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Someonelse
2014-05-28, 12:14 PM
I needed a chaotic evil torture demon for a dungeon crawl I was creating. I considered just using a pain devil and making it chaotic, but I wanted to have something unique. I had the time before needing to run the dungeon, so I went ahead and just created something. I was shooting for a CR 18 to 20 but I think what I wound up with was closer to CR 15 to 18. I need to figure out a good CR for this demon. I'm also thinking maybe it has two CRs, because this was created with two intentions in mind. First, a PC is captured by a bad guy who gives them to an Excruciator to get some information out of them, if they can survive the torture and not give up any info they should get XP, this would be the first CR. The second would be when PCs break into the dungeon to rescue a prisoner and find them being tortured by this demon, they will fight the demon, who will try to prevent them from taking its prisoner. This combat CR might be different. Most of this demon's abilities are focused on torturing a helpless victim, when their opponent is a well equipped and optimised PC who has broken into his dungeon he is a lot weaker. So maybe CR18 to resist torture and CR16 to fight? I don't know, so I'm seeking some advice.
Some of the Excruciator's abilities are based on rules and spells from the Book of Vile Darkness.
The ability score modifiers were taken from the pain devil using the method described in the Savage Species. I then applied these modifiers to the elite array to create this demon.


Excruciator
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Tanar'ri)
Hit Dice: 20d8+80
HP: 160
Initiative: +7
Speed: 40ft.
Armor Class: 33, T12, FF30 (10 + 3 Dex - 1 Size + 5 Armor + 16 Nat AC)
Base Attack: 20
Grapple: +29 (20 bab + 5 Str + 4 Size)
Attack: +24 / +19 / +14 / +9 - Whip, Dagger or Chain; Or 2 Claws +25 - Thrown Dagger +22, 10ft
Damage: Whip 1d3+5, 20x2, Dagger 1d4+5, 19-20x2, Chain 2d4+5, 20x2, Claw 1d6+2, 20x2, Sneak Attack +10d6
Space/Reach: 10ft/10ft (20ft Whip or Chain)
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +10d6 (can deal non-lethal dmg), Spell Like Abilities (DC16+SpLv), Supernatural Abilities (DC26)
Special Qualities: Immune to Electricity and Poison, Resistance 10 to Acid, Cold and Fire, Darkvision 60ft, Simple, Martial and some Exotic Weapon Proficiencies, Telepathy 200ft
Saves: Fort 12+4=16, Ref 12+3=15, Will +12
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18 , Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 22
Skills: 207 (23/11); Intimidate 23+6+2=31, Bluff 23+6=29, Sense Motive +23, Heal +23, Craft (torture device) 22+1=23, Use Rope 23+6=29, Perception +23, Sneak 23+6=29; cc: Tumble 11+6=18, Spellcraft 1+1=2,
Feats: Skill Focus (intimidate), Skill Focus (bluff), Skill Focus (sense motive), Combat Expertise, Imp Disarm, Imp Trip, Imp Init
Environment: Dungeons of the Abyss
Organization: Alone in small dungeons, or in cabals in large dungeons; often accompanied by Chasmes, Succubi and Quasits, who serve as assistants.
Challenge Rating: ?
Treasure: Double goods; standard coins and gems; no art
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 1-10 Hd Medium; 11-20 HD Large; 21-30 HD Huge
Level Adjustment: ?
Possessions: +2 Studded Leather Armor, Masterwork Whip, Masterwork Chain, 4 Masterwork daggers and Masterwork Torture Implements.

Human torturers and those who enjoy inflicting suffering and pain upon others eventually die; when they do, they go to hell and many of them become Excruciators. As demons (chaotic evil outsiders), Excruciators are pathological liars and don't know the meaning of mercy. When an Excruciator wants to get information out of a target the subject must believe that if they tell the demon what it wants to know the pain will stop. This is not the case however, an Excruciator has no intention of stopping the pain when they have what they want, if anything they intensify the pain because they no longer need anything else and continue torturing their victim for the fun of it. In order to successfully pry information from a subject the Excruciator needs a successful Bluff check against their victim's Sense Motive. The demon will usually Intimidate the victim first to demoralize them (or use one of it's spell like or supernatural abilities), in order to impose a penalty to their sense motive check. Conversely, if the subject succeeds their knowledge check by 10 or more when identifying an Excruciator they know that, while famous for extracting information from everyone from humans to angels, they torture mostly for fun and don't know the meaning of mercy. A torture victim who succeeds with their knowledge or sense motive check will receive a +10 morale bonus (+2 for every 10 above the DC +10) to resist torture because they know that if they break it will mean their death. This applies to any roll to resist torture, including resisting the demon's intimidation checks, any saving throws that may be allowed during the torture process and any skill checks that may become relevant. Making these checks doesn't remove the morale penalty imposed by the Excruciator's intimidation (or other abilities).

