D&D 5E What's a Yugoloth?

[TiQuinn]

I tend to think of Yugoloths as the ruthless capitalists of the underworld. They only care about the Blood War in so much as they can profit from it.

I think that’s a good analogy, but it does also kind of relegate them to always being second tier to the demons and the devils as a result.

 

[Chaltab]

I think that’s a good analogy, but it does also kind of relegate them to always being second tier to the demons and the devils as a result.

On one level I think that's only a natural consequence of 'demon' and 'devil' being common words for fiendish enemies whereas Yugoloth is a made-up word with non of its kind even in the SRD.

But for individual games, it depends on how important the Blood War is to the campaign. I kind of prefer the 4E-era status quo where the Blood War was in a cold period, which allows Demons and Devils to take a back seat and be licking their wounds while other evils make moves.

 

[I'm A Banana]

The Blood War is a Cool and Interesting Bit of Lore, but what I like about yugoloths being selfish, scheming, suffering-seekers is that it doesn't rely on the Blood War. "Mercenaries in a conflict that has nothing to do with my campaign" doesn't get me using them, but "operatives for a vast and wicked conspiracy of evil" DOES.

 

[Divine2021]

So how much lore is taken out? Is MM24 at least an interesting read?

 

[Chaltab]

So how much lore is taken out? Is MM24 at least an interesting read?

There's far less text for each monster in the new book, similar to how MPMM cut down a lot of the monster lore from Tome of Foes and VGM. More statblocks and more/bigger art instead.

 

[Bohandas]

Yugoloths sow discord so their enemies fight each other and they get to gleefully watch it all, maybe even get to twist a knife in someone's back.

I thought Yugoloths sowed discord so that there would always be someone willing to hire them as mercenaries?

 

[Bohandas]

Hey. Are there any Yugpoloth castes that canonically excel in magic item creation? It seems to me like arms dealing (and general war profiteering) would fit right in with their M.O. and overall vibe, possibly even more so than their canonical role as mercenaries

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

What are Yugoloths? I can answer that in one word: boring. They’re the epitome of uninspiring, bland, grid-filling world and monster building. I can’t remember using Yugoloths in a game before and I do not plan on ever using them. I do not understand how anyone would find them interesting. If I were in charge of D&D, the category would be dissolved, the most interesting individual types of Yugoloths would become Demons or Devils, and their niche would be replaced with something actually interesting.