Asmodeus vs Demogorgon

[S'mon]

Re: Let's compare

As 1e gives us the only real means of comparison, let's use that:

Demogorgon and Asmodeus are Lesser Gods (DDG p.90).

Armour Class: Asmodeus has a -7 AC vs. Demogorgon's -8.

Hit Points: Asmodeus has 199 hp vs. Demogorgon's 200.

Physical Attacks: Asmodeus has one attack for 4-14 damage vs.
Demogorgon's 3 attacks for 1-6 for each tentacle while his tail drains 1d4 levels.

Magic Resistance: Asmodeus has 90% vs. Demogorgon's 95%.

Special Mentions:
Asmodeus can fly, is as strong as a storm giant, and can use the following abilities; wall of fire, ice storm, wall of ice, detect invisible, invisibility, dispel magic, hold monster, shape change, beguile, rulership, geas, symbols of pain, insanity, and hopelessness, unholy word, summon 2 greater devils (we'll assume pit fiends). His gaze causes fear, weakness, or chill. Also his rod has the effects of dragon's breath.

Demogorgon can hypnotize, beguile, insanity, detect invisible, dispel magic, polymorph self, wall of ice, telekinese, feeblemind, project image, power word stun, any symbol, gating in a random demon.

Too close, it would depend on if they were played to their fullest potential.

After all that build-up that's a pretty weak conclusion.

If you look at your list again you'll see that none of Demogorgon's attacks are very effective against Asmodeus while he has a decent hp total, while he can do 32 dmg/round acid damage to Demogorgon (assuming Demo saves), twice that if hasted. Assuming no use of lesser god abilities Asmodeus would seem to have the advantage on 1e stats. If they start summoning allies 1e pit fiends are a lot nastier than any 1e demons, although Type V/Mariliths get a decent number of attacks.

 

[Matafuego]

After reading and re-reading both of their stats in 1e I consider that Asmodeus will win in a not so tough match... (Well I also thought that before reading the stas )

 

[Voadam]

What effect will Demogorgons energy drain have on Asmodeus if he gets his tentacles on him? I don't think he had levels or hit dice in 1e just hit points.

Also given Asmodeus' rod, I think it tips pretty quickly in his direction for dishing out damage.

In 1e the caster level mattered for MR, for every level above 11th it went down 5% so you need to post what level they cast at to determine if their spells will be relevant.

I remember being really disapointed by the demon princes' physical damage in the MM. Even before UA and specialization first level human fighters did more than 1d6 damage.

In 1e DDG I forget what standard bonuses being lesser gods gives them. I remember in the 1e manual of planes that there was a whole list of spell like abilities.

 

[Aaron L]

Hopefully Asmodeus. Oneof the basics of the Devils, and why the Demons haven't wiped them out (not in any Blood War, just out of malice), is that there are many, many, many, many, many Demons, but the Devils are more individually powerful.

 

[Desdichado]

Hopefully Asmodeus. Oneof the basics of the Devils, and why the Demons haven't wiped them out (not in any Blood War, just out of malice), is that there are many, many, many, many, many Demons, but the Devils are more individually powerful.

Yeah, but 3rd edition doesn't really live up to that promise. Balors (Type VI) are more powerful than Pit Fiends, for instance.

 

[Ialdabode]

Bah. Demogorgon has the combined power of monkeys and tentacles. Any Japanese anime would easily put him over the horned lord of hell.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Well, I really only meant to bring up the 1st edition stats as a joke--hence the little smiley icons.

However, I still feel constrained to point something out.

The fact that Asmodeus is "king of Hell" while Demogorgon is "merely" a demon prince doesn't mean anything when it comes to figuring out which is more powerful.

Why?

To be King of Hell, you only have to be more powerful/more clever than eight other would-be rulers.

To control the entirety of the Abyss, you have to be greater than an infinite number of other potential lords of their own domain.

Plus there's the fact that an inherently chaotic evil plane can't, by definition, have a long-lasting king.

If Asmodeus were a demon instead of a devil, I guarantee you he wouldn't be "King of the Abyss."

 

[Voadam]

Oh come on, you only need to conquer 666 infinite planes full of demons to be called king of the Abyss

 

[The Serge]

Orcus still could do a major beat down IMHO.

HAH!

 

[The Serge]

Well, everyone's using 1ed stats for both entities. I'll use 2ed stats.

YES, there are indeed stats for both of these beings in 2ed. Demogorgon appeared as an avatar of a lesser god in Monster Mythology. His stats are as follows:

14th Level Priest
THAC0 7
HP 112
Dmg d4+1/d4+1 (claws!!!), d6+1 tail
MR 20% (lower than a Pit Fiend's....)
Half damage from: Fire, cold, gas.
Immune to: energy drains, poison, electricity, and mind control.
Special Attacks: cause disease (rotting), energy drain 1-2 levels (tail).
Spell-Like Abilities: charm person, charm monster, domination, ESP, feeblemind, improved invisibility, polymorph self, plane shift
Gaze Powers: Each once a day at 60', beguile and insanity , each as symbol.

Not all that great...

Now, Asmodeus appeared in A Guide to Hell by Chris Pramas during 2ed last gasps of air. Here are his pertinent stats:


Fighter 25, Wizard 20
THACO 1
HP 199
Dmg 2d8+13 (3 attacks)
MR 90%
Immune to: all spells under 4th level, poison, paralysis, petrification, death magic, illusions and phantasms, and mind control. Can only be hit by +4 weapons or higher.
Special Attacks: Awe (to any within 120', gate one greater or two lesser devils each round (like a Pit Fiend...).
Spell-Like Abilities: symbol of pain, symbol of persuasion, symbol of hopelessness, unholy word.
Rod of Asmodeus: a rod of absorption (up to 25 spell levels), cast acidic blast, cone of cold, and lightning bolt at will once per day as a 25th level Wizard.


.... Asmodeus, in 2ed, would have beat the tar out of Demogorgon. Heck, a Balor would have beat the tar out of Demogorgon because the 2ed developers were clearly scared out of their minds from creating a Demogorgon along the lines of the one in 1ed: A DEMON PRINCE.

I've always seen Demogorgon as the strongest Demon Prince with a deific rank equivalent to that of an Intermediate god. Asmodeus I've always seen as an Overpower operating under special restrictions since he's trapped in Hell. If the two were to fight (requiring special circumstances), with Asmodeus under those special restrictions, it would be a close fight with Demogorgon having an edge. If Asmodeus were under no restrictions, it would be no contest. Of course, this is under my own rules. In 1ed, Asmodeus had an edge because he could fly and he could cast a lot of ranged spells that could harm Demogorogn... assuming it breached the Demon Prince's MR.

We'll have to wait and see what Monte Cook comes up with for 3ed to determine this battle royale anew....