D&D 4E The 4e Pit Fiend Revisited

[Mr. Wilson]

I think we need to see actual 26th-level characters before we can judge how effective it is. Have we seen characters beyond 1st-level anywhere?

This.

 

[Jhaelen]

Also, keep in mind that there won't just be this one Pit Fiend. Being Elites, there will be more like 2 Pit Fiends, which then adds in 2 war devils (22nd level) and 8 legion devil legionnaires (21st level)

That means 12 baddies in the encounter.

I'm still undecided. I'd like to see what 26th level pcs look like and I'd like to see the stats of the summonables (war devils, devil legionnaires) first.

 

[mrswing]

Blowing up your 21st/22nd lvl allies for a fairly low amount of blast damage to PCs seems exceptionally wasteful and silly to me. Surely the legion/war devils will have more interesting uses/abilities/attack forms which can threaten PCs much more than just having them go boom?

 

[WhatGravitas]

Blowing up your 21st/22nd lvl allies for a fairly low amount of blast damage to PCs seems exceptionally wasteful and silly to me. Surely the legion/war devils will have more interesting uses/abilities/attack forms which can threaten PCs much more than just having them go boom?

Because it's only a minor action, and if you see an almost dead devil, it can be more worthwhile to blow him up, since it deals damage in an area.

Furthermore, it requires no action on the part of the allied devil himself - the pit fiend can tell his ally to use his entire round to run up to the mage, running, ignoring Opportunity Attacks (who cares? He'll blow up soon!), just "head for the mage". And then, on the pit fiend's turn - "boom!". And since it includes a slide by 5 squares, this can be a good way to avoid the defenders - while using almost dead allies.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Shroomy]

Blowing up your 21st/22nd lvl allies for a fairly low amount of blast damage to PCs seems exceptionally wasteful and silly to me. Surely the legion/war devils will have more interesting uses/abilities/attack forms which can threaten PCs much more than just having them go boom?

I have to wonder if the summoned devils (and summoned monsters in general) are minions that essentially die in one hit.

 

[Intrope]

I have to wonder if the summoned devils (and summoned monsters in general) are minions that essentially die in one hit.

That'd be my guess; they might also have a Death Blast type power that adds to the Pit Fiend's explode-on-command.

 

[HP Dreadnought]

I have to wonder if the summoned devils (and summoned monsters in general) are minions that essentially die in one hit.

As Level 21/Level 22 monsters? I really doubt they're "minons." I suspect its as has been suggested -- if one's about to die anyway, blow him up and take some PCs with him!

It is true that somebody highly resistant to fire takes a lot less damage from this creature. . . but I doubt very many of the party will have that ability. Anybody NOT fire resistant is in for a world of hurt!!!

 

[Shroomy]

As Level 21/Level 22 monsters? I really doubt they're "minons." I suspect its as has been suggested -- if one's about to die anyway, blow him up and take some PCs with him!

I'm pretty sure that minion-level creatures scale like any other, so level 21-22 minions are definitely not out the question.

 

[Gargazon]

As Level 21/Level 22 monsters? I really doubt they're "minons." I suspect its as has been suggested -- if one's about to die anyway, blow him up and take some PCs with him!

It is true that somebody highly resistant to fire takes a lot less damage from this creature. . . but I doubt very many of the party will have that ability. Anybody NOT fire resistant is in for a world of hurt!!!

Actually, if you look at the numbers for the minions he can summon, a level 22 war devil seems to have the same worth as 4 level 21 legion devils, and as we know the power level curve is not that steep in 4E, it makes sense to me that Legion Devils would be minions, while the War Devils are 'normal' monsters (do we have a good name for the normal ones?).

 

[malraux]

I'm pretty sure that minion-level creatures scale like any other, so level 21-22 minions are definitely not out the question.

That and I expect that minion will be a template or psuedo template that you can apply to any creature once it's level is a certain level below the party.