Balor, or D&D Beat Up Mythology and Took Its Stuff

[coyote6]

Now it's not that my sarcasm detector isn't turned on or anything, but I'm trying to figure out what an anime-style beholder would look like. Any ideas?

Big eyes, small mouth, of course.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

I think you're in the wrong thread.

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=209602

Hong´s, technically, always in the wrong thread - even when he started it himself. That´s his recipe for greatness.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

No way we'd see something like this in 4th Ed. Didn't you read the memo? SoD is gone, and "Balor was notable for his one eye, which could kill anyone it looked upon." seems pretty SoD to me...

In 3rd edition D&D, sure.

In 4th edition - no. Just a lot of damage.

In Shadowrun 3rd edition, there did exist attacks that dealt lethal damage, but even that couldn't kill you outright (under normal circumstances). Damage Code might be 20T, ignoring armor, which would make it pretty deadly. But even at deadly damage, you are not actually dead...

 

[Baby Samurai]

Considering the new take on demons and devils, I think the Pit Fiend might mug the Balor and take his purse (sword and whip).

 

[Plane Sailing]

The Balrog from Lord of the Rings is awesome, and I want them to keep a demon like it. But I'd also like to see one inspired by the actual Balor.

Wasn't "Balor" originally just a name change to avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous lawyers fortune?

 

[Baby Samurai]

Wasn't "Balor" originally just a name change to avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous lawyers fortune?

Yep, just like they had to change Hobbit to "Halfling" and Ent to "Treant".

 

[Baby Samurai]

Wasn't "Balor" originally just a name change to avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous lawyers fortune?

And Balor was also originally the name of one of many Type VI demons (1st edition AD&D).

 

[Plane Sailing]

And Balor was also originally the name of one of many Type VI demons (1st edition AD&D).

IIRC the Balrog appeared in OD&D in one of the original three booklets or in supplement 1 Greyhawk.

Then in supplement 3 Eldritch Wizardry they introduced Demons I-VI and the first four printings called one of the type Vi demons Balrog; subsequently changed to Balor

 

[Baby Samurai]

IIRC the Balrog appeared in OD&D in one of the original three booklets or in supplement 1 Greyhawk.

Then in supplement 3 Eldritch Wizardry they introduced Demons I-VI and the first four printings called one of the type Vi demons Balrog; subsequently changed to Balor

Sounds right on the money, I'm at work so I can't double check – will do later.

 

[Jhaelen]

My campaign is based (partly) on Moorcock's second Corum trilogy; I've recast the Fhoi Myore as invading spirits from another realm inimical to our world, who - in ancient history - possessed a group of giants and turned them into the deformed Fomorians. The spirits were cast out... but now they're back!

Ah, great stuff!

The most memorable AD&D 1E campaign I played in was based on this Corum trilogy

Of course it helped that the Corum books are my favorite novels from Mr. Moorcock and my character (an illusionist) reached an amazing level 9 before going the way of all things mortal.

Of all of Moorcock's novels, I think the Hawkmoon ones are the easiest to translate into a D&D campaign, though. I once started to plan out such a campaign but never got around to actually play it... *sigh*