D&D General How do devils actually get to the world from hell?

[Stalker0]

One thing thats notable in Baldur's Gate 3. Devils can pop in and out of the world, seemingly going back to hell and then returning to the mortal world as they need to to conduct their business.

But in 5e the vast majority of devils have no such capabilities. No teleport and no plane shift. So is the assumption there is some infernal portal in the world, and the devils are hoofing it to get to where they want to go?

 

[Amphytrion]

There are many ways, but usually a humanoid or greater devil summons them.

The tie-in novels are filled with such examples: Farideh and Havilar, heroines of the Brimstone Angels book series, start their adventuring careers by accidentally summoning the cambion Lorcan.

 

[Seramus]

I don't (personally) believe they ever lost the ability to teleport without error, it just got shifted to a more narrative thing. For me, they still have it. For someone else, they might decide a hell portal is the only way.

 

[Minigiant]

Someone summons them to material plane and acts as a teether which lets them teleport in.

 

[el-remmen]

I don't (personally) believe they ever lost the ability to teleport without error, it just got shifted to a more narrative thing. For me, they still have it. For someone else, they might decide a hell portal is the only way.

Yes. I was gonna say "However you want them to." But for my own current games, devils either need to use portals that are activated from the the prime material plane side or straight up ritualistically summoned, but the more powerful types can communicate with mortals through mirrors and pools, smoke and fire, dreams and animal or child possession to convince or trick mortals to summon them (or to show them to the portals that need to be activated).

 

[Epic Meepo]

The the Divine Intervention section on page 75 of the 2024 DMG says gods can "send dreams, omens, or emissaries to direct mortals along a certain path." The same section mentions Fiends as one potential type of emissary. Since the arch-devil Asmodeus is a god in the Realms, he's presumably sending devils here and there to conduct their infernal business.

 

[Aldarc]

They take a Hellevator.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

One thing thats notable in Baldur's Gate 3. Devils can pop in and out of the world, seemingly going back to hell and then returning to the mortal world as they need to to conduct their business.

But in 5e the vast majority of devils have no such capabilities. No teleport and no plane shift. So is the assumption there is some infernal portal in the world, and the devils are hoofing it to get to where they want to go?

The legacy of 3.x still haunts us, why restrict ones world building to the statblock. Just because they cannot portal back and forth in combat, is no reason to believe that they cannot do it by other means.
It might take an elaborate ritual.
They have to apply to the Bureau of InterPlanar Transport for a ticket. They need to supply a valid reason why it will benefit to the Hells, or an authorisation from a recognised agent along with an expenses voucher or reference to a valid account. Everything properly notarised and in triplicate.
The prime would be completely overrun with devils but due to budget cuts there are very few currently allowed.
That Baldurs Gate thing blew out the whole years travel budget for Avernus. As for that devil Raphael, well if he was not reduced to a lemure by Tav, he would have been reduced to one for that scam he was running in black market transport chits.

 

[bloodtide]

In Classic D&D lore no Fiend (devil or demon) can willingly enter the Prime Plane. They need to be summoned by a mortal....

 

[Maxperson]

I don't (personally) believe they ever lost the ability to teleport without error, it just got shifted to a more narrative thing. For me, they still have it. For someone else, they might decide a hell portal is the only way.

I don't remember teleport without error crossing planes of existence.