COMBAT
Excruciators avoid combat if at all possible. They spend their days in the deepest dungeons of the abyss torturing lost souls, demons who have displeased their masters and the rare angel, taken alive to learn what they know. While it is rare, some times heroes come to try to rescue a prisoner, when this happens the Excruciator will fight to protect their victim from rescue, but they will never fight to the death if they can help it.
Excruciators specialize in torture, many of their abilities are dedicated to torturing difficult subjects. All penalties imposed by an Excruciator on it's victim and all bonuses it gives to itself for the purposes of torture always stack.

Sneak Attack (Ex): An Excruciator may make Sneak Attacks (as the Rogue special ability) dealing an additional 1d6 damage per 2 HD (max 10d6). If the demon's attack is one that deals non-lethal damage the sneak attack will also deal non-lethal damage. If the demon takes actual levels in the Rogue class the sneak attack dice stack but only the sneak attack dice gained form the Excruciator HD may be used for non-lethal attacks.

Quick Coup De Grace (Ex): An Excruciator may make coup de grace attacks as a standard action.


Spell Like Abilities
CL = HD; DC 10 + Cha + SpLv

Continuous Sadism (Sp)
+1 to attk, saves and skills per 10 points of damage dealt; this applies to his Intimidate checks made while torturing. If this effect is Dispelled (DC31) the Excruciator can reactivate it in 1d4 rounds as a free action)

Dispel Masochism (Sp): at will (+20)
The Torture Demon may dispel the spell Masochism as with Greater Dispel Magic. No other spells may be dispelled with this ability.

Cure Minor Wounds (Sp): at will

Teleport without error (Sp): at will
As greater teleport, self only plus 50 lb.

Power Word Pain (Sp): 3/day (DC17)
Races of the Dragon, p. 116; 75ft, SR +20, no save, target with 100 hp or less takes 1d6 dmg per round

Symbol of Pain (Sp): 1 at a time, max 1/day (DC21)
A Torture Demon can craft one Symbol of Pain at a time, once this symbol spell has been drawn this spell like ability cannot be used again by the Excruciator until the last symbol is activated. The Torture Demon knows instantly when a symbol is activated as long as he is on the same plane as the symbol. Limit 1/day

Discern Lies (Sp): 1/day (DC20)

Zone of Truth: 1/day (DC18)

Extract Liquid Pain: 1/day (DC20)

Summon Tanar'ri (Sp): 1/day
A Torture Demon may attempt to summon another Excruciator with a 20% chance of success, or 1d3+1 Chasmes with a 40% chance of success or 1d4+1 Succubi with a 50% chance of success or 1d6+1 Quasits with a 60% chance of success.



Supernatural Abilities
DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha; CL = HD; ignores spell resistance

Gaze of Impending Doom (Su): Continuous
A Torture Demon has a gaze attack (30ft), upon a failed Will save his victim is rendered Frightened for one minute per the demon's HD (20). The victim suffers a -4 to resist torture during the duration of this effect (this replaces the -2 penalty imposed by the subjects Frightened state). This is a fear based mind affecting effect.

Inflict Pain (Su): at will
With a single touch (as a standard action) he inflicts wracking pain wherever his finger touches that imposes a –4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. If the target makes a Will save (DC26), it only takes a –2 penalty; this penalty lasts for one round per CL (20). He can use this ability for torture, the penalty applies to the victim's check to resist. He must be in contact with his victim to use this ability, in combat this requires a melee touch attack.

Touch of Suffering (Su): 3/day
The Excruciator must succeed a melee touch attack. This ability functions on any creature that can feel pain, not just humanoids. Upon the very touch of the Excruciator the victim is rendered helpless, prone and blind with wracking pain, this condition lasts for one round per HD of the Excruciator (20). A successful fortitude save will save the victim from the worst of it, but they still feel a little sore and suffer a -2 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, saves, skill checks and ability checks for one minute per Excruciator HD (20). For those who failed their save, when the spell ends, the subject is still visibly shaken and suffers a -4 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks for 3d10 minutes. The subject's sight returns at the end of the spell's duration.

