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Amiel
2010-10-26, 12:24 AM
Daemon, Malzalalim
Princeps of Gluttony
Large Outsider (Extraplanar, Daemon, Evil)
Hit Dice: 17d8+204 (280 hp)
Initiative: +13
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 41 (-1 size, +9 Dex, +23 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 32
Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+32
Attack: Claw +27 melee (2d8+11 + bite + 1 vile)
Full Attack: 2 claws +27 melee (2d8+11 + bite + 1 vile) and 2 wings +25 melee (2d6+5 + bite + 1 vile) and bite +25 melee (4d6+5 + 1 vile)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Distended maw, gluttonous feast, improved grab, spell-like abilities, spells, wake of famine
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 20/good, darkvision 60 ft., disingenuous facade, immunity to acid, cold, poison and petrification, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, see in darkness, spell resistance 33, telepathy
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +19, Will +18
Abilities: Str 33, Dex 28, Con 35, Int 26, Wis 23, Cha 24
Skills: Bluff +31, Concentration +29, Diplomacy +35, Disguise +18 (+20 acting), Hide +26, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (arcana) +29, Knowledge (the Planes) +29, Listen +28, Move Silently +31, Search +28, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +31, Spot +29, Survival +8 (+10 on other planes, +10 when tracking, Use Magic Device +31
Feats: Cleave, Evil BrandB BovD, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack, Vile Natural AttackBoVD
Environment: The Wastes of Despair
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: No coins; no goods; no items
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 18-33 HD (Large); 34-51 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

From the loathsome nalfeshnee to the entomic ice devil, from the horrific pit fiend to the psychotic hezrou, fiends are hideous in their evil. Abhorrence erupts from their essences in a foul rupture; its putrid tar darkening light and quelling hope, leaving only an ever darkening maw that vomits only emptiness and despair.

It is often said that fiends, who so represent evil in its singularity and completeness, are themselves intimately and always empty. That their sins are to ever gluttonously wreck ruin and worse upon mortals and immortals, so that they may know the base illusion of contentment.

Yet, still, there exist fiends that clothe themselves in enticing form and enrapturing flesh so as to tempt mortals, and in doing so damn them. It is not surprising, perhaps, to learn these are among the weakest of all fiendish castes. Mortals invariably react more readily and with greater ardour when challenged with a being so overwhelmingly and transparently corrupt.

In the Wastes of Despair, there are entities herein that bring this disingenuous facade to its logical conclusion. These beings, outwardly beautiful and perfect of form, represent the literal sin of gluttony. The gnawing hunger that drives sinners and innocents to gouge themselves on excess and sybaritic pleasures; their falls, made all the more harder.

Formed from the birth screams of the Wastes of Despair, the malzalalim number among the most ancient of the fiends that infest the Lower Realities to this day like maggots feasting upon a colossal cadaver.

Dedicated connoisseurs, these greater daemons of gluttony would consume anything and everything to the point of surfeit and waste, leaving starvation and famine in their wake.

The malzalalim are rumored to the be creations of entities known as the Anathema. As the signs of evil, the malzalalim spread their malignancy via vectors and hosts, parastising others to spread their unique aspect of pure evil across Creation.

Combat

Disingenuous Facade (Su): A malzalalim obfuscates the hideousness of its evil behind a unique form of glamour. Outwardly sensuous, the approachability of its evil entices the foolish and the corrupt to gorge themselves upon excess.

A malzalalim can radiate a 20-foot-radius aura of temptation as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 24 Will save or perceive the greater daemon as Friendly, and will do all in its power to engorge itself on food. The creature will attempt to eat itself to death. The save DC is Charisma-based.

This may involve the creature repeatedly casting heroes' feast to satiate its hunger, or consuming pouch-fulls of rations at a time. Any time the creature consumes food to the point of vomiting (the limit for food is equal to the creature's Constitution score), it must succeed on a DC 30 Fort save or become sickened and nauseated (as the conditions), and take 3 points of vile damage; a successful save causes the creature to take a single point of vile damage. Any time the creature takes more damage than its Constitution score, it must save against another DC 30 Fort or die.

A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same malzalalim's aura for 24 hours. Other daemons are immune to the aura. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Distended Maw (Ex): A malzalalim despises clothes and is usually encountered naked, all but flaunting its shapely body and finely formed features. True seeing spells, however, reveal the utter wrongness and horror of the creature. A malzalalim appears as if almost cleaved in twain from throat to groin. The cut itself is stitched shut and criss-crossed by many threads of razor-wire, that flares an angry red along the edges.
A malzalalim can fracture these threads and distend its maw to reveal the utter gluttony encapsulated in its form.

