Demons && Devils
Random Generation of Creatures from the Lower Planes
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At times i t might be useful
to have an unrecognizable creature of evil from
the planes of the Abyss,
Tarterus,
Hades,
Gehenna,
or Hell. It i s no great
matter to sit down and design
a fairly interesting one given an hour or so,
but time or desire lacking,
the following will enable you to create one or
several such monsters in
but a few minutes. The format is straight from the
AD&D MONSTER
MANUAL for ease of recording and handling the
creature(s) developed.
FREQUENCY: Common, uncommon,
or rare (d6: I, 2-3, 4-6)
NO. APPEARING: 1 to 2-8
(circumstances must dictate)
ARMOR CLASS: 0 to -3 (d4)
MOVE: 6", 9", 12", 15",
or 18"
(d8,
6-8 = roll d4 for move ond creature also has swimming or flying ability;
roll d6, 1-2 = swimming, 3-6 = flying, ond os o rule these speeds will
be greater than land move speed add 1-4 3" increments os you see fit or
by random determination using d4)
HIT DICE. 7 to 10
(d4 +
6, roll a second d4, and on a 4 the creature has 1-4 odditionol hit points
per hit die, as determined by another roll of the d4)
% IN LAIR: (circurnstonces
must dictate)
TREASURE TYPE: low value
if any (circumstances must dictote)
NO. OF ATTACKS: See APPEARANCE
TABLE below
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See ATTACK
TABLE below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See SPECIAL
ATTACKS TABLE below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See SPECIAL
DEFENSES TABLE below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5% per
hit die (to vary use d6, 1 = -5%, 2 = -10%, 3 = +5%, 4 = +10%, 5 = +15%,
and 6 = STANDARD magic resistance)
INTELLIGENCE: Low, average,
very, or high (d4)
ALIGNMENT: According to
plane of origin
SIZE: S, M, or 1 (d8, I
= S, 2-4 = M, 5-8 = 1)
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil (90%)
or 96 - 115 (d20 + 95)
Attack/Defense
Modes: A-D (d4) / F-H (d6, 1-2 = F, 3-4 = F and G, 5-6 = F, G, and H)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: <add
XP values for special abilities? actually whole page should be C#, randomly
generated>
Appearance Table:
HEAD
1. bat-like
2. bird-like*
3. crocodilian
4. horse-like
5. human-like
6. monkey-like
7. snake-like
8. weasel-like
OVERALL VISAGE
1. gibbering - drooling
2. glaring - menacing
3. rotting
4. skeletal
5 . twitching - moving
6. wrinkled - seamed
EYE COLOR
1. amber
2. black
3. blue
4. green
5. metallic
6. orange-red
NOSE (if necessary)
1. flat, misshapen
2. huge, bulbous
3. slits only
4. snouted
5. tiny
6. trunk-like
HEAD ADORNMENT
1. antlers
2. crest or peak
3. horns (1 -4)
4. knobs
5. ridge(s)
6. ruff
7. spines
8. none
EARS
1 . dog-like
2. elephant-like
3. human, tiny
4. human, huge
5. trumpet-like
6. none
EYES (d6, 1 = 1, 2-4
= 2,5-6 = 3-4)
1. small, multi-faceted
2. small, slitted
3. swivel-socketed
4. stalked
5. huge, flat
6. huge, protruding
MOUTH (d6, 1 = tiny,
2-3 = average, 4-6 = huge)
1. fanged
2. mandibled**
3. sucker-like**
4. toothed, small or ridged
5. toothed, large
6. tushed
BODY ATTRIBUTES (d6, 1-4 = bipedal,5-6 = quadrupedal, et al.)
