Quickleaf
Legend
Baba Yaga appeared as the closest thing to an archfey that I can recall in AD&D, first in Dragon #83 "The Dancing Hut" (1984) then later in S5 The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga (1995).
Here's her stat block from Dragon...
BABA YAGA
FREQUENCY: Unique
ARMOR CLASS: -4
MOVE: 6
HIT POINTS: 135
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-8/3-8/5-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Assassination; crushing; horror; magic spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Fire, magic, and poison resistance; illusion, psionic, and limited spell immunity; special detection powers; regeneration; magic item and spell-produced defenses; acute senses and godlike intelligence and wisdom
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
SIZE: M (5 tall)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
CLERIC/DRUID: 14th level druid (see below)
FIGHTER: 16+ HD monster
MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: 25th level magic-user / 15th level illusionist
THIEF/ASSASSIN: See below
MONK/BARD: Nil
SAVING THROWS: 3 in all categories (cannot be reduced further)
PSIONIC ABILITY: VI (see below)
S: 20 (+3/+8) I: 25 W: 23 D: 18 C: 21 CH: -1
Baba Yaga is perhaps the most famous of all legendary witches, and her powers are described well in Russian folklore and literature. Said to be related to the various races of night hags, annis, and green hags, with extraordinary powers in addition, she is a supernatural being on the level of the quasi-deities of Greyhawk (see DRAGON® Magazine #71) and saints (as described in DRAGON issue #79). Her wanderings have carried her far from her old home, and she wanders still on visits to monstrous relatives or on quests for rare treasures or living victims for her dinner. Since she eats as much per day as ten men, she searches for prey quite often.
In appearance, Baba Yaga is a man-sized, horrifyingly ugly old woman who walks crouched over. Her limbs are almost skeletal and are covered with hard gray-brown skin, upon which magical runes have been tattooed. She has a long, warty nose and a protruding chin, with ice-cold black eyes framed by her thin white hair. Stony teeth filed to points and iron claws on her fingers further emphasize her non-humanity.
She possesses the horror power from her negative charisma as per the DEITIES & DEMIGODS Cyclopedia, but can cause those so affected to be able to act if she so commands it. Any creature or character of 1 HD (or level) or less will never attack her, and will obey her every command out of fear for her power.
Baba Yaga is immune or resistant to many natural, magical, and psionic forces. Her godlike intelligence renders her immune to all illusion/phantasm spells, and her high wisdom grants her additional immunity to many will-force spells (as per the DDG Cyclopedia, p. 7).
Though not psionic, she possesses the equivalent of a permanent mind bar science (which resists charms, possession and similar mental control/attack), operating at the 20th level of mastery, and cannot be affected by psionic attacks.
Aging, natural or magical, has no effect on her.
The incredible constitution and the nonhuman makeup of this ancient witch gift her with additional immunities. She resists heat and flame as if wearing a ring of fire resistance, and poisons that would kill others do only 3-12 HP of damage if she fails to save against them. She regenerates lost hit points at the rate of 3 per round, whether the loss was caused by regular damage (wounds), fire, or acid. If one of her limbs or her head is severed, she is not slain; she can fight on and reattach the severed parts during or after the battle.
Baba Yaga can only be struck by magical weapons (+1 or better).
She is immune to cause wounds, harm, destruction, slay living, and similar or related spells. As a non-human, she is also immune to spells like charm person, hold person, animate dead, and so forth.
Because she cannot be summoned, dispel evil won't affect her, and protection from evil won't prevent her from clawing at victims (though it may reduce her attack effectiveness).
The following spell-like powers may be used by Baba Yaga at the rate of one power per round, at will: comprehend languages, detect magic, fear (as the wand), read magic, and tongues.
Note that she easily sees all invisible beings because of her high intelligence (since the spell is an illusion/ phantasm). She automatically sees any chicken track stigma that a character or creature may have (see the section on spell alterations).
She has normal infravision, plus ultravision to a range of 120.
Baba Yaga's druid abilities, in every way like those of a 14th-level druid, are not gained through divine intervention. She has learned the spell powers as a magic-user, and recovers her druid spells by studying her spell books and tomes.
She has an 80% chance of knowing an adventurer's nationality from his smell (it may remind her of someone she once ate from that place). Baba Yaga cannot be surprised at any time, and will know just by looking at a character what class, race, and approximate level the character is.
Despite her alignment and actions, Baba Yaga is more than just an evil monster. Magic-users, sages, and heroes appeal to her for guidance and knowledge, and quasi-deities and great heroes of all sorts have come to her to ask for her aid in solving problems. So long as characters are polite, they may receive help (she prefers to be called "Little Grandmother"). She will ask characters their names and their reasons for coming to her, automatically detecting all lies or distortions of the truth. If the characters are honest with her (unless they confess they came to kill her), she will be relatively pleasant and helpful, though abrupt in her actions and somewhat cruel in her choice of words. She often acts in a bizarre manner, and has been known to lie on the floor and meditate on problems for days.