A malzalalim can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to two sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 3d8+13 points of bludgeoning damage and 13 points of acid damage per round from the malzalalim's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 21). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A malzalalim is counted as a Huge creature for this ability, thusly its gizzard can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Gluttonous Feast (Ex): A malzalalim not only induces the sin of gluttony in others, but is also an avid disciple of its own failings. Dismissing the idea that the consumption of others grants any beneficial effects, the malzalalim consume as the ultimate act of defilement, the vilest act of hate. It can feast to produce the following effects.

Feast of Mouths: 13/day, a malazalalim can open small, viciously toothed maws in the palms of its hands or upon its wings. Its claws and wing slams deal additional bite damage.

Feast of Terror: 6/day, in full view of the victim's allies, a malzalalim can punish and defile the matter and flesh of victims to evoke startling, constricting terror in all creatures within a 30-foot radius. The victim so eaten is dealt the same damage as if passing through the malzalalim's gizzard and also 1 point of vile damage. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 30 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (CL 20th). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Feast of Unmaking: A malzalalim consumes to rob victims of any hope of resurrection or revival, to savor the sweet poison of lingering fear and pain, and to consume the remaining vestiges of the opponent's soul. 1/week, a malzalalim can consume a creature to obliterate it. Creatures 'killed' in this manner are beyond any hope of resurrection or equivalent, and are disintegrated as the spell (CL 20th).

Wasteful Feast: 6/day, a malzalalim can express the utter banality of evil through the act of engorging on those slaughtered and vomiting the creature back up. Each time, the victim passes through the malzalalim's gizzard, it is dealt 13 points of acidic damage. Additionally, the victim suffers from 1 point of damage each to its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores. A malzalalim can eat and vomit the same creature 6/day if it decides to forego turning its attention on others.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a malzalalim must hit an opponent of up to one size smaller with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

Spell-Like Abilities:: At will—bestow curse, blasphemy, create undead, desecrate, dispel good, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, invisibility (self only), magic circle against good, mass hold monster, mirror image, plane shift, power word stun, reverse gravity, unholy aura, unholy blight, unhallow; 3/day—blade barrier, flame strike, waves of fatigue; 1/day—destruction, earthquake, implosion, waves of exhaustion. Caster level 17th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Spells: Malzalalim can cast divine spells as 17th-level clerics. A malzalalim has access to two of the following domains: Destruction, Evil, Gluttony. The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Typical Cleric Spells Prepared: 6/8/8/7/6/6/5/4/3. Save DC = 16 + spell level.

Wake of Famine (Ex): Thousands of gnashing, thrashing mouths converge invisibly around the malzalalim in a 30-foot radius. As a standard action every 1d3 rounds, the malzalalim can force these mouths to ingurgitate its surroundings. Buildings are devoured greedily and nature itself is deprived of its nutrients to be ultimately rendered barren. This is exactly as the blight spell, except everything within a 30-foot radius is affected. Damage dealt in this manner is converted into temporary hit points for the malzalalim.

The Tygre
2010-10-26, 01:41 AM
Seeing a lot here that I like. Just mentioning the Anathema sent shivers down my spine.But what does Princeps mean? Is that part of some sort of hierarchy, like Tome of Fiends?

Amiel
2010-10-26, 02:52 AM
Seeing a lot here that I like. Just mentioning the Anathema sent shivers down my spine.But what does Princeps mean? Is that part of some sort of hierarchy, like Tome of Fiends?

Thank you kindly, good sir :smallsmile:
Ah, the Anathema, hidden in the shadows and consummate manipulators, they infect hosts to permeate their particular brand of sin across creation; from their cabal arise the Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Horseman.
Hopefully you'll also enjoy reading their write-ups as well :).

You have it right, a Princeps is indeed a rank (greater daemons will always belong to this rank); it translates from Latin as Prince, I believe, so the malazalalim are the princes of gluttony.
Below Princeps is Mercenary and something else which I'm still eyeing; I'm unsure whether daemons will have ranks conforming to the rule of threes or something else entirely.
Daemons organise themselves loosely (unlike devils) within defined hierarchies (unlike demons). They don't necessarily have to obey orders from those of a higher rank, but can benefit from these directives if they so choose.
The hierarchies of the daemons are also based in misdirection and lies. Sometimes, a princeps (their designation will be written in lower case) will be a weaker member of the cabal and may be a puppet to be used as seen fit by more powerful entities.

