Pazuzu

[LansXero]

I know he always gets mentioned when mentioning TO threads and wish-granting... but... WHO is this guy? I mean, whats his background, his motivations, why does he go around the world granting wishes? How does he have that much power? Why hasnt a bigger devil eaten him up yet? I know very little about him and Im kinda confused on if he is a big deal or not.

[dragonsamurai77]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazuzu_%28Dungeons_%26_Dragons%29

He has Wish as an SLA, and never corrupts the wish of paladins or other champions of good, so as to tempt them into asking for more wishes, as he makes anyone he gives a Wish go one step towards CE.

[Chilingsworth]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazuzu_%28Dungeons_%26_Dragons%29

He has Wish as an SLA, and never corrupts the wish of paladins or other champions of good, so as to tempt them into asking for more wishes, as he makes anyone he gives a Wish go one step towards LE.

CE, actually, he tempts them towards CE.

He's the Demon Lord of the Air, ruler of the skies over every abyssal layer.

[dragonsamurai77]

CE, actually, he tempts them towards CE.

He's the Demon Lord of the Air, ruler of the skies over every abyssal layer.

Oh, right. I was thinking of the LE Candle of Evocation that Pun-Pun asks for. Fixed.

[Mordokai]

Dragon #329 article, Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Pazuzu has some nice information on him.

I can email the copy to you, should you so desire.

[Yora]

How does he have that much power? Why hasnt a bigger devil eaten him up yet?

That's actually one of the really interesting things about him.
Pazuzu is really old. He's one of the very few demon lords who had been around long before Tanar'ri even existed. He's buddy with Pale Night and Dagon in this regard, but somehow seems to be pretty normal compared to those reality altering abominations. I think he's offically the Lord of the 1st layer of the abyss, but that layer is pretty much the public hub of the Abyss and he doesn't do any ruling. I don't even think he has a palace or something like that.
Pazuzu just stays around and temps mortals, and otherwise just watches what the other demons are up to. Givin his history, you would expect him to be at the very top of the demon lords, but no. He's more like an old billionaire who just decided he'd rather travel around as a hobo.

[DiBastet]

travel around as a hobo.

I think you captured the essence of Pazuzu here.

[Keld Denar]

There was a core story arc in Living Greyhawk that delt with him. Something with Stone Man, IIRC (Stone Man's Missive, Stone Man's Something). They refered to him as Pazrael, Lord of the Abysal Skies. The name is close enough and the title matches, so it must be the same bro.

[Zonugal]

He is also a loving being to some ancient Artificers.

http://www.futurama-madhouse.net/grabs/4acv09/409nl-82.jpg

PAZUZU!!!!

[HunterOfJello]

Detailed information on Pazuzu can be found in one of the Fiendish Codexes. (I can't remember if it's the first or second book).

The basic idea behind Pazuzu is that while he has many enemies, he's an extremely powerful demon who rules the skies over all of the Abysses. Lots of other demons love or hate him, but he can avoid their games and plots by just flying away and doing his own thing.

Pazuzu is an obyrith and much older than most of the demons that currently rule over the Abyss. He's been around for a long time and is mostly involved with his own affairs. One of the big affairs that he presides over and enjoys is direct the corruption of mortal souls. If you say the bastards name three times, then he'll immediately come to you and grant you a wish (using his SLA). All he asks in return is the corruption of the creature's mortal soul. That's it. It's a very direct plot, but a highly efficient one for those who know it exists.

Pazuzu's actions of giving people wishes for no immediate cost are both efficient at significantly corrupting their souls towards joining the Abyss after their death and towards causing evil and chaos in the planes. The more people who know his nature and call upon him, the more evil and chaos that ends up spreading throughout the material and other planes.

~

I know that the idea of Pazuzu sounds kind of dumb when viewed only from the perspective of creating Pun-Pun or abusing cheese in the game, but he has a very valid existence in the d&d cosmology (or would that be demonology?).

[Malimar]

I had thought Pazuzu was super-lame, but now I know more about him, the concept sounds actually pretty neat.

[Infernalbargain]

I had thought Pazuzu was super-lame, but now I know more about him, the concept sounds actually pretty neat.

I think that's how WotC did most of their designing. Hmm... this seems nifty. Balance? Balanced be damned!

[KillianHawkeye]

They refered to him as Pazrael, Lord of the Abysal Skies. The name is close enough and the title matches, so it must be the same bro.

That is actually one of his alternate identities.

[Fox Box Socks]

Mechanically, the draw of Pazuzu is that he offers free wishes, regardless of consequences, at all levels of play. While he's certainly quicker and more eager to respond to Paladins and classes with alignment restrictions, the further you are from CE, the more it's in his interest to give you what you want. In campaigns where he exists, he's basically a "get out of jail free" card: only using his Wish once is enough to ensure that you still get into your afterlife of choice.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Detailed information on Pazuzu can be found in one of the Fiendish Codexes. (I can't remember if it's the first or second book).

