Dragon 353 came early!
- Thread starter Zaukrie
- Start date
Alzrius
The EN World kitten
James, a quick question. The goes out of its way to mention cambions and alu-demons, calling them "breeds" of half-fiends. And yet, there's no mechanics for these two half-demons in 3.5E D&D (third-party material notwithstanding). Why the nod with nothing to back it up?
Shemeska
Adventurer
Pants said:
In my own defence, while I came up with the advanced keeper's name and rough concept, I didn't write the stats for the character.
But that aside, I'm glad you liked it. I've had a ton of fun with those guys, including recently when my players stumbled across a ruined building within the former deific domain of Anubis in Arborea's third layer. So intent upon preventing access to a secret they couldn't take and destroy, around 50 Keepers had literally hurled themselves into the entrance to block anyone from entering, and had been there long enough to actually fossilize in place (except for the one with 22 levels of sorcerer...).
Last edited:
James Jacobs
Adventurer
Alzrius said:
Because D&D already has rules for half-fiends. Both alu-demons and cambions are just humans with the half-fiend template.
Put another way, not all half-fiend humans are cambions or alu-demons, but all cambions and alu-fiends are half-fiends.
I was, however, tempted to put in an altered set of abilities for alu-demons and cambions (similar to how we're handling lemorian half-fiends in the Savage Tide Adventure Path), but in the end there just wasn't enough room in the article. BUT! There's certainly room in this thread! So what follows is my "quick and dirty" rules for creating cambions and alu-demons (drawing upon their 1st edition incarnations) by altering the half-fiend template slightly:
CAMBION
Armor: Natural armor improves by +4 instead of by +1
Speed: A cambion has no wings, but gains a +10 ft. bonus to its base land speed.
Full Attack: A cambion gains claw attacks as a half-fiend, but does not gain a bite attack.
Special Attacks: Cambions cannot smite good.
Spell-Like Abilities: Replace darkness 3/day with detect magic at will. Replace desecrate with cause fear 3/day. Replace unholy blight with levitate 3/day. Replace contagion with polymorph.
Abilities: Str +4, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +2, Cha +2
ALU-DEMON
Armor: Natural armor improves by +4 instead of by +1.
Full Attack: An alu-demon gains no claw or bite attack. She does gain a special touch attack usable once per round as a standard action. If she hits, she deals 1d6 points of negative energy damage plus additional damage equal to her Charisma bonus. She gains half of any damage inflicted in this manner back as healing.
Special Attacks: Alu-demons cannot smite good.
Spell-Like Abilities: Replace darkness 3/day with charm person 3/day. Replace desecrate with detect thoughts 3/day. Replace unholy blight with suggestion 3/day. Replace poison with polymorph 3/day (humanoid form only). Replace contagion with dimension door.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +2, Cha +6
James Jacobs
Adventurer
RADIANT SISTER CR 18
Female lilitu bard 12
CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri)
Fiendish Codex I 43
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +34, Spot +34
Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
AC 38, touch 24, flat-footed 28
hp 235 (26 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good
Immune electricity, poison
Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 23
Fort +18, Ref +27, Will +22; evasion
Weakness divine magic
Spd 40 ft.
