Continuing on from the Epic Monsters post last week we’re tracking the descent of the Prince of Evil, this time with the fallen angel Lucifer II!
Usually we switch off every week as to which side of the column goes up, but I figured if ever it was appropriate to break a rule, it’s when you’ve got this guy in the mix! By this point Lucifer has been in Hell for a while and fully transformed into a thing of pure evil, shedding the vestiges of Heaven. This is the version of the character that’s amassing a new army and consolidating control over his domain, rising in power and efficacy.
Design Notes: Like the falling angel build this statblock also started as an angel (a planetar) warped to match its new, dark purpose. To that end his proficiency bonus has gone up, he’s got some damage immunities, has some extra darkvision, becomes a perfect liar, gets a huge suite of evil innate spells, of course Legendary Resistance, some potent Regeneration, Frightful Presence, an even more improved Change Shape (more types and now acquires special actions and traits), and more effective life-draining attacks. This guy is making fiends left and right!
Let’s do the numbers! In an unusual twist the fallen angel hits the back end of the curve on the Blog of Holding’s rubric and lands him lower instead of higher at a 23 (21ac+29hp+20atk+26dam+24dc+24save=138/6) while the traditional DMG chart puts him at 25.5 (21prof+31ac+21hp+30atk+20dam+30dc=153/6=25.5). These average out to 24 and a quarter, sliding him just under another proficiency bonus increase. This also leaves the core rules some more powerful fiends, so as far as progression goes there’s room yet for a devil supreme—provided you aren't into the monster build posting next week.
Lucifer II, Fallen Angel
Large fiend (fallen angel), neutral evil
Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 225 (18d10+126)
Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft.
Saving Throws Con +14, Wis +13, Cha +15
Skills Insight +20, Perception +13, Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +20
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, diseased, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 300 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)
Corrupted Weapons. Lucifer’s weapon attacks are magical. When he hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 5d12 necrotic damage (included in the attack).
Infernal Tongue. It is impossible to tell when Lucifer is lying. Additionally, no matter what he says, magic that would determine if Lucifer is telling the truth indicates that he is being truthful, and magic cannot reveal his alignment.
Innate Spellcasting. Lucifer’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
King of Darkness. Lucifer can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Lucifer fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Lucifer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Regeneration. Lucifer regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of Lucifer's next turn. Lucifer dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, Lucifer can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Lucifer uses his Frightful Presence. He then makes three melee attacks, or he uses Soulsucking Touch and makes one melee attack.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6+7) slashing damage plus 32 (5d12) necrotic damage. On a critical hit, the target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Lucifer regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. If a humanoid is slain in this way, a fiend (with a CR equal to its CR + 1 or its level) rises from the corpse 1d4 minutes later. If a deva, planetar, or solar is slain in this way, a new fallen angel rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of Lucifer's choice that is within 120 feet of him and aware of him must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Lucifer’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Soulsucking Touch. Lucifer reaches out at a creature within 50 feet that he can see, drawing away its life force. The target makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or reduces its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores by 1d6 (roll separately for each). On a failure by 5 or more, the target rolls d8s instead. The target dies if this reduces an ability score to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. If a humanoid is slain in this way, a fiend (with a CR equal to its CR + 2 or its level) rises from the corpse 1d4 rounds later. If a deva, planetar, or solar is slain in this way, a new fallen angel rises from the corpse 1d4 minutes later.
Change Shape. Lucifer magically polymorphs into an aberration, beast, dragon, fiend, humanoid, or monstrosity that has a challenge rating no higher than his own, or back into his true form. Lucifer reverts to his true form if he dies. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (his choice).
In a new form, Lucifer retains his alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. His statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form (including class features and legendary actions), except any lair actions of that form.
Usually we switch off every week as to which side of the column goes up, but I figured if ever it was appropriate to break a rule, it’s when you’ve got this guy in the mix! By this point Lucifer has been in Hell for a while and fully transformed into a thing of pure evil, shedding the vestiges of Heaven. This is the version of the character that’s amassing a new army and consolidating control over his domain, rising in power and efficacy.
