FREQUENCY: Very rare
FREQUENCY:
Very rare ([Dungeon Level X])
FREQUENCY:
Very rare ([Astral Plane])
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -7
MOVE: 12"/24"
HIT DICE: 44 (199
HP)
% IN LAIR: 90%
TREASURETYPE: [I,]
[R], [U], [V]
NO. OF ATTACKS:
1 ~ 7
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-14
SPECIAL ATTACKS:
Rod, magic use, psionics
SPECIAL DEFENSES:
+3
or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
90%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra
genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful
evil
SIZE: L (13.5' tall)
PSlONlC ABILITY:
366
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: X | 70,965
(for destroying material form) | 709,650 (if killed permanently)
Asmodeus, arch-fiend,
the Overlord of all the dukes of Hell rules
by both might and wit.
He is physically
stronger than any other devil (as strong
as a storm giant) and the most cunning and artful.
His mighty palace
rests upon the floor of the lowest rift in Hell's
ninth plane. His servitors are pit-fiends
(q.v.)
and whichever of
the other lesser and greater devils he commands
to service. Once
per year he can command the arch-devils to attend his
court and pay homage.
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] | - | - | - | (fulfill another's) [wish] |
<* compare: ice blight>
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.
Asmodeus should be treated as a lesser god, though he very rarely has human worshipers.
MP: Asmodeus
is the current overlord of the dukes of Hell. He
ruels from a great
palace located in the lowest rift of Nessus,
the
ninth circle of
the plane. The disposition of his household and
staff is not fully
described, which is to Asmodeus's liking.
Rod:Asmodeus
has a glowing rod of pure ruby.
It acts as a rod
of absorption.
It also causes
serious wounds on anyone touched by its opaline tip.
Upon command it
will shoot forth a cone of frost, a
jet of acid, or a bolt of lightning
(all according to the appropriate dragon breath weapon).
(a cone of cold (frost) 7" long with a base diameter
of 21/2".)
(A blue dragon is capable of
discharging a bolt of electricity (lightning) in a straight line 1/2" wide
by 10" long.)
(in this case spitting acid in a 1/2" wide stream
which extends 6" in a straight line beginning at the height of the dragon's
head and
traveling in the direction and at the angle which the monster's head was
facing at the time of discharging the acid.)
<added, trim>
The value of this
instrument is 1,000,000 gold pieces considering
the gem qualities only!
Q: How much experience
would a
barbarian character get
for destroy
ing Asmodeus?s rod? How
much
damage do the rod?s blasts
of fire,
cold, etc., do?
A: Asmodeus?s rod
is an artifact and cannot
be destroyed in the same
manner as any
other item; it also has
no experience-point
value, per se. The DM might
decide what
the proper procedure for
destroying the
rod would be, then assign
an experiencepoint
value for fulfilling the
quest, but this
would be treated just like
any other experience
award and would be divided
among
all the participating characters.
The rod
duplicates the effects of
the frost, acid, or
lightning breath weapon
of a huge,
ancient dragon of the appropriate
type
(i.e., 64 hp acid, 80 hp
lightning, or 56 hp
frost damage). The rod does
not produce
fire (see the Monster Manual,
page 21,
?Asmodeus?).
(146.12)
Question:
Does the Rod of Asmodeus only absorb 50 spell levels, like a regular Rod
of Absorption, or is its power greater than that?
Is the Rod an artifact
or relic?
How about Geryon’s
horn?
Answer: Because
the Rod of Asmodeus “acts as a rod of absorption,”
we assume that it
can absorb up to 50 spell levels in a single USE (or in one encounter).
Because the rod
belongs to and is con-
trolled by Asmodeus,
we can assume that a powerful, magical
being such as he
is capable of recharging it (unlike a normal rod,
which cannot be
recharged) after a reasonable interval of time
(perhaps a day)
has passed since it was last charged up. This
interpretation makes
the Rod of Asmodeus infinitely powerful,
as far as its absorbing
ability is concerned, but it also places a
limit on how much
of the absorption power can be employed
within a certain
time span.