Sensory Deprivation (Su): 1/day
When an Excruciator wants to put a victim on ice for a while, just to loosen up their tongue, he will use this ability on them. With a touch, absolute darkness and silence falls upon the victim, this condition lasts for days, or until dismissed by the Excruciator. The duration is one day per HD of the Excruciator, when the duration is complete or has been dismissed the demon may make an intimidate check to ply some piece of information out of the victim. The victim suffers a -2 morale penalty to resist the torturer's intimidation check per day of sensory deprivation (creatures with true seeing, darkvision, blindsense or tremorsense take no such penalty). The subject is allowed a Will save to resist. If this save fails the victim is surrounded with a 5ft diameter body shaped blob of illusionary darkness, any creature without true seeing, darkvision, blindsense or tremorsense is completely blind. They are also silenced (as the spell) within the same 5ft diameter area.

Instrument of Pain (Su): 3/day per weapon group, total 6/day
An Excruciator primarily uses chains, whips, claws and daggers in combat. They can enhance one whip or chain and one dagger or claw to be used as an Instrument of Pain. In addition to the special ability, each weapon is affected by a Magic Weapon spell (CL 1st; or Magic Fang in the case of a claw). This ability is a swift action to activate and lasts for 1 round per HD, usable 3/day for whips & chains and 3/day for claws & daggers. If the weapon leaves the torture Demon's possession, even for an instant, the duration of the ability ends immediately. These abilities only work with masterwork weapons (or with the demon's own claws).
If the Excruciator has a magic spiked chain, dagger or whip (or other magic item that grants weapon enhancements to claw attacks) the magic of the item is suppressed while they use this ability. So if they activate their Instrument of Pain ability while wielding a +5 flaming weapon (just for example), the attacks they make with that weapon only use the +1 enhancement bonus granted by the Instrument of Pain ability and no special ability enchanted on the weapon (the flaming property) functions. If, while Instrument of Pain is active, the demon chooses to make a regular attack and forgo its Instrument of Pain attack the weapon functions normally, but this round counts against the duration of the ability.
The ability is dismissible, doing so ends the duration and the ability cannot be reactivated again except by using another of his daily uses. A Torture Demon may not have more than one ability on a single weapon and may not have more than two of these abilities active at one time.
Each ability is used as a standard action (except where noted) and cannot be used as part of a full attack. If the Excruciator chooses to make a full attack while one of these abilities is active they may do so while maintaining the +1 attk & dmg but the special ability does not activate and that round counts against the ability's duration.
At the Demon's option, their weapon may possess one of the following qualities:

Wounding: the weapon deals 1 point of Con whenever it deals damage.

Slashing Leather: (this ability only applies to the whip) the Torture Demon may deal lethal damage with any masterwork whip they wield. They may attack any armored opponent regardless of their armor bonus.

Retrocede Denial: (as long as the demon is not in anyway restrained or somehow being denied his dexterity bonus) If an enemy in reach attempts to retreat the Torture Demon gets a free attack of opportunity on that target with the weapon charged with this ability (even the whip & even if they have already expended their limit of AoOs for the round). The attack comes at a -4 to hit and can only deal non-lethal damage. The Torture Demon may attempt to trip their target if they hit with a whip or chain, this trip attempt also incurs a -4 penalty (the +4 from improved trip does not apply). The Excruciator does not need to have the trip feat to do this. This ability provokes an attack of opportunity (regardless if they have improved trip). Unlike other abilities, this may be activated as an Immediate Action, however doing so negates any previous special ability the demon may have had on the weapon in question and the previous magic's duration ends immediately. An Excruciator cannot apply the benefits of the Improved Trip feat to this ability.

Wrack: A victim struck by a weapon with this ability must make a Fortitude save, if the save fails he is affected by the Wrack spell. Spell resistance does not apply (supernatural abilities ignore SR). The effective caster level is equal to the Torture Demon's HD. If this ability is used with a whip, all the damage dealt from the whip, the spell and the sneak attack damage are all non-lethal.