The basic idea behind Pazuzu is that while he has many enemies, he's an extremely powerful demon who rules the skies over all of the Abysses. Lots of other demons love or hate him, but he can avoid their games and plots by just flying away and doing his own thing.

Pazuzu is an obyrith and much older than most of the demons that currently rule over the Abyss. He's been around for a long time and is mostly involved with his own affairs. One of the big affairs that he presides over and enjoys is direct the corruption of mortal souls. If you say the bastards name three times, then he'll immediately come to you and grant you a wish (using his SLA). All he asks in return is the corruption of the creature's mortal soul. That's it. It's a very direct plot, but a highly efficient one for those who know it exists.

Pazuzu's actions of giving people wishes for no immediate cost are both efficient at significantly corrupting their souls towards joining the Abyss after their death and towards causing evil and chaos in the planes. The more people who know his nature and call upon him, the more evil and chaos that ends up spreading throughout the material and other planes.

~

I know that the idea of Pazuzu sounds kind of dumb when viewed only from the perspective of creating Pun-Pun or abusing cheese in the game, but he has a very valid existence in the d&d cosmology (or would that be demonology?).

He's not really an obyrinth anymore though, is he? At least not anymore I think, he's something inbetween an obyrinth and a regular demon because he adapted when the current batch of demons took the field, not hiding or refusing to change like others. That, and he's lord of the Abyssal Skies because...well...no one has any real interest in contesting that claim and Pazuzu doesn't DO anything with that claim, he just has it.

That, and it's only paladins (and maybe other LG characters? I think it's only paladins) that he'll always answer. Everyone else there's a chance he won't show up and it's only the first wish that isn't twisted. After that he starts twisting them gradually until they are CE...and rely on Pazuzu for survival...at which point he abandons them like yesterday's trash to die.

[Yuki Akuma]

...So I just came up with the amusing mental image of asking Pazuzu for a Periapt of Faithfulness...

[DiBastet]

Pazuzu's actions of giving people wishes for no immediate cost are both efficient at significantly corrupting their souls towards joining the Abyss after their death and towards causing evil and chaos in the planes.

Very good info, however it's a little deeper than that. Actually pazuzu grants you the wish after you summon him, and asks nothing in return, except for one thing: To not tell his name to anyone. When, and if, you feel tempeted to ask him for another wish, he start asking things, until the point that weak mortals make cults for him, and invariably tell his name to more people. There's a time then that he swoops down on his fellow cultists, destroy their dreams and the results of their wishes (He kills your wife and family if you made some "I wish that she marry me"), break their hopes, dreams and lives, slay them all, drag their souls to abyss and burns the temple down, but leaves a little enough so some fool can learn his name and the process can begin again.

Source: The Demonomicon of Iggwilv.

[Acanous]

I'd love to be in a campaign that included Pazuzu, but sadly he's like a deck of many things: He'll break the game one way or another.

[Fouredged Sword]

It can be done, but there is one rule the DM must follow hard and fast. The first taste is free, but EVERY step past that you pay for dearly. Every character getting one wish spell isn't that gamebreaking. It's not the alter reality divine ability, just a 9th level spell.

One good magic item. One casting of a spell. Just the right thing at just the right moment.

Want a girl to love you... Well mindrape. Want to be king... Mindrape.

Come to think of it I can't think of anything not grantable by mindrapeing the right person...

Off topic though. Pazzu is evil and takeing the offering will always lead to bad things.

It meaks a great plot if all the players are all being tempted by the same fruit though, and Pazzu is trying to get them to betray and kill one another after destroying eachothers most cherished possesions, all while the party tries to save the world.

So, dear friend. What is more important, the world or your companion's wife? Just one thrust of the knife. You can make it quick. I will save everyone, don't you worry. I ALWAYS keep my word:smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

[Fox Box Socks]

The key to curbing Pazuzu into a campaign is to introduce problems that cannot be solved without his help. After all, once a person asks for his help once, he's got them on the hook, and it's in his best interest to make sure that they ask him again.

The Wizard, in a desperate move, calls Pazuzu, who uses Wish to unleash Meteor Swarm on the gnoll encampment where his party is about to be sacrificed. All is well, except suddenly badguys start coming out of the woodwork. That evil duke the party deposed? He's got a brother that's sending assassins their way. The dragon the party slew? Some cultists raised it from the dead, and it's beyond pissed. Flanked by enemies, the party calls on Pazuzu again...only now he's altered the deal. All further wishes come from the Wizard's soul, regardless of who in the party makes the wish.

Wouldn't you play that? I'd play that.

[big teej]

The key to curbing Pazuzu into a campaign is to introduce problems that cannot be solved without his help. After all, once a person asks for his help once, he's got them on the hook, and it's in his best interest to make sure that they ask him again.

