Outsiders that Choose to Eat?

[Dr. Cliché]

In terms of (non-native) Outsiders, their subtype has the following to say:

"Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish)."

I'm curious as to what happens when an outsider chooses to eat. Normally, food would pass through a digestive system which would extract nutrients, then indigestible waste would be excreted at the other end. However, given that Outsiders don't need to eat, I'm presuming that they don't have digestive systems. So what happens to the food?

For example, let's say that a Barbed Devil (I've chosen a more 'solid' Outsider, as opposed to an Elemental or such) decides to gorge itself on human food. What would happen to that food? Does it end up in an extra-dimensional space? Would it just build up in some sort of cavity and eventually rot? Would it be digested/absorbed by some magical means? If the latter, could a Barbed Devil actually get fat by eating too much?

[Bohandas]

This isn't an answer but I recall the opposite situation also being mentioned in Fiendish Codex I, that at least some demons can poop even if they don't eat anything.

edit: NVM I misread pg.7

[MaxiDuRaritry]

This isn't an answer but I recall the opposite situation also being mentioned in Fiendish Codex I, that at least some demons can poop even if they don't eat anything.Maybe the Good outsiders get to eat, while the Evil ones get the other end of the stick?

I guess that's why they're the Lower Planes, 'cuz they're on the bottom.

That's a crappy deal for the fiends, then.

[Tvtyrant]

There are Outsiders that specifically predate on other Outsiders, and some that live in voids. Personally I hold that Outsiders aren't alive at all, they are essentially spiritual mimicry of reality, like little plays the planes put on. That is why Demon Princes and Dukes of Hell only die in soap opera plots and the wars never accomplish anything, everything on the planes is toys being played with by the planes themselves.

[Bohandas]

For example, let's say that a Barbed Devil (I've chosen a more 'solid' Outsider, as opposed to an Elemental or such) decides to gorge itself on human food. What would happen to that food? Does it end up in an extra-dimensional space? Would it just build up in some sort of cavity and eventually rot? Would it be digested/absorbed by some magical means? If the latter, could a Barbed Devil actually get fat by eating too much?

From a mythical perspective I would say that in this particular case it would eventually turn to gold. There's an old aphorism which holds that "money is the devil's ****"

[Alcore]

depends but my take (and one official option) is that the same thing as undead eating; Nothing.


plenty of undead are capable of eating and yet do not ever take on weight. Libris Mortis went in to some detail and some fictional mages are of the theory that the food ingested plane shifts. Food that Ghouls eat merely go to the negative energy plane itself and is decomposed there into more negative energy. Demons could work on the same principle without any fus. It can also work different with specific demons as they are a chaotic bunch to say the least.

[False God]

The same thing with dragon poop. Per the DracoNom-Nomicon rules the volume dragons must east is absurd. Even a few dragons would quickly consume massive amounts of food (assuming they dont resort to eating rocks). But their bodies just "magically" turn it all into energy. Even ROCKS.

I figure same thing happens with many if not most outsiders, it just gets magically converted into "energy".

Demons and Devils are not so much physical creatures as physical manifestations of spiritual energy. They have as many functioning organs as they choose to, and their bodies follow the "mortal" rules for consumption only as much as they desire it. IMO.

[Kelb_Panthera]

There's no canonical answer to the best of my knowledge. Now outsiders -do- have digestive systems, at least some of them do, according to FC1. Personally, I'd rule that their system functions pretty much the same as ours but it gets a -lot- less work since they only eat as a matter of choice.

Naturally, this means some of the more gluttinous fiends and the like deal with it as frequently or moreso than we do, not that they care.

I can't imagine a modron eating except maybe a rogue consuming a potion or goodberry or something.

The real question is what's up with formians? Do they actually eat it or do they chew, process, and... orally expell the consumed material to make a nest like so many RL insects.

[The Insanity]

Personally I choose to avoid such contemplations entirely by just saying that no one poops or pees. It's a fantastical world, not reality, thus it doesn't have to work like real world, so in my games all food gets converted into energy or material and there's no waste. And that includes every creature, not just outsiders or undead. No one roleplays their character going to the outhouse so at least there's a canon reason for it in my setting.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Personally I choose to avoid such contemplations entirely by just saying that no one poops or pees. It's a fantastical world, not reality, thus it doesn't have to work like real world, so in my games all food gets converted into energy or material and there's no waste. And that includes every creature, not just outsiders or undead. No one roleplays their character going to the outhouse so at least there's a canon reason for it in my setting.I think it's funnier, personally, if the celestials do all the eating, while the fiends have to deal with the excretion.

Maybe that's why they're so crabby.

[upho]

Maybe the Good outsiders get to eat, while the Evil ones get the other end of the stick?

I guess that's why they're the Lower Planes, 'cuz they're on the bottom.

