Hordes of the Abyss.

[Ripzerai]

To be fair, though, the reason Jubilex stays the (partial) ruler of his plane is because nobody else wants it.

It's just real estate. The new ruler of the plane can change it into a fiery inferno, or a desert, or an ocean. There are lots of options, even with only demigod-level power over its realm.

 

[Rystil Arden]

To be fair, though, the reason Jubilex stays the (partial) ruler of his plane is because nobody else wants it. Unlike most of the other demon lords, he doesn't have balors serving under him(just oozes and some hezrous) and it's unlikely one would really want to take over as ruler of oozes.

I mean, they're oozes. Any Balor worth his salt is going to focus on the demon lord with a harem of succubi instead.

According to the Wizards website:

Juiblex shares the 222nd layer of the Abyss with Zuggtmoy, the Lady of Fungi. The two demons have a long history of conflict and war, with Juiblex's constant attempts to surge upward into Zuggtmoy's holdings a constant source of contention between the two. Other demons despise and loathe Juiblex, yet most see him as a faceless menace that poses a threat only to those foolish enough to stand in front of him, and they wisely choose to leave him alone.

Of course, with the level of strength described, it isn't really wise to leave him alone. I mean, his main power is engulfing, and most demons, even weaker ones, aren't going to take much or any damage from that. An enterprising Marilith could take him out with careful use of her Blade Barrier spell that she gets at will. A CR 11 Retriever or 3 would win even more easily. They are immune to all of Juiblex's spells due to Construct Traits, and they can kite him with the 12d6 fire ray for 11 or 32 damage each per shot (depending on the save). And Juiblex is not immune to the petrification beam either.

 

[Kunimatyu]

It's just real estate. The new ruler of the plane can change it into a fiery inferno, or a desert, or an ocean. There are lots of options, even with only demigod-level power over its realm.

Like Rystil says, then you've still got Zuggtmoy to deal with before you can remake the plane. Why bother? There are plenty of less-disgusting places in the Abyss, amusing as that notion is.

 

[Ripzerai]

Like Rystil says, then you've still got Zuggtmoy to deal with before you can remake the plane.

No, I don't think so. I suspect both Zuggtmoy and Juiblex have divine-level control over their respective realms.

Once you turn Juiblex's half into an ocean of fire, those annoying oozes won't be much of a problem.

 

[Baron Opal]

It's just real estate. The new ruler of the plane can change it into a fiery inferno, or a desert, or an ocean. There are lots of options, even with only demigod-level power over its realm.

I don't think that's quite accurate. I seem to remember in the 1st ed. Manual of the Planes the mention that there were some layers of the Abyss so hostile that no demon could survive there to rule. There is a underlying theme to each layer. While a demon lord can certainly modify the plane to their desires, I don't believe that a balor that manages to swim through 50' deep black puddings and ochre jellies to actually kill Jubilex is getting anything worth bragging about.

So, Jubliex's layer might be shiftable to something like the Brine Flats, but a pyroclastic miasma might be out of range.

 

[Ripzerai]

So, Jubliex's layer might be shiftable to something like the Brine Flats, but a pyroclastic miasma might be out of range.

Not by the RAW, it's not. A god can alter the temperature of its realm to anything within the normal range of the plane. In the Abyss, I'd say the combustion point is included in that.

Juiblex's realm is oozey caverns because Juiblex likes it that way.

Now, if Juiblex failed a will save and was devoured by its own realm, the layer itself might start liking it that way. In that case, it would be a matter of the new lord contesting its will directly against the layer's before it could get the realm to do what it wanted.

But that's me speculating. By the RAW, I don't think there'd be a problem.

 

[Kunimatyu]

No, I don't think so. I suspect both Zuggtmoy and Juiblex have divine-level control over their respective realms.

Once you turn Juiblex's half into an ocean of fire, those annoying oozes won't be much of a problem.

Eh. If you're going to arbitrarily throw away part of the already-arcane rules we're trying to use to describe this, the whole exercise just ventures -even deeper- into intellectual masturbation territory, and we're pretty deep already.

I'd prefer Jubilex at a higher CR, but given that his realm is basically just Lots n' Lots of Slime, I think the 'ick' factor + lack of complete control over his layer is enough of a reason to keep any renegade balors looking for a realm out.

Now, Orcus and Demogorgon won't be able to use that excuse...

 

[Ripzerai]

I don't think that's quite accurate. I seem to remember in the 1st ed. Manual of the Planes the mention that there were some layers of the Abyss so hostile that no demon could survive there to rule. There is a underlying theme to each layer.

That's 'cause each lord gives their layer a theme. Those layers who devour their own lords get stronger and deadlier, and they become harder for future lords to tame. So eventually, yes, some may get too hostile for even demons to survive.

At least if you believe Armies of the Abyss - and it sounds like Hordes of the Abyss is using the same backstory - originally there was only one layer in the Abyss. Each new layer is created by an Abyssal lord who manages to tear a part of a previous layer loose. So every layer was once defined by a demonic personality, even if it's now independent.

 

[Ripzerai]

Eh. If you're going to arbitrarily throw away part of the already-arcane rules we're trying to use to describe this,

It's not arbitrary. The rules say that each Abyssal lord controls its territory like a god would. Juiblex and Zuggtmoy are Abyssal lords. If they didn't have territory they could control at a divine level, they wouldn't be Abyssal lords; they'd just be powerful demons.

 

[Seeten]

Juiblex is comical. You know, overall I don't really care one way or the other, and I'll never buy this book, even though I do really love Succubi, and I wouldn't mind having more flavor on them, but they ruined Tieflings by just...I dont even know what, making them the only +1 LA race that I wouldnt play at +0 LA, and then worse, Juiblex should be killable with those stats at what, level 13?

Lol. A Balor would laugh at this punk.

But, he's advanceable, and I think any DM with a RAW style cosmos will advance him quite a bit. For DM's with their own cosmology, who want to run campaigns where you kill Juiblex at 13, Orcus at 15, and Demogorgon at 18, I think these stats are great.