The Wizard, in a desperate move, calls Pazuzu, who uses Wish to unleash Meteor Swarm on the gnoll encampment where his party is about to be sacrificed. All is well, except suddenly badguys start coming out of the woodwork. That evil duke the party deposed? He's got a brother that's sending assassins their way. The dragon the party slew? Some cultists raised it from the dead, and it's beyond pissed. Flanked by enemies, the party calls on Pazuzu again...only now he's altered the deal. All further wishes come from the Wizard's soul, regardless of who in the party makes the wish.

Wouldn't you play that? I'd play that.


well, I know what I'm doing when I get my hands on the book with pazuzu in it.

[LansXero]

Wouldn't you play that? I'd play that.

So far Im playing a more-sandboxy-than-usual campaign where the players just got their own city. They are very tempted to somehow get to call him. Im tempted to let them. Why? Because this campaign they have stuff they are attached to. Lots of people and stuff. But I also dont know how well they'd take losses. So its not an easy choice to make.

More in topic: If he rules all the skies over all the abysses, doesnt that mean he is infinitely powerful? After all, infinite abysses = infinite skies O_O

[Coidzor]

The key to curbing Pazuzu into a campaign is to introduce problems that cannot be solved without his help. After all, once a person asks for his help once, he's got them on the hook, and it's in his best interest to make sure that they ask him again.

The Wizard, in a desperate move, calls Pazuzu, who uses Wish to unleash Meteor Swarm on the gnoll encampment where his party is about to be sacrificed. All is well, except suddenly badguys start coming out of the woodwork. That evil duke the party deposed? He's got a brother that's sending assassins their way. The dragon the party slew? Some cultists raised it from the dead, and it's beyond pissed. Flanked by enemies, the party calls on Pazuzu again...only now he's altered the deal. All further wishes come from the Wizard's soul, regardless of who in the party makes the wish.

Wouldn't you play that? I'd play that.

That's... not curbing him at all. That's making Pazuzu the new plotline.

[hamishspence]

In 4E, Pazuzu's corrupting skills are played up, to the extent that he even corrupted:

Asmodeus.

[Yora]

The key to curbing Pazuzu into a campaign is to introduce problems that cannot be solved without his help. After all, once a person asks for his help once, he's got them on the hook, and it's in his best interest to make sure that they ask him again.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/B5_morden.jpg

[Boci]

Want a girl to love you... Well mindrape. Want to be king... Mindrape

Wish cannot replicate 9th level spells.

[sreservoir]

Wish cannot replicate 9th level spells.

use-activated item of at-will.

[Fouredged Sword]

It can generate a scroll of a 9th level spell though. No need to give the players unlimited power.

[Boci]

use-activated item of at-will.

Above the gp limit for a safe wish and I don't recall Pazuzu having any special abilities beyond what a wish would normally do as a SLA.


It can generate a scroll of a 9th level spell though. No need to give the players unlimited power.

That removes the shock value of having mindrape be the solution, since Pazuzu cannot use the scroll himself.

[sreservoir]

Above the gp limit for a safe wish and I don't recall Pazuzu having any special abilities beyond what a wish would normally do as a SLA.

there is no gp limit for magic items. that limit applies only to mundane items. there's a giant xp cost for it, but you're not the one casting it.

[Yuki Akuma]

As it's an SLA it doesn't cost Pazuzu XP anyway.

[Fouredged Sword]

And he is, you know, a deity.

[Yuki Akuma]

And he is, you know, a deity.

No. No he isn't. He's a Demon Lord. He doesn't have a divine rank at all.

There are optional rules to give Demon Lords and Archdevils a divine rank of 0 (which isn't the same as not having one) so that they can grant spells to their worshippers. But their worshippers can gain spells anyway - either direct from the source like Clerics of an Ideal, or from an evil god whose goals match the Demon Lord/Archdevil in question.

[sreservoir]

No. No he isn't. He's a Demon Lord. He doesn't have a divine rank at all.

that's what he wants you to think.

[Fouredged Sword]

Huh, I always thought he did. The whole older than some gods thing going on. I would think he at least has divine rank 1 or so.

[RedWarrior0]

Even if he did, once they make their first sacrifice to him he doesn't care about them enough to grant spells.

[Fouredged Sword]

I would think he cares about them only so long as they are still wiling dupes that he is setting up for failure and dispare. Some would keep returning to him, over and over, trying to take one last wish from the monkies paw to fix the disaster left by the last wishes made.

[Boci]

I would think he cares about them only so long as they are still wiling dupes that he is setting up for failure and dispare. Some would keep returning to him, over and over, trying to take one last wish from the monkies paw to fix the disaster left by the last wishes made.

He could have some clerics who never call his name. He's unlikely to mind, especially since the Abyss grants the spells, not him.

[Fouredged Sword]

Or clerics who whisper his name just once, into just the right ear, at just the right time...