Bipedal Torso
1. ape-like
2. bear-like
3. bird-like
4. human-like
5. pig-like
6. rat-like
Quadrupedal or Other Torso
1. amoeba-like
2. bison-like
3. cat-like
4. crab-like
5. horse-like
6. insect-like
7. serpent-like or reptilian
8. spider-like
General Characteristics
(roll twice)
| 1. | fat | 2. | broad |
| 2. | long | 2. | muscled |
| 3. | short | 3. | narrow |
| 4. | thin | 4. | rubbery |
<fat = poison save bonus? see saving throw section in the DMG>
Tail (d6, 1-4 = tail)
1 . barbed **
2. dog-like
3. goat-like
4. horse-like
5. lion-like
6. pig-like
7. prehensile
8. stingered **
Body Odor
1. bloody
2. fishy
3. fecal
4. gangrenous
5. moldy
6. sweaty
7. urine
8. vomit
Skin
1. bald/smooth
2. furred
3. hairy/bristled
4. leathery/leprous
5. scaled
6. slimy
7. warted/bumpy
8. wrinkled/folded
Predominant Color
1. blackish
2. bluish
3. brownish
4. grayish - whitish
5. greenish
6. orangy
7. pinkish
8. purplish
9. reddish
10. yellowish - tannish
Back
1. humped/hunched
2. maned
3. normal
4. spiked/spined/ridged
Wings, if Any
1 . bat-like
2. bird-like
3. insect-like
4. membranous or fan-like
ARMS (2 or 4 if bipedal;
2,4, or 6 if otherwise)
1. animal-like
2. human-like
3. insect-like
4. tentacles
HANDS (d6,l-3 = all
alike, 4-6 = different)
1 .clawed
2. human-nailed
3. pincered
4. toloned
5. tentacle-fingered
6. withered and bony
LEGS AND FEET (as applicable)
<>
LEGS
1. clawed
2. hooved
3. human-like
4. insect-like
5. snake-like
6. suctioned
7. taloned
8. webbed (all swimmers)
FEET
*
1 . duck-like
2. hawk-like
3. owl-like
4. pelican-like
5. stork-like
6. turkey-like
<*=?>
**Optionally
poisoned (or 4 in 6)
1. +1 on save
2. normal
4. -1 on save
5. -2 on save
5. insanity for 1-4 rounds
6. weakness; 1 point per hit die permanently lost
A bit of imaginative creation
is helpful in using the tables above. For
example, if the creature's
body is amoeba-like, you might well decide to
give i t scores of tiny,
bubbling sucker mouths over its entire body, and omit
any mouth on the head; of
course, body covering would have to be adiusted
accordingly, and appendages
selected to suit the monster. Likewise,
you should feel at ease
adding to or amending the tables as you desire in
order to arrive ot still
more diverse and unexpected lower planes
creatures. (Cf. THE DRAGON
#20, Vol. Ill, No. 6: "Demonology Made
Easy",
by Gregory Rihn. This excellent
article gives some interesting thoughts on
variant creatures of the
evil planes!) When you hove the form and appearance <link>
of the creature, determine
strength, if necessary, and then attack
capabilities.
| - | Strength | "To Hit" | Damage |
| 01-25 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 26-45 | 18 | 1 | 2 |
| 46-60 | 18 (01-50) | 1 | 3 |
| 61-70 | 18 (51-75) | 2 | 3 |
| 71-80 | 18 (76-90) | 2 | 4 |
| 81-90 | 18 (91-99) | 2 | 5 |
| 91-95 | 18 (00) | 3 | 6 |
| 96-98 | 19 | 3 | 7 |
| 99-00 | 20 | 3 | 8 |
ATTACK TABLE
antlers or horns = 1 attack
each, damage 1-2 to 2-8
mouth = 1 attack each, damagefrom
1 to3-12
tail = special attacks only,
damage from 1 to 1-6
hands = 1 attack each possible
if no weapon use, strength bonus applicable if used as clubbing weapon,
damage from base 1-2 to 2-1 2
feet = 1 attack each if
applicable (flyer, leaper, etc.), damage from 1-2 to 3-1 2
Damage amount is determined
by overall size of creature, with strength
bonuses where applicable,
and the size and type of body weaponry, i.e. a
huge creature with clawed
hands would get damage ratings of at least 2-8
per hit. Constriction or
hugging damage would be commensurate with a
known creature of the same
approximate size. incidenta; spine-type damage
is best kept relatively
low -- 1-3, 1-4, or 1-6 range. Special effectsfrom
these attack forms -- poison,
energy drain, heat, cold, electrical discharge,
paralysis, or whotever-should
be kept to a minimum.
Special attacks and
special
defenses can't be dealt with in as much detail
as would be desirable in
a work of unlimited length. The tables below will
suggest various magical
attack/defense forms, and the DM is urged to add
others of his own creation
as appropriate to the plane and the creature.
1 . ability drain
2. energy drain (cold)
3. gaseous discharge or
missile discharge
4. heat generation
5. life level drain
6. spell-like abilities
7. spell use
8. summon/gate
Spell-like and spell
use abilities should be bosed upon intelligence level
and relative strength in
hit dice. Compare doemons, demons, devils, and
night hags. From 1-2 spells
and a like number of spell-like abilities is sufficient
for lesser creatures, while'the
more powerful and intelligent will
get a toto1 of 2-5 each,
some being of higher level (telekinesis, teleportation,
etc.).