Melee +2 vorpal whip dagger +35/+30/+25/+20 (1d6+4/19–20) and
claw +31 (1d6+1) and
4 stingers +31 (1d4+1 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with stingers, 15 ft. with whip)
Base Atk +23; Grp +25
Atk Options Combat Reflexes
Special Actions halo, lilitu’s gift
Bard Spells Known (CL12th)
4th (6/day)—freedom of movement, modify memory (DC 30), rainbow pattern (DC 28)
3rd (6/day)—dispel magic, fear (DC 27), glibness, haste
2nd (7/day)—eagle’s splendor, hold person (DC 28), locate object, mirror image
1st (7/day)—expeditious retreat, obscure object, Tasha’s hideous laughter (DC 27), undetectable alignment
0 (3/day)—detect magic, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, summon instrument
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 9th)
5th—greater command (DC 31), commune, dominate personD (DC 31), plane shift (DC 29), raise dead
4th—cure critical wounds (3), death ward, confusionD (DC 30), neutralize poison
3rd—cure serious wounds (4), magic vestment, nondetectionD, remove disease
2nd—cure moderate wounds (5), death knell (DC 26), hold person (DC 28), invisibilityD, lesser restoration
1st—commandD (DC 27), cure light wounds (5), divine favor, sanctuary (DC 25), shield of faith
0—cure minor wounds (4), detect magic, mending
D domain; Domains Temptation, Trickery
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th)
At will—charm monster (DC 28), detect good, detect thoughts (DC 26), disguise self (DC 25, no limit on duration), fly, suggestion (DC 27), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), sending, tongues
3/day—quickened suggestion (DC 27)
1/day—dominate person (DC 29), symbol of persuasion (DC 30)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 30, Con 21, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 38
SQ item use, mock divinity, shroud alignment
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dark Speech, Disguise Spell, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Multiattack, Persuasive, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (suggestion), Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +45, Concentration +34, Diplomacy +47, Disguise +31 (+33 acting), Forgery +34, Heal +22, Intimidate +47, Knowledge (religion) +34, Listen +34, Perform (stringed instrument) +43, Perform (sing) +43, Sense Motive +34, Spot +34
Possessions +4 glamered leather armor, +2 vorpal whip dagger (stored in right glove of storing), ring of evasion, ring of protection +4, gloves of storing (2), golden heart worth 2,500 gp (stored in left glove of storing)
Disguise Spell A Radiant Sister can disguise spells as performances. To do so, she must make a Perform check as part of the action used to cast the spell. Onlookers must match or exceed her check result with a Spot check to detect that she’s casting a spell. Unless the spell visibly emanates from her, observers don’t know where the effect came from. A disguised spell can’t be identified with a Spellcraft check, but the act of casting still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. This feat appeared in Complete Adventurer.
Halo (Su) Each Radiant Sister’s head is surmounted by a shimmering halo that matches the hue of her hair, a manifestation of her link and loyalty to Malcanthet. A Radiant Sister can control the intensity of illumination her halo provides as a free action, varying it from a faint glow that is all but imperceptible to a brilliance that provides bright illumination to a radius of 120 feet. Once per round as a free action, a Radiant Sister can focus the light of her halo on a single creature within 30 feet. The creature targeted must make a DC 31 Fortitude save to avoid being permanently blinded. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Item Use (Ex) A Radiant Sister can use any magic item as though she had successfully used the Use Magic Device skill.
Lilitu’s Gift (Su) Once per day, a radiant sister can embrace a willing or helpless creature to grant a +2 profane bonus to Charisma and a +2 profane bonus on saving throws as a standard action for 24 hours. The Radiant Sister’s name manifests as a tattoo in Abyssal on that creature’s body. The recipient cannot see his own tattoo. As long as the gift remains active, the lilitu can monitor that character’s condition and location as if she had placed a status spell on that character, and can communicate telepathically with the character at all times (even across planes), and by concentrating can observe the world around the character as if she were there in his place. Accepting a lilitu’s gift is a chaotic act. A creature can resist the gift with a DC 31 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Mock Divinity (Ex) A Radiant Sister casts spells as a 9th-level cleridc, except that she uses her Charisma score to determine bonus spells per day and spell saving throw DCs. She cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells, nor can she turn or rebuke undead. Most lilitus have access to the domains of Demonic and Trickery. The Radiant Sisters are an exception. As the favored agents of Malcanthet, they are allowed to choose their domains from any she normally grants her clerics—Chaos, Evil, Temptation, and Trickery.