If she decides to help, she will geas the characters in payment for her assistance. Usually she will ask for some unusual magical item to be recovered for her, or for an enemy of hers to be slain or driven away. She always sets tasks that are nearly impossible to accomplish, and offers as a reward the characters' lives (which become forfeit if the task isn't finished to her satisfaction). Sometimes she will offer a rich reward, but not very often. Careful reading of the Russian folktales about her will give a better impression of her personality.
For some reason, though they are the most vulnerable to her, good-aligned beings that have 1 HD (or level) or less will not be harmed by Baba Yaga. She believes this would bring a great curse upon her from all good-aligned deities who protect the weak and good, and she instead sends such beings away. Many tales are told of good children who were abandoned on the doorstep of the Hut, to be taken in as servants for a short time before being sent away. Oddly, the children (nearly always young girls) benefited from the experience in various ways; Baba Yaga often rewarded good performance from such children with great gifts, possibly to appease the deities that were looking out for the youngsters.
Referees should determine what spells she will possess at any given time, keeping these guidelines in mind: Baba Yaga trusts no one, and particularly not other evil characters; she relies heavily on defensive spells; and she prefers to summon demons, devils, daemons, demodands, etc., for assistance and to do her fighting for her. She does not draw protective circles or pentagrams when conjuring aid, since no creature from the Outer Planes or Elemental Planes would dare try to challenge her, out of fear of her and what she can do. The conjured being will fulfill her commands for the duration of the summoning spell or until Baba Yaga dismisses the servant, whichever comes first. Take note of the spell alterations within the Hut when assigning spells to her.
Though Baba Yaga can use most weapons, she prefers to attack weaker beings with her claws and teeth. If she catches someone with both of her claws, she has a chance of killing the victim instantly, as a 9th-level assassin (using the assassin's tables in the DMG). Inanimate objects must save vs. crushing blow if she bites them or grasps them roughly, and her claws and teeth can destroy wooden materials up to 1' thick.
Interestingly, Baba Yaga is completely familiar with gunpowder technology (having seen it used on her home world), but scorns it and all higher technologies completely. She believes in the powers of magic, and will never use weapons other than swords, scimitars, and the like.
Here's her stat block from Dragon...
BABA YAGA
FREQUENCY: Unique
ARMOR CLASS: -4
MOVE: 6
HIT POINTS: 135
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-8/3-8/5-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Assassination; crushing; horror; magic spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Fire, magic, and poison resistance; illusion, psionic, and limited spell immunity; special detection powers; regeneration; magic item and spell-produced defenses; acute senses and godlike intelligence and wisdom
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
SIZE: M (5 tall)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
CLERIC/DRUID: 14th level druid (see below)
FIGHTER: 16+ HD monster
MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: 25th level magic-user / 15th level illusionist
THIEF/ASSASSIN: See below
MONK/BARD: Nil
SAVING THROWS: 3 in all categories (cannot be reduced further)
PSIONIC ABILITY: VI (see below)
S: 20 (+3/+8) I: 25 W: 23 D: 18 C: 21 CH: -1
Baba Yaga is perhaps the most famous of all legendary witches, and her powers are described well in Russian folklore and literature. Said to be related to the various races of night hags, annis, and green hags, with extraordinary powers in addition, she is a supernatural being on the level of the quasi-deities of Greyhawk (see DRAGON® Magazine #71) and saints (as described in DRAGON issue #79). Her wanderings have carried her far from her old home, and she wanders still on visits to monstrous relatives or on quests for rare treasures or living victims for her dinner. Since she eats as much per day as ten men, she searches for prey quite often.
In appearance, Baba Yaga is a man-sized, horrifyingly ugly old woman who walks crouched over. Her limbs are almost skeletal and are covered with hard gray-brown skin, upon which magical runes have been tattooed. She has a long, warty nose and a protruding chin, with ice-cold black eyes framed by her thin white hair. Stony teeth filed to points and iron claws on her fingers further emphasize her non-humanity.
She possesses the horror power from her negative charisma as per the DEITIES & DEMIGODS Cyclopedia, but can cause those so affected to be able to act if she so commands it. Any creature or character of 1 HD (or level) or less will never attack her, and will obey her every command out of fear for her power.
Baba Yaga is immune or resistant to many natural, magical, and psionic forces. Her godlike intelligence renders her immune to all illusion/phantasm spells, and her high wisdom grants her additional immunity to many will-force spells (as per the DDG Cyclopedia, p. 7).
