Unclarified devil powers in 1e Monster Manual

[Tacticslion]

After stumbling across a thread that revealed there were some active 1e players still lingering here recently (at least as of 2019, which is like "recently"), I decided to bring this question to this forum, as I don't really know where else to ask. I understand that 1e is a bit of a looser collection of rules than the editions I'm more familiar with, but would still appreciate guidance about these things.

Does anyone know what "beguile" means in the 1AD&D archdevil stat blocks?

It's listed under the powers of every "Arch-devil" in both the MM1 and MM2 - but I have no idea what it really is.

Most everything they have listed is a spell, but "beguile" not - it's not described under "devil," it's not described anywhere else in the MMs, and it doesn't refer to a magic item (unlike "rulership" which explicitly refers to the rod of rulership item; there are so many questions, there, too, but I'll get back to that) and it (with their other abilities) are usable "at will once per turn, or melee round."

I'll show off three examples to clarify what I mean.

First is Asmodeus,

The powers possessed by Asmodeus which are usable at will, once per turn or melee round, are: pyrotechnics, produce flame, wall of fire, ice storm, wall of ice, continual light, read languages, read magic, detect invisible, locate object, invisibility, dispel magic, hold person, hold monster, shape change, beguile, rulership, mass charm, geas, restoration, raise dead fully, or (fulfill another's) wish. Asmodeus can use the following powers once per day: symbol of pain, symbol of insanity, symbol of hopelessness (save versus magic or submit to Asmodeus' will), (un)holy word. He can always summon 2 lesser or 1 greater devil. The gaze of this arch-fiend causes fear, fear and weakness or chill (slows 50% and -5 on all dice rolls) at his option. Saving throw versus magic applies.

then Baalzebul,

This arch-devil can employ any of the following powers, one at a time, as desired, during a turn or melee round, as applicable: pyrotechnics, produce flame, wall of fire, continual light, read languages, read magic, detect invisible, locate object, invisibility, dispel magic, shape change, beguile, rulership (as a rod of rulership), hold person, charm monster, geas, restoration, raise dead fully, (fulfill another's) wish. Once per day Baalzebul can use: symbol of pain, symbol of insanity, (un)holy word. He can always summon 1-4 horned devils. His glance causes fear and weakness (saving throw versus magic or collapse in trembling until 1-4 melee rounds after the gaze is lifted) whenever he directly stares at any person.

and finally Dispater,

The following powers are possible at will for Dispater, one at a time per turn or melee round, as applicable: pyrotechnics, produce flame, wall of fire, light, read magic, read languages, detect invisible, shape change, beguile, geas, restoration, raise dead fully, (fulfill another's) wish.

Also Geryon in the MM1, and the other arch-devils in MM2. This isn't an ability the tanar'ri or anyone else in the MMs have, as far as I can tell.

That's certainly not the only question I have about those, but that bothers me because I can't find anything except maybe a rod of beguiling, but that seems kind of mad. (Also the lack of alphabetization does not help in keeping my sanity.)

Obviously Asmodeus' "rulership" ability isn't clarified, but I feel certain it's a rod of rulership from context of the other arch-devils - though I'd be happy to be proven wrong; and I really don't know how (or even if Gygax expected we should) apply the limits of the rod. Similarly if anyone wants to clarify other things I'm more than happy to listen - I'm not entirely familiar with "raise dead fully" for example, though the gist functions "enough" for me to hum a few bars and fake it: I'm familiar with 2e AD&D (though hardly a master of the system) and I'm sure numerous quirks from 1e still escape me.

Also, does "one at a time" mean, for example, Dispater can have a wall of fire or he could have a geas in effect (one must be extinguished or ended for the other to come online); or does it mean on turn 3 of combat Dispater can use wall of flame, and on turn 4, while the wall of flame was still going he could then use geas safely from the other side of said wall?

And does "(fulfill another's) wish" simply refer to the ability that, when someone else casts the spell wish they are able to grant that as they see fit (presumptively if within "their region" or their area of power or whatever) or that, say, they can grant the expressed desires of another creature once each round (presumptively the other creature may or may not need to say, "I wish..." first)?

Thank you for your help, and God bless you!

[Telok]

I can't answer all but:

Fulfill another's wish is exactly that. They're granting wishes like genies. Twisted, monkeys paw, hell wishes, obviously. But still just straight up wish granting. It's generally implied, and was accepted as such during my AD&D days, that this would be granting the wishes of free agent mortals and the like in order to further an agenda. None of the rule janking about ordering another devil or keeping a dominated human around to make wishes they wanted. We just played it honest Faust.

Thd "one at a time" was always (for my groups obviously) just a reminder to not do two things at once. So no casting a spell and granting a wish and using a "free action" style ability all in the same turn. Recalling of course that you were using the ten minute turns and one minute combat rounds, not "on Bob's turn, then on Carl's trun, then..." type stuff.