Poison (Su) Stinger—Injury, Fort DC 21, 2d6 Wis/1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Shroud Alignment (Ex) Spells and spell-like abilities that have the good descriptor treat a lilitu as if her alignment was good. Magic items are similarly fooled.
Temptation Granted Power A Radiant Sister must select a gender (50% chance of either). As long as the Radiant Sister wears no armor, she gains a +2 competence bonus on Charisma-based checks opposed by creatures of this gender, and the save DC for any mind-affecting spells or abilities she uses against this gender increases by 1.
Vulnerable to Divine Magic (Ex) A lilitu’s heretical nature renders her particularly susceptible to divine magic. She makes all saving throws against divine magic a –2 penalty, and checks to overcome her spell resistance with a divine spell gain a +4 sacred bonus.
Female lilitu bard 12
CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, tanar’ri)
Fiendish Codex I 43
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +34, Spot +34
Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
AC 38, touch 24, flat-footed 28
hp 235 (26 HD); DR 10/cold iron or good
Immune electricity, poison
Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 23
Fort +18, Ref +27, Will +22; evasion
Weakness divine magic
Spd 40 ft.
Melee +2 vorpal whip dagger +35/+30/+25/+20 (1d6+4/19–20) and
claw +31 (1d6+1) and
4 stingers +31 (1d4+1 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with stingers, 15 ft. with whip)
Base Atk +23; Grp +25
Atk Options Combat Reflexes
Special Actions halo, lilitu’s gift
Bard Spells Known (CL12th)
4th (6/day)—freedom of movement, modify memory (DC 30), rainbow pattern (DC 28)
3rd (6/day)—dispel magic, fear (DC 27), glibness, haste
2nd (7/day)—eagle’s splendor, hold person (DC 28), locate object, mirror image
1st (7/day)—expeditious retreat, obscure object, Tasha’s hideous laughter (DC 27), undetectable alignment
0 (3/day)—detect magic, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, summon instrument
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 9th)
5th—greater command (DC 31), commune, dominate personD (DC 31), plane shift (DC 29), raise dead
4th—cure critical wounds (3), death ward, confusionD (DC 30), neutralize poison
3rd—cure serious wounds (4), magic vestment, nondetectionD, remove disease
2nd—cure moderate wounds (5), death knell (DC 26), hold person (DC 28), invisibilityD, lesser restoration
1st—commandD (DC 27), cure light wounds (5), divine favor, sanctuary (DC 25), shield of faith
0—cure minor wounds (4), detect magic, mending
D domain; Domains Temptation, Trickery
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th)
At will—charm monster (DC 28), detect good, detect thoughts (DC 26), disguise self (DC 25, no limit on duration), fly, suggestion (DC 27), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), sending, tongues
3/day—quickened suggestion (DC 27)
1/day—dominate person (DC 29), symbol of persuasion (DC 30)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 30, Con 21, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 38
SQ item use, mock divinity, shroud alignment
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dark Speech, Disguise Spell, Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Multiattack, Persuasive, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (suggestion), Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +45, Concentration +34, Diplomacy +47, Disguise +31 (+33 acting), Forgery +34, Heal +22, Intimidate +47, Knowledge (religion) +34, Listen +34, Perform (stringed instrument) +43, Perform (sing) +43, Sense Motive +34, Spot +34
Possessions +4 glamered leather armor, +2 vorpal whip dagger (stored in right glove of storing), ring of evasion, ring of protection +4, gloves of storing (2), golden heart worth 2,500 gp (stored in left glove of storing)
Disguise Spell A Radiant Sister can disguise spells as performances. To do so, she must make a Perform check as part of the action used to cast the spell. Onlookers must match or exceed her check result with a Spot check to detect that she’s casting a spell. Unless the spell visibly emanates from her, observers don’t know where the effect came from. A disguised spell can’t be identified with a Spellcraft check, but the act of casting still provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. This feat appeared in Complete Adventurer.