Though not psionic, she possesses the equivalent of a permanent mind bar science (which resists charms, possession and similar mental control/attack), operating at the 20th level of mastery, and cannot be affected by psionic attacks.
Aging, natural or magical, has no effect on her.
The incredible constitution and the nonhuman makeup of this ancient witch gift her with additional immunities. She resists heat and flame as if wearing a ring of fire resistance, and poisons that would kill others do only 3-12 HP of damage if she fails to save against them. She regenerates lost hit points at the rate of 3 per round, whether the loss was caused by regular damage (wounds), fire, or acid. If one of her limbs or her head is severed, she is not slain; she can fight on and reattach the severed parts during or after the battle.
Baba Yaga can only be struck by magical weapons (+1 or better).
She is immune to cause wounds, harm, destruction, slay living, and similar or related spells. As a non-human, she is also immune to spells like charm person, hold person, animate dead, and so forth.
Because she cannot be summoned, dispel evil won't affect her, and protection from evil won't prevent her from clawing at victims (though it may reduce her attack effectiveness).
The following spell-like powers may be used by Baba Yaga at the rate of one power per round, at will: comprehend languages, detect magic, fear (as the wand), read magic, and tongues.
Note that she easily sees all invisible beings because of her high intelligence (since the spell is an illusion/ phantasm). She automatically sees any chicken track stigma that a character or creature may have (see the section on spell alterations).
She has normal infravision, plus ultravision to a range of 120.
Baba Yaga's druid abilities, in every way like those of a 14th-level druid, are not gained through divine intervention. She has learned the spell powers as a magic-user, and recovers her druid spells by studying her spell books and tomes.
She has an 80% chance of knowing an adventurer's nationality from his smell (it may remind her of someone she once ate from that place). Baba Yaga cannot be surprised at any time, and will know just by looking at a character what class, race, and approximate level the character is.
Despite her alignment and actions, Baba Yaga is more than just an evil monster. Magic-users, sages, and heroes appeal to her for guidance and knowledge, and quasi-deities and great heroes of all sorts have come to her to ask for her aid in solving problems. So long as characters are polite, they may receive help (she prefers to be called "Little Grandmother"). She will ask characters their names and their reasons for coming to her, automatically detecting all lies or distortions of the truth. If the characters are honest with her (unless they confess they came to kill her), she will be relatively pleasant and helpful, though abrupt in her actions and somewhat cruel in her choice of words. She often acts in a bizarre manner, and has been known to lie on the floor and meditate on problems for days.
If she decides to help, she will geas the characters in payment for her assistance. Usually she will ask for some unusual magical item to be recovered for her, or for an enemy of hers to be slain or driven away. She always sets tasks that are nearly impossible to accomplish, and offers as a reward the characters' lives (which become forfeit if the task isn't finished to her satisfaction). Sometimes she will offer a rich reward, but not very often. Careful reading of the Russian folktales about her will give a better impression of her personality.
For some reason, though they are the most vulnerable to her, good-aligned beings that have 1 HD (or level) or less will not be harmed by Baba Yaga. She believes this would bring a great curse upon her from all good-aligned deities who protect the weak and good, and she instead sends such beings away. Many tales are told of good children who were abandoned on the doorstep of the Hut, to be taken in as servants for a short time before being sent away. Oddly, the children (nearly always young girls) benefited from the experience in various ways; Baba Yaga often rewarded good performance from such children with great gifts, possibly to appease the deities that were looking out for the youngsters.
Referees should determine what spells she will possess at any given time, keeping these guidelines in mind: Baba Yaga trusts no one, and particularly not other evil characters; she relies heavily on defensive spells; and she prefers to summon demons, devils, daemons, demodands, etc., for assistance and to do her fighting for her. She does not draw protective circles or pentagrams when conjuring aid, since no creature from the Outer Planes or Elemental Planes would dare try to challenge her, out of fear of her and what she can do. The conjured being will fulfill her commands for the duration of the summoning spell or until Baba Yaga dismisses the servant, whichever comes first. Take note of the spell alterations within the Hut when assigning spells to her.
Though Baba Yaga can use most weapons, she prefers to attack weaker beings with her claws and teeth. If she catches someone with both of her claws, she has a chance of killing the victim instantly, as a 9th-level assassin (using the assassin's tables in the DMG). Inanimate objects must save vs. crushing blow if she bites them or grasps them roughly, and her claws and teeth can destroy wooden materials up to 1' thick.
Interestingly, Baba Yaga is completely familiar with gunpowder technology (having seen it used on her home world), but scorns it and all higher technologies completely. She believes in the powers of magic, and will never use weapons other than swords, scimitars, and the like.
