Succubus (Demon) or Erinyes (Devil)

[jordan.k93]

My campaigns end will be upon me eventually, and the party has set the story in motion.

They aided a wizard in an experimental summoning spell, his intention was to summon an angel, but **** happens, and now a Succubus or Erinyes got summoned instead.

The party don't know as they left the wizard to it in the capital city, however they will eventually return and go on the offensive.

Long story short, the party is way too low level (2/3), and I'll have them ordered out of the city as thanks for bringing her into this plane, however, eventually they will do battle with the Demon/Devil and it's minions, so, planning ahead, what do you think I should make my Arch-Nemisis?

[Crake]

My vote is succubus all the way. They may be chaotic, but they're so manipulative and can blend into society almost seamlessly. They're just such a great all-around villain, and if you play your cards right, you can probably turn one of the party members to her side for an extra climactic finale.

If you do go with succubus, remember that she'd pretty much never enter combat unless the players manage to get a dimensional anchor on her, in which case she'd fly out of range until it wore off and teleport away. She'd leave all the combat to her charmed minions, and teleport to safety at the first sign of a direct threat to her, so she'd be incredibly hard to kill, and they'd have to deal with the morals of killing innocent people who have been charmed, or else deal with the burden of dealing nonlethal damage to them.

Being so charismatic, she'd also likely start up a cult to herself to gain power, and if you give her class levels, beguiler, fiend of blasphemy, possession or corruption are all great choices (personally though, I run a mix of fiendish codex 1 possession and fiend of possession rules though, where you dont need class levels like fiend of possession, and don't leave behind a body like fiendish codex possession). That adds in the extra issue of, if they DO manage to capture her, they have to exorcise her as well.

[Clistenes]

My campaigns end will be upon me eventually, and the party has set the story in motion.

They aided a wizard in an experimental summoning spell, his intention was to summon an angel, but **** happens, and now a Succubus or Erinyes got summoned instead.

The party don't know as they left the wizard to it in the capital city, however they will eventually return and go on the offensive.

Long story short, the party is way too low level (2/3), and I'll have them ordered out of the city as thanks for bringing her into this plane, however, eventually they will do battle with the Demon/Devil and it's minions, so, planning ahead, what do you think I should make my Arch-Nemisis?

Erinyes lack the means to disguise themselves as mortals without external help. I guess she could pass herself as an angel or something, and use her charm monster spell-like ability to put under her control the rulers of the city.

Succubi on the other hand, can disguise themselves as mortals, angels or whatever, and she could develop a fake identity and climb the social ladder of the city all the way to the top with the aid of her manipulation without ever being outed as a non-humanoid.

So I guess it all depends on how do you want her to take power: Pass as an angel summoned with the experimental spell combined with keeping under her thrall all the influential characters in the city (erinyes) or pass as a human and sleep/charm/beguile her way up to the king's bedroom (succubus).

Also, Erinyes are a bit better as final bosses against a group than succubi. Both have Charm Monster, but Erinyes have better tricks.

Pleasure Devils/Brachinas are kind of super-Erinyes who have the best tricks of succubi too, but they are CR 11.

Lilitus are even more powerful, better manipulators and have better tricks. They are CR 12, and they can pass as clerics. They lack wings, but they can cast disguise self and fly at will, so they can pas as angels too.

What I find interesting about your she-fiend is that she's able to feel grateful to the adventures and spare their lives despite them knowing about her and being obvious threats...is she not completely evil? Or maybe, if she's an Erinyes, she feels honor-bound to spare them?

[Crake]

What I find interesting about your she-fiend is that she's able to feel grateful to the adventures and spare their lives despite them knowing about her and being obvious threats...is she not completely evil? Or maybe, if she's an Erinyes, she feels honor-bound to spare them?

Clearly she wants them to live long enough to see the fruits of their labour?

[Crustypeanut]

Sometimes.. leaving them alive is the more evil thing to do.

Or at least, by the thought process of the demon/devil. But just because they're evil, doesn't mean they're going to butcher and kill everything and anything just for the lul's - certainly some creatures might, but Succubi, even for Demons, aren't all about destruction. They're more about turning people lustful and sinful, so when they DO eventually die, their souls will go to the Abyss.

Other demons might just destroy/kill.. but Succubi.. well, they'd rather destroy you in bed. ;)

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On this note in general, one of my main homebrew campaigns deals with the players working alongside evil beings - the players themselves are not evil (We even have a Paladin in the group - he's gonna need all sorts of atonement before this campaign is over with). But they're going to be going on a road trip through the lower planes on a rather epic quest, and they'll ally themselves with various factions along the way - most of which are undeniably and unredeemably evil. They'll use the players as much as the players will use them.

[Tragak]

Erinyes

Lawful Evil: believe that they are allowed to rebuild the system - be it through "legal" tyrannies or through illegal gangs/syndicates - so that the strong can take what they want from the weak (think Darth Vader or Don Corleone). They will want any organizations that they join/form to be very formal, with a strictly enforced chain of command that everybody knows their place in.

Powers: Flight, Entangle, True Seeing, Minor Image, Summon Devils, Charm monster, Greater Teleport

ideas:
1) She might try to return to wherever she came from (probably either Gehenna, Baator, Acheron) so that she can continue to work with her established allies. In that case, the PCs would probably object to the damage that would happen do to the cavalier way that she plans to go about it (think Buffy Season 5).
2) She might try to expand her syndicate's reach into this new territory, which could involve contacting her bosses and requesting minions.
3) She might try to take over the region by herself, free to build her own tyranny/syndicate without interference by her original bosses.

Succubus

Chaotic Evil: believe that they allowed to bypass the system - either by hiding from it or by tearing it down - so that the strong cannot protect the weak (think Freddy Kreuger or the Joker). They will want any organizations that they join/form to be very informal, with any expectation of obedience being based on personal superiority rather than on titles.

Powers: Flight, Energy Drain, Summon Demons, Greater Teleport, Change Shape, Detect Good, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Ethereal Jaunt, Tongues…

ideas: Through alternately impersonating and/or mind-controlling important people...
1) She might try to get the different groups of civilians in the city to start committing violence against each other.
2) She might try to get the civilians and the government to start committing violence against each other.
3) Being in the capital, she might try to get the army to invade neighboring countries.
...
X) all of the above

In any case, the PCs might be attacked by mind-controlled innocents that they have to either incapacitate without killing (since the civilians are the victims, not the enemy) or to flee without even fighting (if the mobs are too large)