinite at-will Geas spells.
 

Mr. Wilson

Explorer
Moloch's teleport ability is not a spell, it cannot be counterspelled.

Even if Counterspell doesn't work, which I concede I misread as an innate spell like ability, not much changes. If the creature wants to attack the party, it has to be within 120 feet to use it's spell like abilities which puts it comfortably within range of the ranger and/or a hastey barbarian.

Anybody who is thinking that their PCs can take down Moloch is vastly underestimating him... He has INT 21 & can cast Geas at will... Why would he ever allow his enemies to even approach having a tactical encounter against him? Am I the only one thinking that this probably neutralizes any and all threats to him before they even start?

I should point out the Illusionist Wizard spent all his ability increases on Int and has the only very rare item in the party, an Ioun Stone of Intelligence stolen from a deceased wizard they fought. The illusionist is actually smarter than this fiend.
 
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Enkhidu

Explorer
A name-level party access to Crusader's Mantle and solid bow attacks are best suited to win vs Moloch if he uses his teleport ability to jump around. Fleeing outright will always be an option for him, but if the PCs have access to teleport or plane shift they have the same option so he can't just wait a few minutes and then come back after the Mantle ends.

Though now I can see a group of PCs "hunting" Moloch (and him "hunting" them in return) over the course of a longer adventure, as they seek to get the drop on one another by using terrain, anti-magic, and then like. Planning something like that would be fun, I think.
 

darjr

I crit!
Moloch wouldn’t be alone, would he? I wouldn’t have him alone anyway. Monsters are weaker as lone creatures, this is well known isn’t it?
 

neogod22

Explorer
It is a tad weak. A level 12 party will not have many problems dealing with him. Heck, a level 12 paladin could take it with ease. It's hit points are negligible, and its resistances won't make up, as they are very easy to circumvent
If I controlled him, your paladin would die a very horrible death. Lol
 

jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?
Well heck, now I really want to see a play-by-post battle between solo Moloch and a 12th level party.
 

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