That's a crappy deal for the fiends, then.Of course! Who can argue the flawless logic of such a succinctly and eloquently presented theory? Wait... OMG! :smalleek: This actually explains so much and confirms what I've suspected for a long time now. For example: people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) are actually possessed by demons, Sir Mix-A-Lot (https://youtu.be/X53ZSxkQ3Ho?t=30) and later Nicki Minaj (https://youtu.be/LDZX4ooRsWs?t=68) were part of a still ongoing infernal PR campaign for The Pit, and Terrance and Philip (https://youtu.be/uDDJvC2CGaU?t=88) are probably the two most dedicated devil worshipers in the entire history of mankind!

On a slightly more serious note, it appears at least some of the demons in the Abrahamic religions - which most D&D devils were based on - do have a digestive system and need to do number two, presumably after they've eaten:

https://res.cloudinary.com/upho/image/upload/c_scale,w_410/v1572673935/Belphegor_kpd3vf.jpg
The demon Belphegor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belphegor) on the loo. (Dictionnaire Infernal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionnaire_Infernal), 1818)

And now I can't stop imagining a balor in a baseball cap, sunglasses and gold chains, sitting on the potty and quietly going: "My anaconda don't want none unless you've got buns, hun!"

[Kelb_Panthera]

And now I can't stop imagining a balor in a baseball cap, sunglasses and gold chains, sitting on the potty and quietly going: "My anaconda don't want none unless you've got buns, hun!"

And now neither can I. Anyone got any brain-bleach? For the love of all that's holy someone help me put out my mind's eye! :smalleek:

[Esprit15]

I seem to recall one of the Fiendish Codexes speculating on this, with the conclusion being “Yeah, it’s weird, we don’t really know.”

[Crake]

I seem to recall one of the Fiendish Codexes speculating on this, with the conclusion being “Yeah, it’s weird, we don’t really know.”

That's basically book speak for "there's no official answer, do what you want".


There are Outsiders that specifically predate on other Outsiders, and some that live in voids. Personally I hold that Outsiders aren't alive at all, they are essentially spiritual mimicry of reality, like little plays the planes put on. That is why Demon Princes and Dukes of Hell only die in soap opera plots and the wars never accomplish anything, everything on the planes is toys being played with by the planes themselves.

I mean, that's pretty much true, outsiders are coalesced planar and spirit matter. They're basically ghosts.

[hamishspence]

outsiders are coalesced planar and spirit matter. They're basically ghosts.

Not exactly. Templates that say "any living creature" can be applied to Outsiders.

[SimonMoon6]

I imagine it's like how the Crystal Gems in Steven Universe can eat but don't need to. Food will pass through their body in the expected way, though they derive no nutrition from it.

[RatElemental]

I imagine it's like how the Crystal Gems in Steven Universe can eat but don't need to. Food will pass through their body in the expected way, though they derive no nutrition from it.

That probably explains why Pearl doesn't like to eat.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

That probably explains why Pearl doesn't like to eat.And it's explicitly why Amethyst does.

She's kind of a freak, honestly.

[AlanBruce]

I believe 2nd edition had some fluff on the monster manual regarding the Lillend from Arborea- the CG winged and snake tailed bard women.

It went into specific detail as to how they enjoy eating meat. They don’t need to, but they sure enjoy it when they visit artists in the Prime.

Problem is that consuming meat drives them into a torpor and makes them sluggish.

Again, this is a vague recollection from many years ago... and possibly from 2nd edition.

[Psyren]

Not even humanoids have rules for gaining weight from food, so I wouldn't expect outsiders to.

From a setting perspective I think it would just vanish.

[Dr. Cliché]

Not even humanoids have rules for gaining weight from food

If I'm honest, I didn't think this would need rules.

I would think the connection between humans(/humanoids) eating and subsequently gaining weight has been fairly well established.

In contrast, it's a little harder to draw on real world experience when it comes to creatures from the Nine Hells. :smallwink:

[Psyren]

If I'm honest, I didn't think this would need rules.

I would think the connection between humans(/humanoids) eating and subsequently gaining weight has been fairly well established.

In contrast, it's a little harder to draw on real world experience when it comes to creatures from the Nine Hells. :smallwink:

Sure, but if you're quoting type/subtype rules to say "there's nothing definitive here" then it goes both ways :smalltongue:

Anyway - my guess is the "they can eat if they want to" line is primarily to show they can benefit from things like potions and goodberry/heroes' feast, and you're really not meant to think about it beyond that.

At the end of the day they're magical creatures, so their physiology doesn't have to make sense. Warforged can eat too, but I can't envision them gaining weight either, and they certainly wouldn't need to poop. So what happens to the food? Imagine whatever answer it takes to square that in your mind; I choose some form of evaporation/subsumption that thoroughly violates conservation of mass.

