Turning into a demon?

[Adindra]

So i asked my friend whos new to dungeons and dragons what he would like to do in the game as a goal, his reply was that he wanted to turn into a demon (for sake of argument he doesnt know the difference between devils and demons).

my question is: is there any way to do this?

[Boci]

Fiend blooded from Heroes of Horror will make a sorceror an outsider as a cap ability.

[sreservoir]

reasonable? (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031114a)

[Flickerdart]

Fiendish...isn't a demon. It's just as the name suggests, fiendish traits and a mean streak a mile wide, on an otherwise regular creature.

His best bet is to play a Tiefling Wizard or Aasimar Sorcerer, and use Alter Self and then Polymorph or Draconic Polymorph to turn into various evil Outsiders, maybe finishing up with Master Transmogrifist to be better at shapeshifting in exchange for spell power.

[Treblain]

There's a warlock greater invocation in Complete Mage called Hellspawned Grace. It transforms you into a hellcat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/devil.htm#hellcatBezekira). As an invocation, it's at-will, which is good for your purposes. It probably qualifies you for Warshaper and so on. It's not the best invocation, but it might satisfy your player.

[Legendairy]

Another possibility is to start out teifling and let him level into half-fiend and go from there. Half fiends basically get alot of the nifty stuff someone would be looking for without giving them everything. Wings, tail, horns, fangs, scales, whatever he wants out of the character and it still makes it playable and fun.

Im AFB right now but i believe there is a chart somewhere to do this. That would also allow them to maintain a class and all the skills and be a "demon" with full playability.

The player may change his mind later and therefore he wouldnt have to continue to level as a half-fiend either

[Dr.Epic]

Fiendish...isn't a demon. It's just as the name suggests, fiendish traits and a mean streak a mile wide, on an otherwise regular creature.

Splitting hairs. It's still an evil outsider from the lower planes. The guy's never played D&D before and wouldn't know the official game definition of a demon.

[TroubleBrewing]

Fiend blooded from Heroes of Horror will make a sorceror an outsider as a cap ability.

This was going to be my suggestion, too.

If he wants something sort of like that, but in every way worse, try Illithid Blooded from XPH.

[Flickerdart]

Splitting hairs. It's still an evil outsider from the lower planes. The guy's never played D&D before and wouldn't know the official game definition of a demon.
Sure, but there's still much better ways of being demonic aside from a crappy 1/day special ability and some negligible resistances for the price of two levels.

[Ashram]

If you play Pathfinder (And its rules can be reasonably converted to 3.5 very easily) there is a way to turn into a full-fledged demon, although it takes a lot of time in-game and unholy devotion. This is detailed in Pathfinder's campaign setting book "Book of the Damned Vol. 2: Lords of Chaos".

It goes in steps, where you turn CE, get a demonic graft (Your choice of which), gain the half-fiendish template, and then finally turn into a demon if you choose to.

You can very easily change the rules a bit to allow for turning into a devil, refluffing as necessary.

[Analytica]

Savage Species has rules for this. IIRC they involve Wish-level magic.

[Steward]

Does he want to become a demon permanently, or simply have the ability to shapeshift into a demon or other demonic-looking creature (devil, yugoloth, whatever)?

[Strormer]

This requires a little figuring on the DM's part, but how about having him, over the course of the adventure, face an evil cleric (or any NPC you've allowed to use the Bestow Curse spell). He gets cursed and the curse is that every time he performs an evil act he gains a demonic trait. It would be subtle at first, but after a while he's going to attract attention, especially from Paladins and the like.

[Gilby]

Savage Species has rules for this. IIRC they involve Wish-level magic.

This gives a good idea on how to do it. I was in a campaign in the past where a guy was working towards being a full balor. On a 20 level progression, the abilities and scores where gained over time. You might also take the approach that his character starting out as the base level demon, then leveling to the highest of a demon type then shedding skin and morphing into the next higher level of demon

[Runestar]

There's a homebrew balor 20-level class somewhere in this forums, doesn't look too shabby. :smallcool:

[AMFV]

At epic levels disciple of Ashardalon is a valid way to do this, of course he'd need to be some kind of dragon first and have +18 BAB, so it's clearly an Epic solution but that is one way to become a demon.

[deuxhero]

Die

No really. Just die with a CE alignment and no deity worshiped.

It may differ in some settings (Eberron and FR), but that is how the "default" fluff works IIRC.


You won't be a powerful Demon, but you are a Demon.

[Runestar]

At epic levels disciple of Ashardalon is a valid way to do this, of course he'd need to be some kind of dragon first and have +18 BAB, so it's clearly an Epic solution but that is one way to become a demon.

The only requirements are dragon type and bab+18, so in theory, a dragonwrought kobold fighter could qualify. And the bonus is that dragon prcs are not subject to epic progression rules (as clarified in the FAQ), so he continues to get full bab beyond lv20! :smallbiggrin:

Unfortunately, the prc is borked (caster lv = prc lv? Forget about affecting anyone with sr. :smallannoyed:), and you are still a fighter in a setting dominated by casters. :smalltongue:

[deuxhero]

Then be a Duskblade :)

[AMFV]

The only requirements are dragon type and bab+18, so in theory, a dragonwrought kobold fighter could qualify. And the bonus is that dragon prcs are not subject to epic progression rules (as clarified in the FAQ), so he continues to get full bab beyond lv20! :smallbiggrin:

Unfortunately, the prc is borked (caster lv = prc lv? Forget about affecting anyone with sr. :smallannoyed:), and you are still a fighter in a setting dominated by casters. :smalltongue:

True, I didn't say it was the most viable method, but if becoming a demon is your only goal, then you have to sell your soul and suck it up for like 28 levels...