Halo (Su) Each Radiant Sister’s head is surmounted by a shimmering halo that matches the hue of her hair, a manifestation of her link and loyalty to Malcanthet. A Radiant Sister can control the intensity of illumination her halo provides as a free action, varying it from a faint glow that is all but imperceptible to a brilliance that provides bright illumination to a radius of 120 feet. Once per round as a free action, a Radiant Sister can focus the light of her halo on a single creature within 30 feet. The creature targeted must make a DC 31 Fortitude save to avoid being permanently blinded. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Item Use (Ex) A Radiant Sister can use any magic item as though she had successfully used the Use Magic Device skill.
Lilitu’s Gift (Su) Once per day, a radiant sister can embrace a willing or helpless creature to grant a +2 profane bonus to Charisma and a +2 profane bonus on saving throws as a standard action for 24 hours. The Radiant Sister’s name manifests as a tattoo in Abyssal on that creature’s body. The recipient cannot see his own tattoo. As long as the gift remains active, the lilitu can monitor that character’s condition and location as if she had placed a status spell on that character, and can communicate telepathically with the character at all times (even across planes), and by concentrating can observe the world around the character as if she were there in his place. Accepting a lilitu’s gift is a chaotic act. A creature can resist the gift with a DC 31 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Mock Divinity (Ex) A Radiant Sister casts spells as a 9th-level cleridc, except that she uses her Charisma score to determine bonus spells per day and spell saving throw DCs. She cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells, nor can she turn or rebuke undead. Most lilitus have access to the domains of Demonic and Trickery. The Radiant Sisters are an exception. As the favored agents of Malcanthet, they are allowed to choose their domains from any she normally grants her clerics—Chaos, Evil, Temptation, and Trickery.
Poison (Su) Stinger—Injury, Fort DC 21, 2d6 Wis/1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Shroud Alignment (Ex) Spells and spell-like abilities that have the good descriptor treat a lilitu as if her alignment was good. Magic items are similarly fooled.
Temptation Granted Power A Radiant Sister must select a gender (50% chance of either). As long as the Radiant Sister wears no armor, she gains a +2 competence bonus on Charisma-based checks opposed by creatures of this gender, and the save DC for any mind-affecting spells or abilities she uses against this gender increases by 1.
Vulnerable to Divine Magic (Ex) A lilitu’s heretical nature renders her particularly susceptible to divine magic. She makes all saving throws against divine magic a –2 penalty, and checks to overcome her spell resistance with a divine spell gain a +4 sacred bonus.
Alzrius said:Woot! Thanks James!
I'm tempted to ask for these and some other bits (like the Radiant Sisters stat blocks, or the missing FR outsiders) in the form of a web enhancement for the issue, but I can guess how likely that is.
Shhh...save the Web Enhancement for the other half of the modrons in next issue!
Those outsiders, by the way, were written by Thomas M. Costa and Eric L. Boyd and are practically identical to the ones in their Forgotten Realms Bestiary II. We can use those for the other outsiders cut out.
BOZ
Creature Cataloguer
thanks James, great stuff! 
that reminds me, i need to get in there and update my Demonic Lore thread.
we put three demon lord references in the archomental article, and i know two got cut - is there one left under Sunnis perhaps?
that reminds me, i need to get in there and update my Demonic Lore thread.
we put three demon lord references in the archomental article, and i know two got cut - is there one left under Sunnis perhaps?
sckeener
First Post
Thanks James!
Having those tidbits makes it easier to wait for my issue to come in the mail.
And btw thanks for putting 337 in PDF. I'm loving having Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Zuggtmoy article in a format I can read at work (copy&paste are a plus too.)
I hope the other Demonomicon articles go into PDF soon.
Having those tidbits makes it easier to wait for my issue to come in the mail.
And btw thanks for putting 337 in PDF. I'm loving having Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Zuggtmoy article in a format I can read at work (copy&paste are a plus too.)
I hope the other Demonomicon articles go into PDF soon.
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