Design Notes: Like the falling angel build this statblock also started as an angel (a planetar) warped to match its new, dark purpose. To that end his proficiency bonus has gone up, he’s got some damage immunities, has some extra darkvision, becomes a perfect liar, gets a huge suite of evil innate spells, of course Legendary Resistance, some potent Regeneration, Frightful Presence, an even more improved Change Shape (more types and now acquires special actions and traits), and more effective life-draining attacks. This guy is making fiends left and right!
Let’s do the numbers! In an unusual twist the fallen angel hits the back end of the curve on the Blog of Holding’s rubric and lands him lower instead of higher at a 23 (21ac+29hp+20atk+26dam+24dc+24save=138/6) while the traditional DMG chart puts him at 25.5 (21prof+31ac+21hp+30atk+20dam+30dc=153/6=25.5). These average out to 24 and a quarter, sliding him just under another proficiency bonus increase. This also leaves the core rules some more powerful fiends, so as far as progression goes there’s room yet for a devil supreme—provided you aren't into the monster build posting next week.
Lucifer II, Fallen Angel
Large fiend (fallen angel), neutral evil
Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 225 (18d10+126)
Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
25 (+7) | 22 (+6) | 25 (+7) | 20 (+5) | 23 (+6) | 26 (+8) |
Saving Throws Con +14, Wis +13, Cha +15
Skills Insight +20, Perception +13, Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +20
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, diseased, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 300 ft., truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)
Corrupted Weapons. Lucifer’s weapon attacks are magical. When he hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 5d12 necrotic damage (included in the attack).
Infernal Tongue. It is impossible to tell when Lucifer is lying. Additionally, no matter what he says, magic that would determine if Lucifer is telling the truth indicates that he is being truthful, and magic cannot reveal his alignment.
Innate Spellcasting. Lucifer’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: animate dead, bestow curse, black tentacles, charm monster, chill touch, create undead, detect evil and good, detect magic, hellish rebuke (as a 3rd-level spell), invisibility, produce flame, planar ally, suggestion, vampiric touch, wall of fire
5/day each: death ward, disintegrate, dispel evil and good, dispel magic, dominate monster, eyebite, improved invisibility, finger of death, harm, mass suggestion, plane shift, teleport
1/day each: gate, incendiary cloud, time stop, weird
King of Darkness. Lucifer can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Lucifer fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Lucifer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Regeneration. Lucifer regains 20 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of Lucifer's next turn. Lucifer dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, Lucifer can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Lucifer uses his Frightful Presence. He then makes three melee attacks, or he uses Soulsucking Touch and makes one melee attack.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6+7) slashing damage plus 32 (5d12) necrotic damage. On a critical hit, the target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and Lucifer regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. If a humanoid is slain in this way, a fiend (with a CR equal to its CR + 1 or its level) rises from the corpse 1d4 minutes later. If a deva, planetar, or solar is slain in this way, a new fallen angel rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of Lucifer's choice that is within 120 feet of him and aware of him must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Lucifer’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Soulsucking Touch. Lucifer reaches out at a creature within 50 feet that he can see, drawing away its life force. The target makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or reduces its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores by 1d6 (roll separately for each). On a failure by 5 or more, the target rolls d8s instead. The target dies if this reduces an ability score to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. If a humanoid is slain in this way, a fiend (with a CR equal to its CR + 2 or its level) rises from the corpse 1d4 rounds later. If a deva, planetar, or solar is slain in this way, a new fallen angel rises from the corpse 1d4 minutes later.
Change Shape. Lucifer magically polymorphs into an aberration, beast, dragon, fiend, humanoid, or monstrosity that has a challenge rating no higher than his own, or back into his true form. Lucifer reverts to his true form if he dies. Any equipment he is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (his choice).
In a new form, Lucifer retains his alignment, hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, Legendary Resistance, lair actions, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as this action. His statistics and capabilities are otherwise replaced by those of the new form (including class features and legendary actions), except any lair actions of that form.
