The company you keep... Demons & Devils

[Cpt.Galewinds]

If one were to toy with the dark side, what would be the best way to have a permanent abyssal or infernal companion/cohort/thrall?

By this I mean something sentient (think erinyes rather than hell hound) and that won't vanish in (insert variable number of rounds here) like a summon monster spell. All classes and feats are open, WotC and Pathfinder material only unless a third party has something really interesting to offer. Ideas anyone?

[AMFV]

If one were to toy with the dark side, what would be the best way to have a permanent abyssal or infernal companion/cohort/thrall?

By this I mean something sentient (think erinyes rather than hell hound) and that won't vanish in (insert variable number of rounds here) like a summon monster spell. All classes and feats are open, WotC and Pathfinder material only unless a third party has something really interesting to offer. Ideas anyone?

Diabolist (BoVD) gets a permanent Imp familiar, which is pretty convenient. You can do the same with improved familiar. A blackguard with former Paladin levels can call a fiendish servant every so often (You could see if you could combine that with Halfling Outrider, by RAW you can't but it could be pretty nifty.

Both Leadership and the Thrallherd's signature ability work great for this as well. They can both get you permanent infernal or abyssal cohorts. IIRC a couple other classes in BoVD can as well. The Nar Demonbinder may also have an Imp or Quasit Familiar, which serves a similar purpose.

[Anxe]

Planar Binding spells also come to mind.

[HaikenEdge]

Possibly Mindrape a devil/demon to consider you its lord and savior?

[ddude987]

The usual shenanigans that include leadership. Also, the Thrallherd PrC class is basically leadership the class but the people worship you and believe in you, instead of just following you.

Improved familiar gives imp, and planar binding could net you a demon or devil if you bargain something for its services, or trick it into signing a contract to be your cohort.

[The Viscount]

Don't forget Demonologist and Dread Necromancer. They both get quasit and the latter also gets imp.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

Planar Binding spells also come to mind.

Possibly Mindrape a devil/demon to consider you its lord and savior?

trick it into signing a contract to be your cohort.

Don't those plans usually come packaged with a 100% guaranteed backfire?


Both Leadership and the Thrallherd's signature ability work great for this as well.

The usual shenanigans that include leadership. Also, the Thrallherd PrC class is basically leadership the class but the people worship you and believe in you, instead of just following you.

You both make the Thrallherd quite appealing. Where is that one at? If I don't have it, surely our DM will.

[HaikenEdge]

Don't those plans usually come packaged with a 100% guaranteed backfire?

I don't know about the other ones, but I know, for Mindrape, if you beat the save DC and the SR check, the effect is instantaneous, and can only be reversed via a Miracle or Wish, so it's not 100% guaranteed to backfire, unless you're talking about DM fiat, given you can completely rewrite the memories, emotions and opinions of the creature you successfully affect.

[AMFV]

Don't those plans usually come packaged with a 100% guaranteed backfire?




Only if you bind something more powerful than yourself. The trick is not to make deals with more powerful demons, but to control less powerful ones, the demons and devils themselves already know this. It's the mortals that try to play on a level playing ground when it's not in their favor.


You both make the Thrallherd quite appealing. Where is that one at? If I don't have it, surely our DM will.

It's SRD so it's on the D20Srd Page, it is a psionics prestige class, so you oculd make a demonic psion type thing.

[Karnith]

It's not terribly strong (it involves Truenaming), but the Fiendbiner PrC allows a character to permanently bind a few select demons and devils, and order them around with Truename checks.

You could also Planar Bind something and then use a spell like Necrotic Tumor to get a servant forever.

[Suddo]

I don't know about the other ones, but I know, for Mindrape, if you beat the save DC and the SR check, the effect is instantaneous, and can only be reversed via a Miracle or Wish, so it's not 100% guaranteed to backfire, unless you're talking about DM fiat, given you can completely rewrite the memories, emotions and opinions of the creature you successfully affect.

I forget can you set up multiple layers of Mind Rape that would require multiple Wishes?

[HaikenEdge]

I forget can you set up multiple layers of Mind Rape that would require multiple Wishes?

BoVD is unclear. It simply says:


Alterations to memories and subtler thoughts can be restored only through use of a miracle or wish.

Which could be interpreted as either requiring a separate Wish/Miracle per casting, or one casting fixing everything.

[Kane0]

Can't get much closer than Acolyte of the Skin.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

The simplest way so far seems to be to roll a cleric or paladin or some sort of champion in the service of an archfiend. In most cases some devotional (and potentially gruesome) roleplay and the leadership feat would probably take care of it, right?