Cidolfas
2010-10-26, 09:38 AM
Does Distended Maw remind anyone else of this (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VaginaDentata)? Even if you didn't before, you might after looking.

Regardless, it's well done. A good monster especialy as daemon parallel to the succubus/glabrezu. My only concern is that it's CR may be a bit high; I'm not saying it's not appropriate given the abilities it has, especially with the SLA's and such (even though it's possible depending on what it fights), my only point was that level 20 is further than most games get, so it's usage could probably be increased if its CR and abilities were scaled down to a lower level.

The Tygre
2010-10-26, 09:51 PM
Thank you kindly, good sir :smallsmile:
Ah, the Anathema, hidden in the shadows and consummate manipulators, they infect hosts to permeate their particular brand of sin across creation; from their cabal arise the Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Horseman.
Hopefully you'll also enjoy reading their write-ups as well :).

As long as we avoid that one, we'll be in clear. *brrr* Lookin' forward to the rest, though!


You have it right, a Princeps is indeed a rank (greater daemons will always belong to this rank); it translates from Latin as Prince, I believe, so the malazalalim are the princes of gluttony.
Below Princeps is Mercenary and something else which I'm still eyeing; I'm unsure whether daemons will have ranks conforming to the rule of threes or something else entirely.
Daemons organise themselves loosely (unlike devils) within defined hierarchies (unlike demons). They don't necessarily have to obey orders from those of a higher rank, but can benefit from these directives if they so choose.
The hierarchies of the daemons are also based in misdirection and lies. Sometimes, a princeps (their designation will be written in lower case) will be a weaker member of the cabal and may be a puppet to be used as seen fit by more powerful entities.

Thought so. Green Ronin's Book of Fiends has a similar system for daemons. It was mercenaries and whispers at the bottom, if I remember right.

Debihuman
2010-10-26, 11:36 PM
Is the Daemon subtype any different from the Demon subtype?

Debby

Cidolfas
2010-10-27, 12:19 AM
Is the Daemon subtype any different from the Demon subtype?

Debby

Yugoloths were previously called daemons, if I remember correctly. So the name as been changed, but it is a different subtype.

Amiel
2010-11-04, 12:18 AM
Does Distended Maw remind anyone else of this (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VaginaDentata)? Even if you didn't before, you might after looking.

Heh, I certainly hope not! :smalltongue: However, you have given me a rather creative idea for a new monster...although it probably won't be a fiend, more of an enlightened monster.


Regardless, it's well done. A good monster especialy as daemon parallel to the succubus/glabrezu. My only concern is that it's CR may be a bit high; I'm not saying it's not appropriate given the abilities it has, especially with the SLA's and such (even though it's possible depending on what it fights), my only point was that level 20 is further than most games get, so it's usage could probably be increased if its CR and abilities were scaled down to a lower level.

Thank you kindly, good sir.
You do indeed have a legitimate concern; the intention was also to parallel the power of the pit fiend and balor, it was also intended for the princeps of gluttony to make up for its lack of HD with SAs and SQs, I hope this answers your concern about the high CR.

You make a good point about CR 20s being rarely used, I believe this is more so a cause of the quadraticality of the power curve than anything.


As long as we avoid that one, we'll be in clear. *brrr* Lookin' forward to the rest, though!

Yes, you're right, it's probably for the best. The cosmos can only handle so much horror at one time :-P

And thanks! I'll try to live up to expectations.


Thought so. Green Ronin's Book of Fiends has a similar system for daemons. It was mercenaries and whispers at the bottom, if I remember right.

Whispers does indeed like a good name, that gives me a good idea for a rank name actually.


Is the Daemon subtype any different from the Demon subtype?

Debby


Yugoloths were previously called daemons, if I remember correctly. So the name as been changed, but it is a different subtype.

Indeed it is, Debby :) I hope to hammer out the particulars of the subtype very soon.

