Homebrew Demon

[Lord Morte]

I'm a little concerned about the CR on a homebrew beast of mine and I was wondering what people thought of it?

The shambling form appears to be that of a burly human male with dark, lanky hair and dull, mindless eyes. However, instead of arms, clusters of shiny black tentacles sprout from its shoulders, just underneath half-rotten goat-heads that frame the human head with their horns.

Least Goat Demon
Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Demon, Evil, Tanar’ri)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft.
Armour Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flatfooted 14
Base Atk/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Tentacle +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 4 Tentacle +4 melee (1d4+2) and +2 bite (1d3+1)
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/cold iron or good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10 and fire 10, summon tanar’ri, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Hide +7, Intimidate +5, Listen +9, Move Silently +7, Spot +9.
Feats: Multiattack
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
CR: 3

Summon Tanar’ri (Sp): Once per day a least goat demon can attempt to summon another least goat demon with a 35% chance of success. This ability is equivalent to a 1st level spell.

Too powerful for a CR 3? Too weak? All the special defenses like DR and energy resistance are balanced in my mind against the very low hit points, just as the numerous attacks are balanced by the poor damage, but I would like other opinions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Arkhandus]

I think it's fine at CR 3, though it's a strong CR 3 it doesn't have the HP to be too strong, nor any SR to negate low-level mages' Magic Missiles. It's DR isn't too great for a low-level fighter, rogue, or cleric to overcome (if they're reasonably strong, like the demon's 14 Str) and its hit points are low enough for such a character to beat it up in a similar amount of time to what it would take the demon to beat them up in. The demon'd have a definite advantage against low-AC or low-HP characters, or low-to-moderate Strength characters, but at the same time it's at least plenty vulnerable to Magic Missiles (2-3 should KO it easily, though not all low-level wizards will have that many MMs prepared).

 

[Schmoe]

I'm a little concerned about the CR on a homebrew beast of mine and I was wondering what people thought of it?



Too powerful for a CR 3? Too weak? All the special defenses like DR and energy resistance are balanced in my mind against the very low hit points, just as the numerous attacks are balanced by the poor damage, but I would like other opinions.

Thanks in advance.

Too weak for CR 3. It's a CR 2 for sure. Compare to the Azer, also CR 2:

HP: 9 vs 11
AC: 16 vs 23 (!)
Avg Damage (assuming 50% attacks hit): 10.5 vs 3.25
Defenses: DR and resistances vs SR and fire immunity

Also compare to the Dretch, which is another CR 2

HP: 9 vs 13
AC: 16 vs 16
Avg Damage (assuming 50% attacks hit): 10.5 vs 5.25
Defenses: identical

Overall, the Goat Demon has weaker defenses in exchange for a stronger offense. It seems like an even trade to me.