[Thanatosia]

Roleplaying seems the simplest solution. Help a Demon or Devil perform some evil schemes, and just keep feeding it Evil-Lulz and it wont have any reason to not want to follow you around.

[Tvtyrant]

Fiendbinder (Tome of Magic) can get you a permanent Marilith companion (or more.) I would suggest entering it from Factotum for the extra actions myself, as you run around with a pack of demons (and have the option to summon even more.)

[Crake]

You'll probably want to do it via roleplay, then pick a method of keeping it afterwards. Subjugate yourself to a demon lord or archdevil, do their dirty work, then hopefully they'll grant you a cohort of some kind, if you're lucky, it'll be a succubus/pleasure devil.

[Sir_Thaddeus]

Right in core (DMG), there's the Thaumaturgist, who gets a Planar Cohort ability that sounds just like what you're looking for. I'm not sure how good it is, but it's there. Pretty much a cleric PrC, it requires the ability to cast Lesser Planar Ally - this can, however, be gotten as an arcane caster using the Arcane Disciple feat to get the Summoner domain.

[Kelb_Panthera]

If Fiendish Codex 2 is available you could always sell your soul. Just go to a crossroads at midnight in the right region and you'll meet a harvester devil that'll gladly cut you a deal. You and your DM will have to discuss the details but that'll get you an infernal cohort and a patron archdevil. The downside is that you're no longer eligible for raise dead unless you make yourself more useful alive than as soul fodder.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

It's not terribly strong (it involves Truenaming), but the Fiendbiner PrC allows a character to permanently bind a few select demons and devils, and order them around with Truename checks.


Fiendbinder (Tome of Magic) can get you a permanent Marilith companion (or more.) I would suggest entering it from Factotum for the extra actions myself, as you run around with a pack of demons (and have the option to summon even more.)

I'm looking into the Fiendbinder right now, and there is stuff to be liked there for sure. Factotum is a good idea too, but I'd say more for character versatility. Great suggestions, thanks!


Right in core (DMG), there's the Thaumaturgist, who gets a Planar Cohort ability that sounds just like what you're looking for. I'm not sure how good it is, but it's there. Pretty much a cleric PrC, it requires the ability to cast Lesser Planar Ally - this can, however, be gotten as an arcane caster using the Arcane Disciple feat to get the Summoner domain.

I'll look int that next. I'm trying to avoid the pure cleric/wizard types as bases there is already one of each on party. Tvtyrant seems to think the Factotum can lead into the Fiendbinder, maybe he could into this as well.


Subjugate yourself to a demon lord or archdevil, do their dirty work, then hopefully they'll grant you a cohort of some kind, if you're lucky, it'll be a succubus/pleasure devil.

Because you can read my mind does not mean you should make a public show of it, Crake! :smallbiggrin:

[Zombulian]

One more vote for Fiendbinder. Gives a very Bartimaeus Universe feel to demon binding.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

If Fiendish Codex 2 is available you could always sell your soul. Just go to a crossroads at midnight in the right region and you'll meet a harvester devil that'll gladly cut you a deal. You and your DM will have to discuss the details but that'll get you an infernal cohort and a patron archdevil. The downside is that you're no longer eligible for raise dead unless you make yourself more useful alive than as soul fodder.

I do like the idea of being an agent of an archdevil. Looking at it, somehow Glasya seems like the perfect opportunity. She recently ascended to her position, her influence is still limited and might just be looking for champions to bolster her profile.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

One more vote for Fiendbinder. Gives a very Bartimaeus Universe feel to demon binding.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is this 'Bartimaeus Universe' thing?

[Zombulian]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is this 'Bartimaeus Universe' thing?

The Bartimaeus Trilogy is a fantastic series of books depicting the lives of Humans and Demons. One such demon is named Bartimaeus and is the narrator of the books.
The world they live in is ruled by Magicians, people who find the truenames of demons and bind them to do their bidding and give them magic. Fantastic read. I recommend it.

[Cpt.Galewinds]

The Bartimaeus Trilogy is a fantastic series of books depicting the lives of Humans and Demons. One such demon is named Bartimaeus and is the narrator of the books.
The world they live in is ruled by Magicians, people who find the truenames of demons and bind them to do their bidding and give them magic. Fantastic read. I recommend it.

I might have to look into this :)

What would be the Pathfinder options? What bout the summoner? If one were to retool the "story" and look at the mechanics, would that be an interesting way to go? The Eidolon gets pretty amazing or so I hear, but how strong does the caster get?