Amiel
2010-11-16, 01:25 AM
As promised, here is the daemon subtype. Please tell me what you think :)

Daemon Subtype: Daemons are neutral evil fiends who each personify a particular sin. They are endemic to the Wastes and Gehenna. Daemons possess a particular suite of traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry) as summarised here:
Immunity to acid, sonic and poison.
Resistance to cold 10 and fire 10.
Summon (Sp) Daemons share the ability to summon others of their kind, typically another of their type or a small number of less powerful daemons.
Telepathy 100 ft.
Tongues All daemons can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to daemon's Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
Prevaricate (Ex) The lies uttered by daemons are so pervasive that the daemon itself believes its own falsehood. The words of a daemon cannot be detected as lies. This utter sophistry persists under a zone of truth spell, or any effect to detect the truth. Creatures must save against a DC Will save (per the creature's entry) to resist this ability. Success guarantees only half-truths and the detritus of misinformation.

Debihuman
2010-11-16, 08:48 AM
I like it. "Spirits" is a term that is a bit wonky for 3.5 because that makes it sound like they are ghosts. I recommend changing the wording to Outsiders to clarify exactly what they are.

See this for an example of how to write up a Subtype:


Yugoloth Subtype

Possibly the greediest, most selfish beings in the Outer Planes, yugoloths reign supreme among the evil outsiders of Gehenna.

Traits
A yugoloth possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry).

* Immunity to acid and poison.
* Resistance to cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10.
* Telepathy.

Amiel
2010-11-17, 12:48 AM
Thank you, Debby
Oh, I'm using 'spirits' as it pertains to an entity or being or supernatural origins. Would that definition still confuse the descriptor with ghosts within a D&D game/setting?

And I've also being using PF's model of subtype description; I like how this daemon subtype adds a bit more flavour (sorely lacking at present within the 3.5e paradigm) ;).

NakedCelt
2010-11-17, 05:58 PM
You have it right, a Princeps is indeed a rank (greater daemons will always belong to this rank); it translates from Latin as Prince, I believe, so the malazalalim are the princes of gluttony.

Close. Our word "prince" is derived from Latin princeps, but princeps doesn't mean "prince", it means "emperor" (literally "first head"). Augustus Caesar was the first to take the title. (Our word "emperor" comes from Latin imperator, which was the emperor's military title -- closest English equivalent would be "Commander in Chief".)

Amiel
2010-11-18, 02:26 AM
Ah, thanks for clarifying :).


The malazalalim daemons, and those daemons falling upon a similar HD and CR, may well style themselves as the emperors of the Depths Below.

Debihuman
2010-11-18, 03:53 AM
Thank you, Debby
Oh, I'm using 'spirits' as it pertains to an entity or being or supernatural origins. Would that definition still confuse the descriptor with ghosts within a D&D game/setting?

And I've also being using PF's model of subtype description; I like how this daemon subtype adds a bit more flavour (sorely lacking at present within the 3.5e paradigm) ;).

Rather than spirits, they should be Outsiders as they originate from the Outer Planes, specifically Gehenna and the Grey Wastes. Also, in Oriental Adventures there is a Spirit subtype that unique to that setting. Spirit in other contexts usually refers to a type of Undead.

Also you should indicate how far they have Telepathy and Tongues should spell out what the caster level is (usually equal to HD).


Debby

Amiel
2010-11-21, 07:23 AM
Rather than spirits, they should be Outsiders as they originate from the Outer Planes, specifically Gehenna and the Grey Wastes. Also, in Oriental Adventures there is a Spirit subtype that unique to that setting. Spirit in other contexts usually refers to a type of Undead.

Thanks, I will edit in a clarifier; what do you think if I instead use fiends in place of outsiders? Hopefully that sounds slightly more unique :)
Oh, I was going off the dictionary definition of spirits, wherein they are referenced to as supernatural entities.


Also you should indicate how far they have Telepathy and Tongues should spell out what the caster level is (usually equal to HD).


Will do!


Also, I was thinking of having the daemons possess a Maleidolon trait; wherein a daemon is able to slough off their corporeality and possess a creature of equal or less HD.
What do you think?


Maleidolon (Su) A daemon may slough off their corporeality to reveal a core of utter depravity and corruption. This essence may freely possess creatures of an equal to or less HD than the daemon. As a standard action, the daemon disperses into vaporous putrefaction that unerringly seeks out the orifices of a nearby creature. Creatures must initially save against a Fort DC save or become sickened.

To resist possession, creatures must save against a Will DC save. Success forces the daemon into an adjacent 5-ft. area where it is dazed (with no save). Failure means the daemon entraps the creature completely and causes it to deprave itself in reprehensible acts.

Daemons with hosts possess a muddled collection of thoughts and memories belonging to the creature. The daemon may use special abilities, qualities and spells of the creature but only up to 1/2 HD.



Or is that a bit too complicated?