For much of the rest you might try the Dragonsfoot forums. They're a long standing AD&D forum that your answers might turn up on. Alternately find a copy, or someone with a copy, of the Dragon Magazine compilation cd-rom to run a content search through.

[Lord Torath]

There's a 1E magic item called the Rod of Beguiling. It's essentially a Mass Charm Monster that affects everyone (with Int: 1 or higher) in range (2" which is 20 feet indoors and 20 yards outdoors) that lasts for 1 turn (ten minutes). Save vs Wand/Staff/Rod to resist.

I suspect the Beguiling ability the devils get is the same thing.

And as Telok said, "Usable at will, one at a time" means you don't need spell components, and you don't need to worry about getting interrupted, but you can only activate one ability per round. So your second example is correct: Wall of Fire on round one, then on round two, while safely behind the wall, Geas (assuming he can see his target through the wall of fire).

If you do want to check out Dragonsfoot, please feel free!

[D+1]

Does anyone know what "beguile" means in the 1AD&D archdevil stat blocks?

It'd be the same effect as a Rod of Beguiling from the DMG. AD&D does that a fair amount - refers to powers from potions, or magic items, or even a monster ability, rather than meaning a particular SPELL. And, of course, you always have to beware of references to stuff that never actually made it into the printed rules. 1E!

Obviously Asmodeus' "rulership" ability isn't clarified, but I feel certain it's a rod of rulership from context of the other arch-devils

...just like that.

and I really don't know how (or even if Gygax expected we should) apply the limits of the rod

You would generally want to use the limits that would apply in the context it was listed for the monster. For example, both beguile and rulership are listed as "at-will once per round OR turn" or words to that effect. So it seems confusing which of those IS supposed to be per round and which are per turn. Well, looking at the Rod of Rulership description its effects last 1 turn, so that should answer that. Most of the others in the same listing of effects are spells and therefore simply per round.

I'm not entirely familiar with "raise dead fully" for example

The Raise Dead spell brings people back to life but they then still have to recuperate for 1 day for each day they were deceased. The "raise dead fully" ability would dispense with that additional recuperation time. Note, of course, that the raised individual would still have to pass the Resurrection Survival check.

Also, does "one at a time" mean, for example, Dispater can have a wall of fire or he could have a geas in effect (one must be extinguished or ended for the other to come online); or does it mean on turn 3 of combat Dispater can use wall of flame, and on turn 4, while the wall of flame was still going he could then use geas safely from the other side of said wall?

It's actually equivalent to being "at-will". At-will in AD&D doesn't mean those abilities take no time or effort - they do. They can do any ONE of the listed abilities in a round, not ALL of them. But they don't CAST those spells or effects - they simply WILL them to happen so it doesn't stop them from attacking physically or doing other things. It's the AD&D approach to an action economy.

And does "(fulfill another's) wish" simply refer to the ability that, when someone else casts the spell wish they are able to grant that as they see fit (presumptively if within "their region" or their area of power or whatever) or that, say, they can grant the expressed desires of another creature once each round (presumptively the other creature may or may not need to say, "I wish..." first)?

It means they can't use a Wish effect for themselves, as if they were actually casting the spell - but if someone else makes a request of them that can be fulfilled by a Wish, then they can just WILL that to happen as it's one of their at-will abilities.

[Khedrac]

Curiously raise dead fully made it into Master D&D as a spell (pretty much the equivalent of AD&D's resurrection), however I don't think we can take that as the basis for Asmodeus' power because the Mentzer Master D&D book came out eight years later (1985).
Now since the Monster Manual was released first (1977 compared to the PHB's 1978 and DMG 1979) the most likely explanation is that they changed the name of the spell after the Monster Manual was written, so in this case I suspect it is supposed to be resurrection.

I think this publishing order glitch is probably responsible for all such undefined powers, but since I don't have the older version of D&D to check, I cannot tell of any of them were defined in the "original" D&D rules published first.

[Tacticslion]

This is all excellent! Thank you!

I'm playing a semi-hybridized 1e/2e game (because I only have scattered or incomplete resources), and this all helps immensely.

If you do want to check out Dragonsfoot, please feel free!

Thanks! I'll see about doing so... at some point! (I am mildly hesitant to step out of these waters for no real reason whatsoever, but I'll work my courage up at some point, probably! XD )

[rredmond]

If you do want to check out Dragonsfoot, please feel free!

Thanks! I'll see about doing so... at some point! (I am mildly hesitant to step out of these waters for no real reason whatsoever, but I'll work my courage up at some point, probably! XD )

If you have any difficulties, please PM me. But your hestitancy is completely understandable. :D