1. acid immunity
2. cold immunity
3. electrical immunity
4. fire immunity
5. gas immunity
6. metal immunity
7. poison immunity
8. regeneration
9. spell immunity
10. weapon immunity
Immunities
above four are possible only if the general class (demons,
devils, etc.) has more.
Metal immunity can pertain to iron, silver, steel, or
any other, including combinations,
but excluding mogicol weoponry.
Regeneration base is 1 hit
point per turn, with exceptional creatures
having a maximum of 1 per
round. Spell immunity must be limited to 1-4
pre-determined spells. Weapon
immunity refers to creatures hit only by
magical weapons of a certain
volue, i.e. + 1 , +2, etc.
1 .audial superiority
2. surprise capability
3. visual superiority
Audial or visual superiority
will tend to negate surprise and enable detection
of creatures through sound
or vision. Surprise capability relates to
special movement ability
and possibly other factors. Visual superiority
refers to infravisual and
ultravisual capabilities.
To avoid having nothing more
than different mixtures of the same old ingredients,
be certain that you put
a bit of personal creativity into each
monster. A list of new and
different factors should be started, perhaps in
the margin, and then fresh
ideas added as they come. When a monster is
devised, cross off the unique
features from the marginal list.
OUT ON A LIMB
The other complaint I have is with the Sorcerer’s
Scroll. I see this article as one in many of a
series which is making TSR into a Judges’ Guild <link>
organization. Random demons indeed!
It would
make more sense to give a list of demon noses than
a d6 chart. Such charts are for the two types of DMs
that run dungeons the worst: the DM sans imagination
and the DM who rolls dice to absolve blame.
If you can’t think of what a demon looks like,
use the prerolled demons or none at all. If you lack
the imagination to create dungeon denizens,
do
you have the imagination to create a dungeon?
Then there is the DM that rolls dice and points
the blame to the plastic polyhedra. I like to be in
control of my dungeons. This lets bias slip in, but I
would rather be biased than let a group of wandering
flesh golems slip into my first level where they
do not belong.
To give an illustration: When I began to DM, I
had a group of Pixies inhabiting a room in my
second level. They had a magic sword (roll dice!
83! the life drainer!) which they did not use because
it was too big for them.
So the party slew the pixies and took the sword.
Whereupon the party commenced to destroy my
dungeon. Lacking critical hits and fumbles
(something
AD&D sorely needs) the monsters rarely
did
more than d6, while the fighter did d6 and sucked a
life level.
The obvious solution is to make the table more
of a suggestion than a chart. But this is not emphasized
in the games I have seen. There are times
when dicing is necessary, there are times when it is
useful, and there are times when it is a neck-pain
and waste of time (combat, rolling versus characteristics,
and demon generation being respective
examples).
In the time it takes me to find my dice, roll them,
index them to the table and write the result down, I
can invent the random demon and it will make
more sense to me than a snakelike, antlered,
wrinkled, dogeared demon with huge flat red eyes,
huge mandibled mouth, maned back, bristly skin,
and an overall red skin.
This does not relate to the above, but to the
over-abundance of demons in the game. There are
too many demons attacking the wrong people.
Demons, by their very nature, should either be
involved with demon conjurers or be attacking the
clerics/saints. Demon conjurers usually want info
or spells from the demons, because they are too
hard to control and make fight for one to deal with
them. AD&D uses spirit-wrack
and cacodemon as
efforts to control this tendency. It does become
very hard to work with demons, but only because
the spells are of high level, not because the effort is
difficult to keep going.
Marc Jacobs
[edit]
(The Dragon #28)
Just how extensive is your imagination? There
are 666 Layers of the Abyss. Each
of these layers is
populated by at least one demon. Using the diversity
of our natural world as a guideline, it stands to
reason that most of these layers could conceivably
be populated by different demon types.
Now, the
MONSTER MANUAL gives about a
dozen types.
What about the rest of the Abyss? The Talmud
states that there are 7,405,926 demons; do they all
look like a dozen specimens? What if, in the context
of your game, you all go to the abyss? Traditional
thought states that there exists a great diversity of
demons — how would you encounter demons
there without becoming hopelessly confused. Your
problem, I fear, is not enough imagination
on how
that article might be best utilized.
How can a person that claims that he wants
CONTROL over his campaign allow those rotten
little pixies to have such a sword in the first place?
This smacks of un-imaginativeness and mere dice
rolling . . . — Ed. <Tim Kask> [edit]