No, neither the Rod
of Asmodeus nor Geryon’s horn is an
artifact or relic.
Apparently, this question is derived from the fact
that the wand used
by Orcus is included on the artifacts and
relics list in the
DMG. However, the wand is a
special case; as
stated in the item’s description, it exists as an
artifact because
Orcus sometimes chooses to let it appear on
the PMP to further
the cause of chaos and evil.
Devils,
being lawful evil instead of chaotic evil, do not have such
a “carefree” attitude
about their precious items (such as the rod
and the horn) and
will not willingly part with them in such a
fashion. Thus, the
only way the Rod of Asmodeus or the horn of
Geryon, or any other-devil’s
favorite weapon, can be encoun-
tered is when encountering
the devil himself.
Description:
There can be no question that Asmodeus is the most
handsome of all
devils as well as being the strongest and most cunning.
The ultimate evil
he represents can be seen in his beauty only when he so
wills or if he forgets
himself and flies into a rage.
ADQ: Monster Manual II
says that
Belial is the most handsome of all the
arch-devils. Is he handsomer than
Asmodeus?
ADA: No. Asmodeus is the handsomest
devil. Since Asmodeus is in charge, he is
obviously the cleverest and most charismatic
of all the infernal beings.
(Polyhedron #18)
Question: I have been
playing Dungeons and Dragons for
several months, to the point
where I have challenged
Asmodeus and won! Is Asmodeus
in a lemure state now, until
he can regain his former
status, or is Baalzebul in charge?
Answer: WHEW! Either
way, I’d say you are in trouble. There are
varying views on this question.
One side agrees with you when you say
that he is in a lemure state,
while others say Asmodeus is just banished
from the plane you defeated
him on. Others go so far as to say that
Asmodeus is not dead, but
just waiting to get you when you least expect
it. Any way you look at
it, you, my friend, are in trouble.
If he is just in lemure
state, then when he is back in full power he is
going to come looking for
you to make sure you don’t do that again. If
he is dead, forever gone,
then Baalzebul is going to come looking for
you to make sure you don’t
get a chance to do it to him. Without all the
facts on how you mananged
to defeat him, it is impossible for me to
give you a clear-cut answer.
I can make suggestions, but when it comes
right down to what exactly
happened and what state he is in, that is a
DM decision.
I feel that after several
months of playing D&D you cannot be
anywhere near powerful enough
to challenge the arch-devil himself.
However, since you say you
defeated him, I would venture that he is
just banished from the plane
you killed him on. I would also say that at
the first opportunity, he
will bring you to hell to finish you off.
Good
luck. You are going to need
it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nagora
...
Which brings me to a question
for Gary:
You've mentioned a few times the fact that no one in your campaign would ever have been able to take on a Demon Prince. Yet I think many people would consider Mordy more than so able on his own, let alone with Robilar and some of the other "big names" in tow.
I think this reflects a general difficulty for DMs to really get to grips with the level of challenge such an opponent is supposed to represent (for instance, there is an active thread over at Dragonfoot's 1st edition forum about why Asmodeus is a whimp because he "only has 199" hit points).
In broad terms, Gary, how would you recommend a DM doing justice to the power of the top ranks of the Evil planes when encountered by high level PCs?
Such deital figures are
so far beyond ant effects by mortals that I would simply give a warning
to that effect, then:
Asmodeus (or whomever it was the PCs were contemplating assaulting) would send in a few companies of devils (or demons) so as to have some entertaining sport to amuse him for a time. When he tired of that, it would be time do something such as begin killing each of the offending mortals slowly with his power, drawing out their soul if not protected from him by some other like deity, and sending it off to suffer in one of the hells or a layer of the abyss.
If: "Hey! you can't do that because X isn't like that in the book," so what? Who says that the information in that work is correct in regards to deities? Do you imagne they are going to reveal their secrets to the likes of you?
Cheers,
Gary