Skin Deep Scars: (this ability applies only to whip, dagger and claw attacks) The Torture Demon may deal non-lethal damage without incurring the usual -4 penalty to attack. He slashes and cuts at his target (when using this ability the Excruciator may only make slashing attacks, piercing attacks maintain the +1 enhancement bonus to attk & dmg but do not confer this special ability). For every 5 points of damage he deals in a single attack with this attack the victim takes 1 point of Charisma damage (this is not cumulative, the 5 points of damage must be dealt in a single attack or there will be no charisma damage); this ability damage can be healed with restoration spells as usual, healing the actual hit point damage will also heal the ability damage (1 point of charisma healed per 5 points of hit points healed), if the victim heals naturally the ability damage becomes permanent; if the hit point damage heals naturally the cuts leave nasty scars. Only Regenerate, Wish or Miracle will repair the charisma damage after the hit points have healed naturally. Whenever an Excruciator deals 1 or more points of charisma damage with this ability he receives 5 temporary hit points.


Retribution (Su): 1 time ability
When a Torture Demon is killed he has one last act of torture to commit. If his killer is within a range of 100ft they take a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha) to negate an Eternity of Torture (as the spell, BoVD p.93). The effective caster level for this ability is 20th, regardless of the demon's HD or class levels. Note that supernatural abilities ignore SR. If the fortitude save passes, the victim is affected by terrible body aches that last for 2 minutes (see spell description). If the subject is under the effects of a Masochism spell the Torture Demon's retribution ability has no effect. If the subject passes their fortitude save or is out of range when the demon dies, the effect is redirected at the demon. The fiend is sent back to the abyss (if on another plane), where they are revived (as with the Revive Outsider spell cast at whatever level is necessary to revive the demon), restored to a total of 1 HP and then they are affected by an Eternity of Torture, fortunately for the demon the duration of the effect is only 100 years and a day. A Torture Demon affected by his own Eternity of Torture while on the material plane cannot return to the material plane for one thousand years and a day. The target of this ability must still be in range when the demon dies; if, for example, the demon is thrown off a cliff more than 100ft down he will not die until he lands, when he does he will be out of range and this ability will have no effect. If the demon commits suicide and his target escapes the 100ft range the subject will be safe.
Optional: This further use of this ability is unique to the campaign I am running and should not be considered a regular ability of any random Excruciator in hell, this ability only applies to demon's in the service of this particular demon lord. Torture Demons in the service of the demon god Lutzig the Cruel (whose portfolio includes suicide) may kill themselves (as a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity) and direct this ability at any creature in range. The demon must have an easy method of suicide available to them, such as cutting their throat with their own dagger for example. Note that this requires a full round action, as such the demon will not actually die until the beginning of his next turn in the initiative order, during which time his enemies may attempt to sunder or disarm his weapon or otherwise prevent him from killing himself. During this round the Torture Demon may not take any actions and is considered Dazed for all intents and purposes. If the Torture Demon is killed during this round (before he can kill himself) there is a 50% chance that the Eternity of Torture affects his killer or the one he originally targeted when he killed himself.

Lhurgyof
2014-05-28, 01:02 PM
Aren't demons always chaotic?

Also, they have torture demons in the Book of Vile darkness. I'd consider revamping your stats block so it's easier to read, if you could.

Looks fine to me, if a little messy.

Someonelse
2014-05-28, 01:10 PM
Aren't demons always chaotic?

Also, they have torture demons in the Book of Vile darkness. I'd consider revamping your stats block so it's easier to read, if you could.

Looks fine to me, if a little messy.

Yes, demons are chaotic, which is why I didn't want to use a pain devil, they're lawful.

There is no torture demon in the book of vile darkness. It says that the chasme is an expert in torture but doesn't give any further details. I wanted something a little more specialized.

I don't know how I could revamp my stat block, since I'm using the standard template that almost all stat blocks follow in 3rd edition materials.

Someonelse
2014-05-30, 09:24 AM
bump......

Lhurgyof
2014-05-30, 09:50 AM
It's very flavorful, I like his "one last bit of spite" ability. Also, thanks for bolding the headings, that helps read it a lot.

It has a lot of abilities, but they all feel unique, rather than listing random spells they have a purpose to him.

I'd set his challenge rating at around 14 maybe? He has low hit points but can do a lot of crazy crap.