[Asmotherion]

i'm prety sure that even outsiders have a biologic physiology. Devils even have a description of an organ they have in their body that contains all possible promotion forms. So they probably do have a digestive system eventhough their body is not consisted of actual matter.

i imagine that most outsiders would choose to eat as a form of recreational pleasure (the same way humans choose to consume tobacco products eventhough our body does not need to).

Maybe apples indeed are the equivalent of cigarettes in Styx? (if you get the referance you're awesome).

[Mister Rex]

As far as I'm aware they're perfectly capable of enjoying what they eat, recreational speaking they can and do for sport. Some Pathfinder setting books (such as all the information on Axis in Book 5 of War for the Crown AP) has some implications of it.

[Karl Aegis]

I believe 2nd edition had some fluff on the monster manual regarding the Lillend from Arborea- the CG winged and snake tailed bard women.

It went into specific detail as to how they enjoy eating meat. They don’t need to, but they sure enjoy it when they visit artists in the Prime.

Problem is that consuming meat drives them into a torpor and makes them sluggish.

Again, this is a vague recollection from many years ago... and possibly from 2nd edition.

The Lillendi of Ysgard never left any excrement behind because, as beings of pure law, they never wasted anything they consumed.

[Psyren]

The Lillendi of Ysgard never left any excrement behind because, as beings of pure law, they never wasted anything they consumed.

I can't speak for 2e, but Lillends are Chaotic beings in 3e/PF.

[AlanBruce]

The Lillendi of Ysgard never left any excrement behind because, as beings of pure law, they never wasted anything they consumed.

I can’t pinpoint accurately what Plane of existence they hail from. I am quite positive that in every iteration, Lillendi are Chaotic Good, not lawful.

And although excrement has been mentioned in several posts, I chose to give an anecdote about outsider feeding habits, which is the topic of this thread.

[Karl Aegis]

I can't speak for 2e, but Lillends are Chaotic beings in 3e/PF.

They were beings of law until they switched sides in 2e. They get the Silent Hour for doing that: a time of death they choose. Most of the Planescape setting was fluff, so it should be at least workable with 3e fluff as long as it wasn't updated.


Lillendi devour both material food and magical essences. They can sustain themselves on moonbeams and the elemental essence of the wilderness (mountain breezes, gentle rains, raging rivers, and forest fires), though they prefer more substantial meals. If they gorge themselves on meat, they often remain in a torpid digestive state for hours or even days. This torpor doubles their spellcasting times, halves their constriction damage, and causes a -2 penalty to initiative. The lillendi enjoy this sluggishness, though they are wise enough not to go into such torpor alone and unguarded. Lillendi arc known for broad tastes: They cat meat, vegetables, hay, grains. or spell components with equal abandon. Their digestion is complete and efficient; they excrete nothing, though some say that the lillendi merely transmute matter into magical energy. Hunters and rangers have never found scat or markings in lillendi territory. It may be that anything indigestible is transformed into the fog that lillendi sometimes breathe out. Who knows?

[Malphegor]

Angels are supposedly addicted to the non-addictive Ambrosia, which is made by magically harvesting moments of a lot of joy on people via the Distilled Joy spell.

In... theory, devils eat souls or use it somehow to advance themselves to higher HD devils, culminating in stuff like balors and whatnot. I think.

[Bohandas]

Angels are supposedly addicted to the non-addictive Ambrosia, which is made by magically harvesting moments of a lot of joy on people via the Distilled Joy spell.

And conversely a lot of fiends are addicted to Agony/Liquid Pain, made by harvesting the pain of mortals through the extract pain spell. Like on Twin Peaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ax1ZIpyiY8

[Braininthejar2]

There are things in the lower planes that hunt and eat other things solely to be jerks.

There are probably devils that eat human souls and sh** lemures.

Beyond that, the way I see it, an outsider is normally sustained by whatever planar energies it absorbs from the environment. If they do eat something, they digest it and gain sustenance from that, but that replaces one energy source with another, so they don't get any surplus unless they actually gorge themselves enough to get fat.

[AntiAuthority]

Maybe the Good outsiders get to eat, while the Evil ones get the other end of the stick?

I guess that's why they're the Lower Planes, 'cuz they're on the bottom.

That's a crappy deal for the fiends, then.

... I shouldn't have laughed at this, but I did.

Anyway, I'd say they do have an optional/unnecessary digestive system.

If I were DM'ing, I'd say it can digest things like a normal being... Or whatever is eaten is just absorbed by the Outsider entirely without anything being left over? I've honestly never thought about this, but take a Demon that was a glutton in life, I imagine they'd be able to digest food in some form?

... I don't have any answers for this beyond headcanon.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

... I shouldn't have laughed at this, but I did.I imagine it's because the celestials have a stick shoved too far up, so the fiends have to take up the slack.

[Bohandas]

There are things in the lower planes that hunt and eat other things solely to be jerks.

There are probably devils that eat human souls and sh** lemures.

That's the Gulthir from Monster Manual 5, although the combat stats and flavor text are a little bit at odds with each other