There probably is a better way to do it though...

[Lord Raziere]

step one: summon demon

step two: say "turn me into a demon now."

step three: watch the demon scratch its head at someone so eager to become a monstrous creature of pure evil, then shrug to itself

step four: ???, probably some ritual involving a defilement of your soul or corruption or yadda yadda

step five: profit! you are now a demon.

evil after all is all about the easy way and gaining power NOW. it wouldn't really care about how your get turned into a demon as long you do and therefore one more soldier on your side in the war against Good.

[Curious]

If you allow Pathfinder material, make him play as a Synthesist Summoner (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/archetypes/paizo---summoner-archetypes/synthesist).

[panaikhan]

Is the "Acolyte of The Skin" PrC still around?
I saw an article on an official website to continue the 10 levels into 'epic' territory...

[Runestar]

Is the "Acolyte of The Skin" PrC still around?
I saw an article on an official website to continue the 10 levels into 'epic' territory...

It was reprinted in complete arcane, and still every bit as crappy. 1/2 spellcasting progression prcs should really be banned...:smallannoyed:

[ILM]

Isn't there something in BoVD? Just asking, seems like the logical place.

Otherwise there are a bunch of "Investiture of the X" spells in the Fiendish Codices, but they're not permanent.

[Darth Stabber]

Step 1: be an outsider
Step 2: Swear fealty to the Abyss
Step 3: ???conduct some ritual to get alignment and Tanari traits, possibly involving the blood of a virgin (shouldn't be too hard to come across for D&D players)
Step 4: Profit.

There aren't really hard and fast rules for this method, but there are enough methods of attaining outsiderhood that step 1 shouldn't be a major issue, and personally I don't think that subtypes should be that difficult to modify for any of the lords of the abyss.

If memory serves there is a prc in secrets of the shadowlands (OA) that turns you into an oni, which would qualify just fine if the player is new and doesn't need tanari specifically.

[Runestar]

Isn't there something in BoVD? Just asking, seems like the logical place.

Otherwise there are a bunch of "Investiture of the X" spells in the Fiendish Codices, but they're not permanent.

There are prcs which involve you worshipping fiends and paying fealty to them in return for benefits, but none that exactly turns you into one.

Alternatively, play an outsider like tiefling, then pay to be PAO'ed into a fiend of your choice. :smalltongue:

[Darrin]

Fiendring (30000 GP, Lost Empires of Faerun p. 152). Allows the user to take the form of any fiendish creature, demon, or devil that can be summoned via SMI, SMII, SMIII, or SMIV. The kicker is you get all their (Ex), (Su), and SLAs. Also changes your type to outsider, if you're looking for more alter self/polymorph abuse. 1/day, lasts 12 minutes.

Demonbinder PrC (Drow of the Underdark p. 72). Extremely strict entry requirements, but once you're in, you get Damnation points (class level + Cha bonus) to turn into... well, sorta-demon-ish forms. You're limited to a number of transformations per day = Demonbinder class levels, but your Damnation points replenish after 5 minutes and with a high enough Cha bonus, you can get access to the nastier forms with just a dip.

Neraph (Planar Handbook) or a Savage Progression Aasimar/Tiefling (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) starts out as an outsider with LA +0, from there try to get your hands on a Phylactery of Change (11200 GP, A&EG p. 135) for all-day polymorph up to 7HD, or Fleshshifter Armor (13160 GP, BoVD p. 111) for alter self at will.

[Midnight_v]

So i asked my friend whos new to dungeons and dragons what he would like to do in the game as a goal, his reply was that he wanted to turn into a demon (for sake of argument he doesnt know the difference between devils and demons).

my question is: is there any way to do this?

Uhm... theres just the question of what does he mean? Does he want to be a dude who turns into a demon?
Periodically (like lets say ghost rider)
or
Creeping evil. (like slowly aquiring demonic traits)?

[Username_too_lo]

One of my party turned into a half-demon the other day.

"Yes!" he said; "Now I can summon a succubus to fulfil everyone of my sexual needs!"

"Dude," said I "You're only a half-demon; She only lasts one round per level* - you're a level ten character, you'd be lucky to get 30 seconds"

Said he, cracking his fingers; "That's all I need."

I pity his wife.

*This may be a custom rule.

[Randomguy]

He could take a demonic or fiendish bloodline and he'd become more and more demonic over time. (This puts him one level behind the party up to three different times though, but since bloodline levels don't change ECL he'll earn more xp from encounters and catch up pretty quickly.)

He could be a druid/wildshape ranger and go into master of many forms and they eventually get to wildshape into outsiders, IIRC.

Rich Burlew made a PRC called the champion somewhere on this page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172910) that can be refluffed as someone turning into an avatar of darkness, instead of an avatar of light. (You'd have to change some of it's abilities though, like damage reduction evil or __ to damage reduction evil or __.

The binder is a class that summons spirits (some of them are evil and can be counted as demons) into himself to gain some of their powers, so he could count as a character that turns into a demon.

Other than that, I think a warlock that turns into a hellcat is your best bet.

[Flickerdart]

A round is 6 seconds, so a 10th level character would get a whole minute of alone time with the succubus.